Warrnambool Cheese and Butter facts for kids
| Founded | 1888 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters |
Australia
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Warrnambool Cheese & Butter Factory Company Holdings Limited, often called WCB, is an Australian company that makes many different dairy products. A Canadian company named Saputo Inc. owns most of WCB. The business is located in Allansford, Victoria. It is the oldest dairy processor in Australia, having started way back in 1888. WCB makes popular cheese brands like CHEER (which used to be called COON cheese) and Cracker Barrel.
Contents
A Look Back: The Story of WCB
How It All Began (1888)
The Warrnambool Cheese & Butter company officially started on May 28, 1888. Soon after, they built their factory. In 1888, two similar companies opened cheese and butter factories in Victoria. The Cobden and District Cheese and Butter Factory Company Ltd. opened first on October 22. Then, on November 14, the Warrnambool Cheese & Butter Factory Co. Ltd. opened its factory in Allansford. At first, their main product was cream. This cream was sent to Melbourne by train.
Warrnambool Cheese & Butter first got its milk from local farmers. By 1889, all these farmers became part-owners of the company. Making Butter grew a lot in the 1890s. By the year 1900, Victoria had 304 butter factories.
Kraft Walker Takes Over (1934)
In November 1934, a company called Kraft Walker Cheese Co. rented the factory from Warrnambool Cheese & Butter. They then made the operations much bigger. Kraft Walker started making "Red Coon" cheese around July 1931. This cheese was later renamed COON.
Joining Lion Dairy & Drinks (2015)
In 2015, WCB bought a part of Lion Dairy & Drinks' business. This deal cost A$137.5 million. It included popular cheese brands like Cracker Barrel and COON.
What WCB Does Today
As of 2015, the company makes cheese, butter, cream, and other dairy ingredients. About half of these products are sold to other countries. Some of their local brands include Sungold milk, Coon cheese, Cracker Barrel, Mil Lel, Great Ocean Road, and Warrnambool Cheddar cheeses.
WCB is also one of only two Australian companies that make special health products from milk. These products can include things like bone supplements and baby formula.
They also own and run a fun place called Cheese World. It is a tourist attraction located close to the factory. At Cheese World, you can visit a dairy farm museum. You can also try different cheeses and visit a shop and cafe.
See also
- Dairy farming in Australia
- List of cheesemakers
- List of oldest companies in Australia
