Launch brings confidence to Southern Downs dairy farmers
NEWS dairy co-operative will be stocked in Queensland Aldi stores in sign of consumer support for industry.
Warwick
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NORCO Co-operative has extended its stronghold, announcing the label will now be available in Aldi for a limited time, with the news leaving Southern Downs members ecstatic.
As of March 1, Norco 1L Full Cream, Lite and Skim will be stocked in the budget supermarket chain across Queensland and select NSW stores.
Junabee dairy farmer Brent Hoffman said the deal would offer farmers more faith in the industry as they continued to feel the looming pressures of drought and supermarket rip-offs.
“It’s a credit to Norco and a credit to Aldi as well – it will help us all going forward if they keep buying our milk,” he said.
“They’ve got a lot stores and a lot of influence so you would hope it makes some difference.
“It does offer members a bit more confidence, going into a new store.”
Despite recent rain, Mr Hoffman said he was still buying in grain for his cows, and knew many dairy farmers in a similar boat.
“We farm on a TMR (total mixed ration) system so it’ll be three months down the track before we see a result,” he said.
“In the meantime, it’s still costing a fortune because we haven’t got any feed yet.
“There are still dairy farmers continuing to go out now, because they can’t burden the bills anymore.”
Mr Hoffman said he had seen a growth in sales of the brand over the past year in what he hoped was a positive reflection of consumers stepping up to help out the industry.
“I definitely seen sales grow and people have been supporting us so it’s very very positive,” he said.
“As long as they keep buying it, we’ll be right.”
The dairy co-operative last made headlines with news Coles would be paying them $2.8m in compensation after it was found out the chain had not passed on the full amount of a milk price rise, despite claiming it did in a marketing campaign.
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