Bega Cheese Limited, winner of the 2008 Regional Exporter Award sponsored by Australian Business International Trade Services
Twenty-five thousand dairy cows in the Bega Valley contribute to the success of Bega Cheese, supplying more than 165 million litres of milk each year for the company’s range of natural cheddar and processed cheddar cheese products.
Operating out of two sites in Bega, the company is a leading brand in the Australian dairy industry and continues to show strong growth in global dairy markets with retail, food service and bulk products making their way into over 50 countries around the world.
Bega Cheese’s success in the export market hinged on the decision in 1998 to build a cheese cutting, packaging and processing unit on-site in Bega – the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. The company began exporting in 1992, when enquiries from South East Asia for bulk cheddar began filtering through.
It soon became apparent that supply of value-added retail-ready products was the future for Bega Cheese in overseas markets. From a zero base in 1992, Bega’s export business looks set to achieve approximately AUD50 million in retail sales for 2007-08, despite challenging trading conditions.
World record cheese input prices and the rising Australian dollar have impacted significantly on Bega’s export business over the last financial year; however, the company still achieved significant growth.
Bega Cheese’s export business is focused on the demand for high quality cheese products from the ‘clean, green’ Australian dairy industry – a crucial part of Bega’s export strategy.
The company’s success also lies in its ability to quickly respond to customer demand and focus on the requirements of individual markets. Bega’s extensive range of retail products, in both natural and processed cheddar cheese, makes the business a ‘one stop shop’ for many customers. |