Melbourne-based producer, Pure Dairy, has appointed Andrew Wellington as its new chief commercial officer, ready to support the company as it makes moves both domestically and internationally.
With over 20 years’ experience in the dairy and food-processing industries, Wellington brings a wealth of expertise in operational leadership, market expansion and supply chain optimisation. He has held leadership positions across the dairy sector in both Australia and New Zealand, at Open Country Dairy, Thermaflo NZ, and most recently as chief operating officer at Union Dairy Company.
“I’ve been privileged to learn about virtually every aspect of the dairy industry over the course of my career, so I’m incredibly inspired to now find myself in a place where I can put all this knowledge to use,” said Wellington.
“With an international network of partners, big data and a multi-disciplinary team, Pure Dairy has a proven track record of capitalising on any opportunity. You can only imagine the potential as we open our very own production facility next year. I’m very glad to be here for it.”
The appointment comes at a pivotal time for Pure Dairy, which is set to open its new $100 million Dandenong South production facility in April 2025. The plant will feature state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment, an R&D kitchen, logistics operations and the company’s corporate offices.
The opportunity for international expansion has already attracted investors, with US natural and processed cheese packager, Great Lakes Cheese, announcing a partnership with Pure Dairy in October.
Pure Dairy executive chairman, Adrian Josephson, said Wellington has the breadth of experience and insights to consolidate the work of the company’s multidisciplinary teams, and the ability to see the big picture.
“We’re dealing with a very dynamic international market. For example, EU exports are currently hampered by the Red Sea shipping crisis and US-China tariff hikes are on the horizon,” said Josephson.
“There are some major opportunities coming up for quality Australian dairy, and I can’t wait to see where Andrew takes Pure Dairy.
“As we prepare to launch our production facility and expand our global footprint in commodity trading and the foodservice industry, Andrew will play a key role in realising our ambitious plans. His appointment is yet another step in our commitment to driving innovation and excellence in global dairy,” he said.
