Coles axes famous 100 per cent Aussie milk brand: ‘I’m done with Coles’
- Replies 14
As a nation that prides itself on supporting local businesses and the hardworking Aussies behind them, the recent decision by Coles to significantly reduce the availability of a popular 100 per cent Australian milk brand has left many customers and industry advocates reeling.
The move has sparked a conversation about the importance of supporting local producers and the impact of supermarket decisions on the broader community.
Gippsland Jersey, a ‘proudly independent and Australian-owned’ dairy company, has been hard hit by Coles' decision to stock its full-cream milk in only 16 of its stores, down from about 200 in Victoria.
This change has been met with outrage from the brand's loyal supporters, who have taken to social media to express their disappointment, with some calling the move 'disgusting’.
The brand, which has been recognised for its quality with the title of best milk overall in Victoria by the Dairy Industry Association of Australia for 2024, is now facing an uncertain future in the ‘vast majority’ of Coles supermarkets.
Steve Ronalds, co-founder of Gippsland Jersey and a fourth-generation dairy farmer, has voiced his concerns over the 'unhealthy control that large corporations have over our food' and the challenges his company has faced in dealing with the supermarket giant.
‘If I’m being brutally honest, our dealings with Coles have been challenging right from the start,’ he said.
‘They haven’t really taken on board much, we’ve said. Originally, we said we just need to be in the Gippsland and southeast Victoria and perhaps Melbourne stores in a few other areas. That probably 30 to 40 stores would work.’
‘And they put us into 200 before we even started. And most people would be celebrating that, most businesses. But we just know that we just aren’t going to fly in every area, we understand that.’
‘So they put us in 200 stores, and then they came back to us after six to nine months, and they said it’s not really working in all these stores, we’re going to pull it back. And we literally said to them, “Well, we told you so”. So they did that, and it wasn’t very smooth.’
Ronalds described the challenging conditions faced by Australian dairy farmers as they strive to obtain competitive prices.
‘Dairy farmers used to be so loyal to a brand or whoever they supply to. That’s how it was,’ he said.
‘I mean, my grandparents supplied to one company, and yes, the company got bought out a few times, but it was the same business the whole way through. My dad, he changed a couple of times.’
‘I’ve got some farmer friends who supply to Coles, and Coles is actually doing a great job of looking after these farmers—but they don’t trust them, so Coles have had to pay a much higher price to secure that milk.’
‘It’s pretty horrible. Coles has got the suppliers locked in, they’ve bought (or are buying) the processing plants, they’ve got one in NSW and one in Victoria, and they made it so that Saputo couldn’t make it work, no doubt because they pushed the price down so low.’
‘But it’s bad for the consumers long term.’
The outcry from Gippsland Jersey's customers underscores a growing consumer awareness and desire to support local producers.
‘While we go to another supermarket to get GJ milk, we may as well do the rest of our shopping,’ one said.
Another added, ‘If Coles won’t support local producers such as Gippsland Jersey and they put their profits over local jobs, I’m done with Coles.’
‘Disgusting Coles,’ a third commented.
However, other customers were willing to pay more for milk from local brands when they became aware of the struggles faced by dairy farmers.
‘Quite happy to pay more for Gippsland Jersey because the money stays in Australia, the farmers probably spend it back in shops where my kids work,’ one user wrote.
Another responded, ‘I, much like many others, opt for the cheapest milk. After reading this post, you have woken something in my brain, and I’ll be buying your milk from now on!’
A third chimed in, ‘I would rather pay $5.80 x 6 per week than buy Pura or Pauls, or any other milk purely because my health matters and so does the health of our farmers. Putting the money in your pocket, not Coles, helps a lot closer to home where it’s needed. Keep up the great work. Jersey cows are prettier, too.’
‘Ever since Coles purchased their own milk processing plants, I’ve been concerned what will happen to the smaller suppliers,’ another commented.
In response to the backlash, Coles has stated that it remained committed to supporting independent and local producers and will continue to sell Gippsland Jersey in stores where there is the most demand.
‘Giving customers choice when shopping is an important part of our offer at Coles,’ a spokesperson said.
‘To ensure we have the right products available on the shelf, we regularly review the ranges on offer to understand how items are being received by customers and to help ensure the right products can be purchased by shoppers in parts of the country where there is most demand.’
‘We remain committed to continuing to support independent and local producers, and from July, we will focus on selling Gippsland Jersey in 16 stores in Victoria, where we see the most demand for this local brand from customers.’
Gippsland Jersey Milk is available at IGA, Woolworths, and other independent retailers.
Have you tried Gippsland Jersey milk, or do you have other local brands you're passionate about? How do you feel about Coles' decision, and will it affect your shopping habits? Share your stories and opinions in the comments below!
The move has sparked a conversation about the importance of supporting local producers and the impact of supermarket decisions on the broader community.
Gippsland Jersey, a ‘proudly independent and Australian-owned’ dairy company, has been hard hit by Coles' decision to stock its full-cream milk in only 16 of its stores, down from about 200 in Victoria.
This change has been met with outrage from the brand's loyal supporters, who have taken to social media to express their disappointment, with some calling the move 'disgusting’.
Coles decided to stock Gippsland Jersey milk from 200 to 16 stores in Victoria. Credit: Gippsland Jersey / Facebook
The brand, which has been recognised for its quality with the title of best milk overall in Victoria by the Dairy Industry Association of Australia for 2024, is now facing an uncertain future in the ‘vast majority’ of Coles supermarkets.
Steve Ronalds, co-founder of Gippsland Jersey and a fourth-generation dairy farmer, has voiced his concerns over the 'unhealthy control that large corporations have over our food' and the challenges his company has faced in dealing with the supermarket giant.
‘If I’m being brutally honest, our dealings with Coles have been challenging right from the start,’ he said.
‘They haven’t really taken on board much, we’ve said. Originally, we said we just need to be in the Gippsland and southeast Victoria and perhaps Melbourne stores in a few other areas. That probably 30 to 40 stores would work.’
‘And they put us into 200 before we even started. And most people would be celebrating that, most businesses. But we just know that we just aren’t going to fly in every area, we understand that.’
‘So they put us in 200 stores, and then they came back to us after six to nine months, and they said it’s not really working in all these stores, we’re going to pull it back. And we literally said to them, “Well, we told you so”. So they did that, and it wasn’t very smooth.’
Ronalds described the challenging conditions faced by Australian dairy farmers as they strive to obtain competitive prices.
‘Dairy farmers used to be so loyal to a brand or whoever they supply to. That’s how it was,’ he said.
‘I mean, my grandparents supplied to one company, and yes, the company got bought out a few times, but it was the same business the whole way through. My dad, he changed a couple of times.’
‘I’ve got some farmer friends who supply to Coles, and Coles is actually doing a great job of looking after these farmers—but they don’t trust them, so Coles have had to pay a much higher price to secure that milk.’
‘It’s pretty horrible. Coles has got the suppliers locked in, they’ve bought (or are buying) the processing plants, they’ve got one in NSW and one in Victoria, and they made it so that Saputo couldn’t make it work, no doubt because they pushed the price down so low.’
‘But it’s bad for the consumers long term.’
Steve Ronalds shared the challenges that his company has faced in dealing with the supermarket giant. Credit: Gippsland Jersey / Facebook
The outcry from Gippsland Jersey's customers underscores a growing consumer awareness and desire to support local producers.
‘While we go to another supermarket to get GJ milk, we may as well do the rest of our shopping,’ one said.
Another added, ‘If Coles won’t support local producers such as Gippsland Jersey and they put their profits over local jobs, I’m done with Coles.’
‘Disgusting Coles,’ a third commented.
However, other customers were willing to pay more for milk from local brands when they became aware of the struggles faced by dairy farmers.
‘Quite happy to pay more for Gippsland Jersey because the money stays in Australia, the farmers probably spend it back in shops where my kids work,’ one user wrote.
Another responded, ‘I, much like many others, opt for the cheapest milk. After reading this post, you have woken something in my brain, and I’ll be buying your milk from now on!’
A third chimed in, ‘I would rather pay $5.80 x 6 per week than buy Pura or Pauls, or any other milk purely because my health matters and so does the health of our farmers. Putting the money in your pocket, not Coles, helps a lot closer to home where it’s needed. Keep up the great work. Jersey cows are prettier, too.’
‘Ever since Coles purchased their own milk processing plants, I’ve been concerned what will happen to the smaller suppliers,’ another commented.
In response to the backlash, Coles has stated that it remained committed to supporting independent and local producers and will continue to sell Gippsland Jersey in stores where there is the most demand.
‘Giving customers choice when shopping is an important part of our offer at Coles,’ a spokesperson said.
‘To ensure we have the right products available on the shelf, we regularly review the ranges on offer to understand how items are being received by customers and to help ensure the right products can be purchased by shoppers in parts of the country where there is most demand.’
‘We remain committed to continuing to support independent and local producers, and from July, we will focus on selling Gippsland Jersey in 16 stores in Victoria, where we see the most demand for this local brand from customers.’
Gippsland Jersey Milk is available at IGA, Woolworths, and other independent retailers.
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