Bega Cheese History
1899
Butter factory established
1900
Butter factory officially opened
1920
Original co-op store was purchased
1924
Butter factory built on present site
1944
Name changed to The Bega Co-operative Society Ltd.
1949
Erection of new Department Store
1954
Commencement of milk receivals, town milk deliveries and cheese manufacture
1956
Commencement of milk powder production
1960
Opening of Canberra branch
1966
Implementation of bulk milk collection and refrigerated farm milk vats
1969
New cheese factory commissioned
1971
Commenced manufacture of Kameruka brand cheese
1972
Amalgamation with A.B.C. cheese society at Tilba
1975
Opening of Queanbeyan branch
1976
The Co-operative and its farmers participated in a successful campaign to gain access to a fair share of the NSW market for fresh milk
1981
New Farm Supply Store opened in North Bega
1982
Despatch tankers conversion from 13,500 litre to 22,500 litre capacity completed
1983
Doubled capacity of Bega Cheese factory. Upgraded milk packaging in Bega and closed Queanbeyan factory
1984
Use of factory-derived cheese starter commenced. Department Store closed and Arcade commenced. New Tetra Pak milk cartoning equipment installed
1985
Redevelopment of Canberra factory completed. Arrangements made with large Victorian Co-operative, Bonlac, for them to market Bega Cheese in states other than NSW and the ACT.
1986
Commenced packing milk in 2 litre plastic bottles. Sawdust-fired boiler commissioned
1987
Bodalla Co-operative ceased operation and the thirteen farms supplying Bodalla transferred their supply to Bega 1990
1990
Specialty cheese production commenced, these cheeses being marketing as the “Kameruka Selection”
1992
Alfomatic cheddaring equipment and block forming towers installed in the cheese factory
1994
Tourist facility, recreating the original butter factory, built. Erection commenced of the Spray-Drying Plant and controlled Temperature cheese storage. Milk processing business servicing Cooma and the Snowy Mountains acquired. Commenced cheese export to a number of countries
1995
Spray-Drying plant. A group of East Gippsland farmers commenced supplying milk to Bega and formed the Green Valley Co-operative
1996
The society’s fresh milk packaging and distribution activities in the South East of NSW, including Capitol Chilled Foods, were placed in a joint venture with Dairy Farmers Co-operative to from Capital Chilled Foods (Australia) Pty Ltd. 75% owned by Dairy Farmers and 25% owned by Bega
1998
The cheese cutting, packaging and processing plant was constructed and commissioned in Ridge Street, Bega. This state of the art plant services the domestic and international markets for value added Bega Cheese consumer products.The cutting, packaging and processing unit was officially opened in October by the then Premier of New South, Bob Carr. The string cheese plant was commissioned at Bega, and Bega Stringers launched nationally into the domestic market.
1999
Bega Cheese celebrated one hundred years as a dairy co-operative, 1899 to 1999.
2001
In April 2001, the marketing function in Australia for the Bega brand was franchised to Bonland Dairies Ltd. a joint venture between Bonlac and the New Zealand Dairy Board. This arrangement saw the business of Bonlac’s Melbourne cheese cutting and packaging operations transferred to Bega during 2001/2002.In July of 2001, Bega Cheese commissioned its cheese shredding plant.
2002
Work completed on the transfer of business from Bonlac, effectively increasing the throughput of the Bega plant to 40,000 metric tonnes of product per annum. Bega Cheese also commissioned its processed cheddar cheese canning line, adding this function to the growing capabilities of the Bega operations to service both domestic and international demand.
2007
Bega Cheese acquired a 70% stake in the Victorian based dairy company, Tatura Milk Industries, in April 2007. Tatura Milk manufactures cream cheese, powders, infant formula and nutraceuticals. Executive Chairman of Bega Cheese, Barry Irvin, is also Chairman of Tatura Milk Industries.
2008
The Bega Co-operative Society Limited changes corporate structure from a co-operative, to become an unlisted public company, known as Bega Cheese Limited.
Bega Cheese acquired the Coburg cheddar and mozzarella manufacturing location, capable of producing 10,000 mt of bulk product.
2009
Bega Cheese acquired the ex Kraft, Strathmerton based, cheese processing plant with circa 75,000 mt of processed cheese capacity.
2010
Bega Cheese Acquired 15% stake in Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Company.
2011
On August 19 2011 Bega Cheese became a listed company on the ASX.
In December 2011 Bega Cheese purchased the remaining 30% of Tatura Milk Industries.
2014
Commissioned New Tatura Milk Canning Facility at Derrimut
2017
Bega Cheese acquires most of Mondelez’s international’s grocery business in Australia and new Zealand
Bega Cheese Acquires Peanut Company of Australia
2018
Bega Cheese completes purchase of Koroit facility
2021
Bega Cheese Acquires Lion Dairy and Drinks
Bega Cheese acquires Lion Dairy & Drinks on 25 January 2021, brands including, Dairy Farmers, Daily Juice, Farmers Union, Big M, Dare, Pura, Masters, The Juice Brothers and Berri.