Quinn family set to purchase Sara Lee confectioners

From Darrell Lea to Sara Lee — the Queensland-based Quinn family have rescued an ice cream brand from the deep freeze.

Dairy leaders have welcomed a raspberry ripple reprieve for famed dessert brand Sara Lee, with Queensland’s multi-millionaire Quinn family buying the business.

The popular dairy manufacturer announced last year it had gone into administration after five decades of churning out frozen cheesecakes, pies and ice creams.

Administrators worked over the past four months to salvage the Lisarow factory, which employs 200 people near Gosford, about 90km north of Sydney.

This week, administrators FTI Consulting announced business power couple Klark and Brooke Quinn had purchased the business.

Queensland businessman Klark Quinn when he managed the Darrell Lea brand.

Australian Dairy Products Federation chief executive Janine Waller said 2023 was a tough year for dairy manufacturing with Sara Lee one of many processors to be hit by the economic downturn.

“It is welcome news that Sara Lee will continue to operate and support locally made Australian dairy products,” Ms Waller said.

“The Australian Dairy Products Federation commented last year on the tough trading environment dairy processors were contending, and their need to continue to rationalise their operations, impacting jobs, local economies and farmers.

“We saw eight dairy processing businesses close over the past 12 months – one of which was announced as Sara Lee.”

The Quinn family is re-entering food manufacturing after famously rescuing the Darrell Lea brand a decade ago. The Quinns sold Darrell Lea in 2018 for about $200 million to Australian investment firm Quadrant Private Equity.

In a statement, the Quinn family said: “We are a small Aussie family that shared in the tradition of having Sara Lee apple pie and vanilla ice-cream every Sunday night at the dinner table.

“We could not be more proud to put the Aussie made and owned stamp on the Sara Lee brand.”

Administrator Vaughan Strawbridge said it was hoped the sale would be completed in the coming weeks. “Staff and consumers have rallied behind the business during this tough time, and we are so grateful to the loyal workforce and management team who have made this process a success while they have continued to produce amazing products.”