Magnolia (Fraser and Neave brand) facts for kids
Magnolia (also known as F&N Magnolia) is a brand that makes dairy products. It is owned by Fraser and Neave (F&N), a very large company from Singapore that works in many countries. You can find Magnolia products not only in Singapore but also in other countries across Asia-Pacific. They are also sold in Asian supermarkets in countries outside of Asia.
History of Magnolia Dairy
How it Started: Early Years
A company called Cold Storage in Singapore used to be known as the Singapore Cold Storage Company. Its main job was making ice. Since making and storing ice was a big business, Cold Storage decided to start making ice cream.
In 1923, they opened a small factory. It was located at the Harbourfront area, near Borneo Wharf. Here, they started making ice cream under a brand called Paradise.
A Special Farm in Bukit Timah
In 1937, an Australian man named Fred Heron was in charge of Cold Storage. He started the world's first dairy farm in a warm, tropical place. This farm was in the Bukit Timah area of Singapore. Its goal was to produce fresh milk that was pasteurised. This means the milk was heated to kill harmful germs, making it safe to drink.
The farm was called the Singapore Dairy Farm. It was located where the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is today. They kept as many as 800 cows there! The pasteurised milk from this farm was put into pyramid-shaped cartons. This milk was sold under the brand name Magnolia.
That same year, Cold Storage made a deal with San Miguel Brewery. This company is now known as San Miguel Corporation. San Miguel already owned a successful ice cream brand called Magnolia ice cream in the Philippines, which started in 1925.
Cold Storage Creameries Ltd. was then created. Cold Storage owned most of this new company (55%), and San Miguel owned the rest (45%). San Miguel shared its knowledge on how to make ice cream. Because Cold Storage's ice cream became very popular, the two companies later had a legal disagreement about who owned the Magnolia name in Singapore.
