Arla Foods is strengthening its presence in Australia with the acquisition of Brancourts, a historic local cottage cheese producer, and is also announcing a plan to expand production capacity in the country. The acquisition will be carried out through Arla Foods Mayer Australia (AFMA), the joint venture between the European dairy giant and the Australian company Mayers Fine Food. This move represents a new step in the Danish cooperative group's international strategy, which aims to consolidate its presence in one of the world's most attractive dairy markets.
In recent years, Arla has already built a strong position in Australia with brands such as Lurpak butter and Castello cheese. With the addition of Brancourts, a company founded in 1895 by French immigrants and operating in New South Wales for over 130 years, Arla will be able to further expand its shelf presence by making a stronger entry into the cottage cheese segment. According to Lillie Li Valeur, Executive Vice President of Arla International, Australia offers "a stable economy, high purchasing power, population growth, and a strong dairy tradition," making the market particularly strategic for the group.
The manager also emphasized how free trade agreements between the European Union and Australia could create new development opportunities in the coming years. The cottage cheese segment is considered one of the most dynamic in the entire Australian dairy industry, with volume growth exceeding 40% year-over-year. Demand is primarily driven by trends related to healthy eating, high protein content, and the product's versatility in the kitchen. Mai Roberts, General Manager of AFMA, explained that the combination of Brancourts' production capabilities and Arla's global expertise will accelerate innovation in the category, developing new products and expanding consumption opportunities.
For Brancourts, the transaction marks the end of over a century of family ownership. Julie Conradt, fourth-generation owner, stated that the choice of AFMA as the new owner was driven by shared values and a long-term vision for the staff, the production site, and the Australian market. The acquisition is expected to become effective in the coming weeks, although financial details of the transaction have not been disclosed. Founded in 2015, AFMA combines the international experience of Arla Foods with the local market knowledge of Mayers Fine Foods, an Australian distributor specializing in the premium segment. Arla Foods, an international cooperative owned by over 7.600 European dairy farmers, is now one of the world's leading players in the dairy sector, with well-known brands such as Arla, Lurpak, Puck, and Castello.
