Warrnambool Cheese and Butter facts for kids
| Founded | 1888 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters |
Warrnambool Cheese & Butter Factory Company Holdings Limited (often called WCB) is a big Australian company. They make many different dairy products like cheese and butter. A Canadian company called Saputo Inc. owns most of WCB.
WCB is based in Allansford, in Victoria. It is the oldest company in Australia that processes milk, starting way back in 1888. WCB makes popular cheese brands like CHEER (which used to be called COON cheese) and Cracker Barrel.
Contents
A Look at Warrnambool Cheese & Butter
Warrnambool Cheese & Butter is a very old and important company in Australia. They have been making dairy products for over 130 years!
How It Started
The company officially started on May 28, 1888. Soon after, they built their first factory. In fact, two similar companies opened in Victoria that year. The Warrnambool Cheese & Butter factory in Allansford opened on November 14, 1888.
When they first began, their main product was cream. This cream was sent by train all the way to Melbourne. At the very beginning, WCB bought milk from local farmers. By 1889, all the farmers who supplied milk also became owners (shareholders) of the company. Making butter grew very popular in the 1890s. By 1900, Victoria had 304 factories making butter!
Big Changes Over Time
In November 1934, another company called Kraft Walker Cheese Co. took over the factory. They made the factory even bigger. Kraft Walker started making a cheese called "Red Coon" around July 1931. This cheese was later renamed COON.
In 2015, WCB bought a part of another company called Lion Dairy & Drinks. This deal cost A$137.5 million. With this purchase, WCB gained popular cheese brands like Cracker Barrel and COON.
What They Make Today
As of As of 2015[update], WCB makes many dairy products. These include cheese, butter, cream, and other dairy ingredients. About half of what they make is sold to other countries.
Some of their well-known brands in Australia are Sungold milk, Coon cheese, Cracker Barrel, Mil Lel, Great Ocean Road, and Warrnambool Cheddar cheeses. WCB is also one of only two companies in Australia that makes special health products from milk. These products include bone supplements and baby formula.
WCB also has a fun place for visitors called Cheese World. It is located near their factory. At Cheese World, you can visit a dairy farm museum. You can also try different cheeses and buy products at their shop and cafe.
See Also
- List of cheesemakers
- List of oldest companies in Australia
