Fleurieu Milk Company built from 2006 by three South Australian dairy families' drive to revert to old-style milk taste

Geoff and Louise Hutchinson, Barry (Bazz) and Merridie Clarke, and Chris and Karen Royans who started what became leurieu Milk Company, operating from Myponga, on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula.

Fleurieu Milk Company, founded in Myponga, on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula, in 2006 by three local farming families, made its mark by reproducing the old-fashioned taste of milk.

Geoff and Louise Hutchinson, Barry (Bazz) and Merridie Clarke, and Chris and Karen Royans had seen the dairy industry decline, with many neighbours forced to wind up operations because of the decline in farmgate milk prices. The group behind Fleurieu Milk Company wanted to trying offering something different.

The Fleurieu Milk Group ad to wait18 months  to be accredited. After that, the Hutchinsons and Clarkes took a hands-on role in every aspect of milk production. There were many long hours and overnighters spent running the plant, and capping and labelling bottles by hand. The owners didn’t pay themselves in the first year before their first paid employee was taken on.

The hard work and different approach built a market with more than 1300 outlets selling or using their products. Fleurieu Milk grew into a recognisable and sought-after brand, with its bright logos. Initially, the range had a few types of creamy white milk. That expanded to more than 50 products, including flavoured milk, cream and yoghurt, plus different styles and sizes of white milk.

Fleurieu Milk production reached one million litres of milk per month and continued to inclease. One of Fleurieu Milk’s biggest impacts has been to bring attention to the need to support local and buy local produce, alongside other local brands such as Beerenberg and Nippys.