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{{Short description|Australian dairy company}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Brownes Dairy
| type = [[Subsidiary]]
| industry = Food manufacturing
| founded = {{Start date and age|1886}}
| founder = Edward Browne
| hq_location_city = [[Balcatta, Western Australia]]
| hq_location_country = Australia
| owner = Shanghai Ground Food Tech
| website = {{URL|https://brownesdairy.com.au/}}
}}
'''Brownes Dairy''' is an Australian [[dairy]] company. It produces dairy products such as milk, cheese and yoghurt for the domestic and international market.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Lowe |first=Adrian |date=16 January 2024 |title=How the Brownes Dairy boss plans to stay number one in WA |url=https://thewest.com.au/business/retail/brownes-dairy-chief-executive-natalie-sarich-dayton-growing-the-footprint-and-defending-home-turf-dominance-c-12876748 |url-access=subscription |access-date=29 February 2024 |website=The West Australian |language=en}}</ref> The company is the oldest and largest dairy processor in [[Western Australia]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harvey |first=Ben |date=14 November 2017 |title=WA's biggest milk producer sold to China |url=https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/wa/was-biggest-milk-producer-brownes-sold-to-chinese-interests-ng-42842fabc5e27823a2274dd4235960c7 |access-date=29 February 2024 |website=PerthNow |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lowe |first=Adrian |date=11 January 2024 |title=Masters says rivals are milking consumers on ownership |url=https://thewest.com.au/business/retail/masters-talks-up-local-ownership-credentials-as-milk-brand-steps-up-fight-against-competitors-c-13186956 |url-access=subscription |access-date=29 February 2024 |website=The West Australian |language=en}}</ref>
== History ==
Brownes was established in 1886.<ref name=":0" /> It became the first Western Australian company to produce flavoured milk in 1951.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gloria |first=Lorna |date=20 April 2023 |title=Brownes Dairy releases new flavoured milk range with less sugar |url=https://retailworldmagazine.com.au/brownes-dairy-releases-new-flavoured-milk-range-with-less-sugar/ |access-date=29 February 2024 |website=Retail World Magazine |language=en-AU}}</ref>
In 1955 the family company became a public company,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article59701009 |title=Big Dairy firm to be public company. |newspaper=[[Sunday Times (Perth)]] |issue=2930 |location=Western Australia |date=30 January 1955 |accessdate=29 February 2024 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> changing its name from Brownes Limited to Brownes Dairy limited.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article149762635 |title=Brownes Ltd. To be a Public Company |newspaper=[[South Western Advertiser]] |volume=47 |issue=1462 |location=WesternaAustralia |date=18 December 1952 |accessdate=29 February 2024 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
The company began making yoghurt in 1959.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Berry |first=Kim |date=25 September 2019 |title=Brownes Dairy goes national with Wiggles |url=https://www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au/news/brownes-dairy-goes-national-with-wiggles |access-date=29 February 2024 |website=Food & Drink Business |language=en}}</ref>
Ice cream company Peters acquired Brownes in 1962.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Treadgold |first=Tim |date=1 August 1994 |title=Peters After Cash to Push Asia Sales |url=https://www.afr.com/companies/peters-after-cash-to-push-asia-sales-19940801-kauqs |access-date=29 February 2024 |website=Australian Financial Review |language=en}}</ref>  In the 1970s, Brownes started making [[sour cream]] and [[feta cheese]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brammer |first=Jenne |date=6 September 2018 |title=Brownes turns yoghurt on its head with top-down pot |url=https://thewest.com.au/business/retail/brownes-turns-yoghurt-on-its-head-with-top-down-pot-ng-b88952260z |access-date=29 February 2024 |website=The West Australian |language=en}}</ref>
In 2010, [[Fonterra]] sold Brownes to DairyWest, a subsidiary of private investment firm [[Archer Capital]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Lawson |first=Rebecca |date=21 October 2010 |title=Fonterra sells Brownes to equity firm |url=https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/wa/fonterra-sells-brownes-to-equity-investment-firm-archer-capital-ng-f75cd61789065ccf911312c96373b708 |access-date=29 February 2024 |website=PerthNow |language=en}}</ref> In July 2012, Brownes acquired Casa Dairy, a maker of niche products like European-style cheeses and [[buttermilk]] located in [[Canning Vale, Western Australia|Canning Vale]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Varischetti |first=Belinda |date=29 July 2012 |title=Dairy processor Brownes buys Casa Dairy |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2012-07-30/dairy-processor-brownes-buys-casa-dairy/6038394 |access-date=29 February 2024 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref>
Brownes was fined $100,000 in July 2014 after waste milk from its Brunswick facility spilled into a nearby creek causing fish to die and a foul odour. The company also spent about four weeks and about $387,000 to clean up the spill.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Azad |first=Usman |date=28 July 2014 |title=Brownes fined over spilt milk |url=https://thewest.com.au/business/finance/brownes-fined-over-spilt-milk-ng-ya-374783 |access-date=29 February 2024 |website=The West Australian |language=en}}</ref>
In November 2017, Brownes was purchased by Australia Zhiran Co, a Chinese consortium led by Shanghai Ground Food Tech.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thompson |first=Sarah |last2=Macdonald |first2=Anthony |last3=Moullakis |first3=Joyce |date=14 November 2017 |title=Archer sells Brownes to Chinese consortium |url=https://www.afr.com/street-talk/archer-sells-brownes-to-chinese-consortium-20171114-gzkw6r |access-date=29 February 2024 |website=Australian Financial Review |language=en}}</ref>
In July 2021, Brownes was fined $22,000 by the [[Australian Competition and Consumer Commission]] after it published two milk supply agreements on its website in June 2020 which did not comply with the Dairy Code.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bodhi |first=Varun |date=7 July 2021 |title=Brownes Dairy fined for dairy code breaches |url=https://www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au/news/brownes-dairy-fined-for-dairy-code-breaches |access-date=29 February 2024 |website=Food & Drink Business |language=en}}</ref>
== Operations ==
Annually, Brownes collects about 120 million litres of milk from over 50 farms.<ref name=":0" /> Brownes has processing facilities located in [[Balcatta, Western Australia|Balcatta]], [[Brunswick Junction, Western Australia|Brunswick]] and [[Shanghai]].<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Evans |first=Simon |date=10 December 2023 |title=Brownes Dairy aims to dislodge Babybel's iron grip in cheese snacks |url=https://www.afr.com/companies/agriculture/brownes-dairy-aims-to-dislodge-babybel-s-iron-grip-in-cheese-snacks-20231207-p5epyz |access-date=29 February 2024 |website=Australian Financial Review |language=en}}</ref> As of 2010, the company processes 40 per cent of WA's milk production.<ref name=":1" />
== References ==
<references />
== External links ==
* {{Official website|https://brownesdairy.com.au/}}
[[Category:Australian companies established in 1886]]
[[Category:Food and drink companies established in 1886]]
[[Category:Dairy products companies of Australia]]
[[Category:Food manufacturers of Australia]]
[[Category:Food and drink companies based in Perth, Western Australia]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies based in Perth, Western Australia]]
[[Category:Australian brands]]