Fleurieu Milk Company story
Doug Pollnitz

Doug Pollnitz, Fleurieu Milk Company Operations Manager, told the story of the establishment and current operations of the Fleurieu Milk Company.

In the early 2000s feed prices were rising rapidly and farm gate prices were declining, making dairy farm viability difficult. The number of dairy farms operating in Myponga had already decreased from around 40 to 10. In 2004, three farming families (Barry & Merridie Clarke, Chris & Karen Royans and Geoff & Louise Hutchinson) began brainstorming ideas about how to bottle and sell their own milk. The families operated over two farms, one of which had a Jersey herd and the other Fresian Holstein herd. A closed-down dairy on one of the farms became the site for the production factory.

From those humble beginnings, the current operation has grown. There are now nine dairy farms supplying milk on a daily basis, two Jersey milk, and the other seven Fresian Holstein. The furthest farm from the factory is at Hindmarsh Tiers, and others are at Mount Compass and Myponga. Approximately 60,000 litres of milk is produced each day, with 114 staff working seven days a week across multiple shifts, operating almost 24/7. The Company now produces a variety of milks (nine varieties of ‘white’ milk including full cream, reduced fat and lactose free, homogenized and unhomogenized), five flavoured milks, a range of six yoghurts and a pouring cream. They have 1500 loyal customers, cafes, IGAs and Foodlands, across the Adelaide Plains and Fleurieu Peninsula with a presence also in the South East and Yorke Peninsula.

Doug showed some fascinating slides showing the growth of the factory from one small shed to its current complex of rooms for processing the milk, bottling and storage in cold rooms. Future plans are for 300% growth over the next two years.

Following the talk and several questions from the audience, we were lucky enough to sample some of the Fleurieu Milk Company products over a chat and morning tea.