Kenilworth Daries John Cochrane (left) with Jason and Lisa Rozynski, Brown Swiss farmers in Queensland who lost their milk processor and nearly their farm business.
Kenilworth Dairies has thrown a lifeline to Queensland dairy farmers Jason and Lisa Rozynski who were told back in June by Maleny Dairies they no longer required their 3.3 million litres of milk.
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Ultimately, this decision by Maleny left the dairy business without a processor for their milk and after a stressful few months, Kenilworth has decided to step in and offer the family a lifeline.
They are excited to announce a partnership with the family which has resulted in a new line — a premium Mary Valley, one source only, milk product named Kenilworth Dairies ‘One Farm’ Premium Milk’.
It will be available in a cream top two litre and a full cream two litre.
In a couple of years, these Brown Swiss calves will in the milking herd producing Kenilworth Dairies ‘One Farm’ Premium Milk’.
General manager Craig Huston said the decision fitted with Keniliworth Dairy owner John Cochrane’s desire to create a sustainable future for local farmers and preserve the rich dairying history of the region.
“Our new line obviously helps the Royzinski family, but it also gives our customers the confidence to know where their milk really does come from — there will be a QR link on the bottle to link back to the farm,” Craig said.
“This is a niche product and our consumers are willing to support the one farm single herd origin, it is also a great point of difference for other products out there on the market, and it will compliment the rest of our range.”
The logistics of the decision have required Keniliworth to adjust their production plan and schedule, and require a special tanker pick up at the Rozynski’s to ensure the product sticks to its one source origin.
“We have been overwhelmed by emails and phone calls from customers, and we even have distributors in Sydney wanting to buy the product.
“Logistically we are just not set up for that but we are working on a solution,” Craig said.
Craig said while the decision did not solve all of the volume issue it has given the Rozynski family some much need breathing space.
“We are looking at this product as a long-term investment for our business, but we will have to see how it goes, and a lot will depend on consumer support.”
Craig said the Queensland industry had been in free fall since deregulation.
“The government say they are willing to support our dairy industry, but their actions don’t seem to be backing up their words.”
He acknowledged the Queensland dairy industry isn’t big enough to support the states consumption and bringing milk in from other states is necessary, but he said where possible, consumers are looking to support their states farmers where they can.
The Mary Valley is a dairy haven known for its fresh water, lush pastures, and cool, temperate climate ensuring exceptional milk quality.
The Kenilworth cheese factory originally opened in 1952 and was owned and operated by Kraft specialising in bulk cheese.
In the 1990s, a handful of highly skilled cheese makers created a co-op and purchased the factory.
Among these master cheesemakers was Peter ‘Poppa’ Hansen, a gentleman famous for his specialty cheese recipes.
In 2017, dairy farmer John Cochrane from Kin Kin, took over the business, and he has channelled his lifelong passion for dairy farming into what is now known as Kenilworth Dairies.
“Our commitment to supporting local farms remains at the heart of what we do,” John said.
“We want to ensure the survival and success of farming families for generations to come, and desire to build a more sustainable and connected future for the dairy communities of Australia.
“We understand the hard work and challenges of dairy farming, so it’s our deep-rooted passion that drives us to deliver products of exceptional quality, honouring both our history and the future of Australian dairy.”
