Gympie businessman’s ambitious plan to create jobs in the rural sector

Kenilworth Dairies reveals $1.2 million expansion

Kenilworth Dairies will launch their new product by the end of the month.

Kenilworth Dairies owner John Cochrane has unveiled his plans for expanding the business and in the hope to provide jobs for local dairy farmers.

The popular boutique dairy farm makes a range of award-winning products including cheese, yoghurt, ice cream and mousses, several of which are stocked in Aldi supermarkets across the country.

Kenilworth Dairies stocks a range of award-winning, locally made products. Picture: Supplied

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Mr Cochrane told Channel Seven News that a $1.2 million expansion was underway to add bottled milk to their range, and said he expects to launch the new products by the end of June.

“It is a big investment, we haven’t made it lightly,” Mr Cochrane said.

“We honestly believe the customers want good quality, local and fresh (products).”

Gympie’s John Cochrane, a sixth generation dairy farmer, took over Kenilworth Dairies in 2017.

To begin with Mr Cochrane will use his own family dairy farms to supply the milk, but said he hoped to expand production quickly to hire more dairy farmers, and to bring back those who left the industry during the $1 milk supermarket price war.

“You’ll never get rich being a dairy farmer but it’s a lifestyle and they love it, and they’ve been cheated of it in the past,” he told Seven News.

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