Australia-based infant-formula exporter Jatenergy has made inroads in its aspirations to manufacture its own products with the formation of a joint-venture company Jatpharm.

Jatpharm will be based in Sydney, although a manufacturing plant has yet to be found. However, Jatenergy said in a statement today (28 February) it is in discussions with real estate agents to find a suitable site and expects the search to be completed in March or April.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

The joint venture will produce dairy products, including infant formula, and other health products such as vitamins and supplements. Jatenergy will be the majority shareholder in the new business, holding 55%, along with three unnamed minority investors.

Jatpharm will seek to secure a license, known as the Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China (CNCA), which would allow the company to export infant formula to China. It will also look to obtain registration with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

One of the minority shareholders will operate and manage the new plant, once it has been identified, under TGA regulations, Jatenergy said in the filing to the Australian Securities Exchange on which it is listed. The other shareholders are specialists in product formulation. 

“As a TGA- and CNCA-approved manufacturer, Jatpharm will produce in-house brand products, and seek contracts from other companies to produce private-label products,” the statement added. 

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

New South Wales-based Jatenergy is targeting to complete stage one of establishing the factory by late 2019 or early 2020, subject to planning approvals. 

“Current global trading conditions support development of the project,” Jatenergy said. “In particular, increased trade barriers among some major trading countries on dairy products, including infant formulas, bode well for the manufacturing initiative. 

“Demand from the growing middle class in China and other Asian countries is fuelled by a new concept known in China as the ‘big health’ lifestyle. This means people consume health supplements, quality dairy products with nutritional additives and other healthy foods.” 

Earlier this week, Jatenergy, which is already present in China, announced it was expanding into South Korea and Japan via a deal with Captain & Crews. The company has also signing a number of recent supply deals including with Sinopharm – China National Pharmaceutical Group Corp. – via its subsidiary Green Forest International. It also bought a majority stake in local milk powder business Golden Koala Group as a key entry point into China. 

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact