Brief History Bega Cheese History 20212021 Bega Cheese Acquires Lion Dairy and DrinksBega 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. 20182018 Bega Cheese completes purchase of Koroit facility20172017 Bega Cheese Acquires Peanut Company of Australia2017 Bega Cheese acquires most of Mondelez’s international’s grocery business in Australia and new Zealand20142014 Commissioned New Tatura Milk Canning Facility at Derrimut20112011 In December 2011 Bega Cheese purchased the remaining 30% of Tatura Milk Industries.2011 On August 19 2011 Bega Cheese became a listed company on the ASX.20102010 Bega Cheese Acquired 15% stake in Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Company.20092009 Bega Cheese acquired the ex Kraft, Strathmerton based, cheese processing plant with circa 75,000 mt of processed cheese capacity.20082008 Bega Cheese acquired the Coburg cheddar and mozzarella manufacturing location, capable of producing 10,000 mt of bulk product.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.20072007 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.20022002 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.20012001 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.19991999 Bega Cheese celebrated one hundred years as a dairy co-operative, 1899 to 1999.19981998 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.19961996 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 Bega19951995 Spray-Drying plant. A group of East Gippsland farmers commenced supplying milk to Bega and formed the Green Valley Co-operative19941994 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 countries19921992 Alfomatic cheddaring equipment and block forming towers installed in the cheese factory19901990 Specialty cheese production commenced, these cheeses being marketing as the “Kameruka Selection”19871987 Bodalla Co-operative ceased operation and the thirteen farms supplying Bodalla transferred their supply to Bega 199019861986 Commenced packing milk in 2 litre plastic bottles. Sawdust-fired boiler commissioned19851985 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.19841984 Use of factory-derived cheese starter commenced. Department Store closed and Arcade commenced. New Tetra Pak milk cartoning equipment installed19831983 Doubled capacity of Bega Cheese factory. Upgraded milk packaging in Bega and closed Queanbeyan factory19821982 Despatch tankers conversion from 13,500 litre to 22,500 litre capacity completed19811981 New Farm Supply Store opened in North Bega19761976 The Co-operative and its farmers participated in a successful campaign to gain access to a fair share of the NSW market for fresh milk19751975 Opening of Queanbeyan branch19721972 Amalgamation with A.B.C. cheese society at Tilba19711971 Commenced manufacture of Kameruka brand cheese19691969 New cheese factory commissioned19661966 Implementation of bulk milk collection and refrigerated farm milk vats19601960 Opening of Canberra branch19561956 Commencement of milk powder production19541954 Commencement of milk receivals, town milk deliveries and cheese manufacture19491949 Erection of new Department Store19441944 Name changed to The Bega Co-operative Society Ltd.19241924 Butter factory built on present site19201920 Original co-op store was purchased19001900 Butter factory officially opened18991899 Butter factory established