Murray Goulburn Co-operative

This article is about the former Australian dairy co-operative, Murray Goulburn Co-operative Co. Limited. For the Saputo Inc subsidiary, Suputo Dairy Australia Pty Ltd or AG Warehouse trading as Devondale Murray Goulburn, see Saputo Inc.

Murray Goulburn Co-operative Co. Limited
IndustryFood Processing
Founded1950 (1950)
Headquarters
Southbank, Melbourne, Victoria
,
Australia
ProductsMilk
Butter
Cheese
Revenue+ A$ 2.4 billion (2012/13)
Number of employees
2,000 approx
Websitehttps://www.mgcl.com.au/about-us

Murray Goulburn Co-operative Co. Limited (also known as Devondale Murray Goulburn) was a dairy-processing co-operative corporation. In 2018, following financial difficulties and difficulties with suppliers over sustainable prices, the business assets were sold to Saputo Inc, a publicly-listed Canadian dairy company and later the trading name of the business was changed to AG Warehouse. The co-operative was placed into liquidation in 2020.

The agricultural co-operative was formed in 1950 from a group of dairy farms and grew to become Australia's largest processor of milk.[1]

In 2016, turmoil engulfed the processor as the milk price fell below production costs, prompting calls for the board to be sacked or the co-operative to be sold.[2] Thereafter, the former chief executive of Carlton & United Breweries, Ari Mervis, was appointed to the role of CEO and Managing Director[3] and commenced his role on 13 February 2017.

  1. ^ "Production Summary". Dairy Australia. Dairy Australia. 1 January 2016. Archived from the original on 14 June 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  2. ^ Simone Smith (15 August 2016). "Crisis grows for dairy giant Murray Goulburn accused of 'deeply wounding' industry". Weekly Times. News Corporation. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  3. ^ Julie-anne Sprague (12 December 2016). "Murray Goulburn appoints former CUB boss Ari Mervis as managing director". Australian Financial Review. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 2 May 2017.