Lion Pty Ltd has invested A$150m (US$235m) to expand its speciality cheese capabilities and upgrade a speciality cheese "manufacturing hub" in Tasmania.
According to Lion, the Australian dairy and brewing unit of Japanese giant Kirin Holdings, the site in Burnie is the largest speciality cheese facility in the southern hemisphere and one of the "most technologically advanced" speciality cheese plants globally. The investment focused on increasing capacity and capability as well as lowering the site's environmental impact and improving safety.
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Lion CEO Stuart Irvine said speciality cheese will be a "key value driver" for Lion because it is a growing category that is "strategically important" to the group's retail customers.
"We have significant headroom to increase speciality cheese consumption and maximise the impact of our portfolio, and our strategy is focused on unlocking this opportunity. Lion’s investment in The Heritage is integral to this, as we work to optimise the performance of our supply chain and achieve competitive efficiency and scale," Irvine said.
"The expanded site will also help us grow capacity and capability to innovate in speciality cheese, ultimately driving higher margin sales that deliver sustainable returns to Lion and through the whole supply chain."
Lion produces various speciality cheese brands on sale throughout Australia, including South Cape, Tasmanian Heritage, Mersey Valley and King Island.
