KyValley Dairy to refresh Kiewa and Coach House labelling

The Kyabram dairy processor has notched up a number of wins in recent times — and isn’t resting on its laurels.

A range of KyValley products are set to receive a brand makeover as the Kyabram-based processor looks towards the season ahead.

Labelling is set to be updated for the Kiewa Country brand while several new flavours of Coach House yoghurt will appear on supermarket shelves by the end of the calendar year.

Bubs Australia acquired Coach House as a part of its NuLac Foods acquisition in 2017.

Only a few years later, KyValley — as a shareholder of Remarkable Milk Company — then entered into an agreement to purchase the Coach House brand from Bubs.

KyValley Dairy managing director Wayne Mulcahy. Picture: Zoe Phillips

“Our Kiewa Country brand will come out with a new look,” KyValley Dairy managing director Wayne Mulcahy said.

“It’s all about standing out on the supermarket shelves, capturing the customer’s attention.

“Changing the look of a label sounds like a small thing but it can make a big difference.

“We’re also adding new flavours to our Coach House (yoghurt) range, and we’re also doing a new look on our True Organic butter and cheese — the packaging and the foils, to attract and retain that consumer interest.”

In August 2020, KyValley sold the Kyabram plant to its largest retail customer, the a2 Milk Company, and now lease the site on a long-term arrangement.

As part of the a2 deal, the new owners agreed to a $15 million plant upgrade.

It was a busy period for KyValley, with the processor acquiring Organic Dairy Farmers of Australia in the same month and with it, ODFA’s Geelong plant.

A Geelong Milk brand has since hit supermarket shelves in the Barwon region as well as Melbourne’s western suburbs.

KyValley has an annual milk pool of 140 million litres with 30 external suppliers outside their own farms.

“Our external supply would probably be three-quarters now,” Mr Mulcahy said.

“It started off as 100 per cent internal, from our own farms, and as we’ve grown, we’ve exceeded the capacity of our own farms, so we’ve progressively added on suppliers.

The family dairy has been through an impressive growth period. Picture: Zoe Phillips

“Our farms are growing as well. But the strength of our business is such that we need external suppliers as well.”

Like nearly every processor in Australian dairy, KyValley is also aiming to attract new suppliers in the 2022-23 season.

“We’re always on the lookout for new suppliers,” Mr Mulcahy said.

“As you know, the milk market is very hot. Certainly at a minimum, we’re trying to retain our existing suppliers but we’re fielding inquiries from new ones as well.”

Originally published as KyValley Dairy to refresh Kiewa and Coach House labelling