Chobani Australia’s new state-of-the-art $30 million yoghurt factory in Dandenong South was officially opened by Chobani president, CEO and founder Hamdi Ulukaya and The Honourable Peter Walsh, Minister for agriculture and food security, at a ceremony on 6 December.
Chobani purchased Victorian dairy company Bead Foods in 2011 and added over 3000 square metres of wet processing and cool room facilities to the existing operation - effectively tripling production capacity to over 30,000 tonnes of yoghurt per annum.
“Chobani started just five years ago and was built upon the belief that everyone deserves access to high-quality, great-tasting yoghurt made from only natural ingredients,” said Ulukaya.
“We chose Australia as our first international market to launch Chobani because of its amazingly high quality milk, and we knew that Australians are passionate about great-tasting food. The completion of this facility is the realisation of a dream that I have had for some time now, and I am truly humbled by the warm welcome Australia has given Chobani.”
With the plant now operational, Chobani Australia has increased the number of manufacturing and management staff, creating 50 new jobs in the last year and a further 150 jobs are expected to be added over the next three years as it reaches capacity.
Chobani Australia anticipates the Dandenong South plant will serve as an export hub to drive further growth of the Chobani Greek Yogurt and Gippsland Dairy brands into Asia.
“This expansion is good news for Victorian dairy farmers who supply Chobani Australia, and it is a strong vote of confidence in Victoria's valuable dairy sector,” said Walsh.
The opening ceremony and plaque unveiling was attended by 100 guests including state parliamentary representatives The Hon Peter Walsh, The Hon John Pandazopoulas MP, and The Hon Timothy Holding MP; representatives from the office of the Federal member, The Hon Mark Dreyfus QC; representatives from the Greater Dandenong Council including Councillor Angela Long, Mayor of Greater Dandenong, Red Gum Ward Councillor Jim Memeti and John Bennie, CEO of Greater Dandenong Council.
