An iconic Australian cheese producer King Island Dairy will no longer operate from mid-2025. The popular brand discontinued after 120 years of production. The parent company Saputo revealed the information on Thursday. Saputo Dairy Australia president Leanne Cutts said the decision to close the brand did not occur lightly. Every possible option had been thoroughly reviewed before taking the decision.
As a result of the decision, almost 58 people are expected to lose their jobs. However, Saputo has said that they would try to redeploy the workers somewhere else in the business. Until it shuts down its operation, the brand will continue to produce cheese.
The company launched a strategic review of the facility almost 10 months ago. The decision to close down the brand came after it was unable to find a buyer.
The products of King Island Dairy can be found across the country in major supermarkets. King Island deputy mayor Vernon Philby shared his views with ABC. He said that it affects all services because of the fewer employees we’ve got on the island. they’ll probably employ less staff at shops, and so forth.
Saputo’s president and chief operating officer international and Europe Leanne Cutts said that the company did not maintain its position in today’s ultra-competitive industry. Whereas, other brands like Mersey Valley and Tasmanian Heritage sustained their positions.
Meanwhile, TasFarmers president Ian Sauer said he wanted to see “good corporate responsibility” from Saputo. He said that It’s a brand that is worth keeping. He is hopeful that the company will find a buyer for the business. Ian Sauer believes Saputo needs to be helping farmers transition into new enterprises on the island.
