Rivalea will invest than $20 million into its Corowa site to improve and strengthen its operations and growth across fresh and value-added pork products supplied to Australian consumers and key export partners.
Subject to local government regulatory approvals, the investments will be made at Rivalea’s Corowa piggery and processing facilities, and includes:
- Upgrading pig growing sheds;
- best practice animal handling systems;
- upgrading biosecurity systems, to further reduce the risk of disease;
- upgrading employee amenity facilities; and
- upgrading harvest processes.
JBS Australia acquired the Rivalea business in January 2022, and its Pork Division includes the Rivalea pig breeding and progeny raising enterprise along with pork processing facilities at Rivalea Corowa, Diamond Valley Pork in Melbourne and Seven Point Pork at Port Wakefield in South Australia.
JBS Australia COO Pork Division Edison Alvares, said the investment was a testament to the company’s commitment to the Corowa and Federation Council area.
“Rivalea has a proud history of being part of the Riverina area for the past 50 years.
“Through this $20 million investment program, we will seek to improve the productivity of our operations – which will enhance job security for people in the Corowa community.
“We look forward to continuing our constructive conversations with the Federation Council to progress the required regulatory processes to move forward with the investment plan,” said Alvares.
Federation Council Mayor Patrick Bourke said the scale of this investment demonstrates the confidence and long-term commitment that Rivalea has to our region and also to the local community.
“Federation Council encourages responsible business development and expansion and this investment makes very good business sense, especially with the main aims of employee wellbeing, animal welfare and biosecurity, being at the forefront. Rivalea is a significant economic contributor to our region and we look forward to seeing them continue to invest in our region, to assist in driving the long-term sustainability of our community,” said Bourke.
Rivalea’s Corowa site currently employs more than 600 people and consists of five farms, a processing facility, feed milling, research and administration.
The site utilises biogas technology capturing methane to generate 85 per cent of the farming and processing operations’ peak power requirements and further uses the nutrients to grow crops, contributing to the sustainability of the site.
JBS Australia is #2 on the Food & Drink Business 2022 Top 100 Food & Drink Companies report.
