A family-owned dairy farm has secured a new market for its milk after months of uncertainty over its future processor.
The Rozynski family, which has been dairying in the Mary Valley for more than 80 years, has partnered with Kenilworth Dairies to launch a new premium milk sourced exclusively from its Brown Swiss herd near Imbil.
Called One Farm, the new product will give consumers the ability to trace their milk back to one location.
“One Farm is about celebrating local farmers and giving consumers a genuine connection to the source of their milk,” a Kenilworth Dairies spokesperson said.
“Every litre of milk comes from the same farm, the same herd, and the same family. That’s something quite unique in today’s dairy industry.
“By supporting One Farm, customers are supporting a local farming family with generations of dairy heritage, while enjoying a premium milk product with complete transparency.”
The new product comes after Mary Valley dairy farmer Jason Rozynski was told in June that his milk supply contract with Maleny Dairies would not be renewed.
In a statement shared online following the decision not to renew Mr Rozynski’s contract, Maleny Dairies owners Ross and Sally Hopper said the decision followed consideration of a range of business and commercial factors.
“It was entirely unrelated to the milk sourced through milk traders to manage seasonal fluctuations,” they said.
Mr Rozynski operates two farms near Imbil with about 600 Brown Swiss cows and produces around 3.3 million litres of milk each year.
Kenilworth Dairies owner John Cochrane told Sunshine Coast News he stepped in after becoming concerned about what would happen to the Rozynski family’s milk supply.
“I’ve been in this industry all my life and I wasn’t going to be prepared to see that volume of milk go to waste,” he said.
“I thought the Queensland people cannot be denied the opportunity to buy this quality milk.”
Mr Cochrane said he wanted to avoid the situation becoming a broader problem for dairy farmers.
“We do not need this to be a precedent in the industry,” he said.
“Better off to counteract it now.”
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The One Farm product is expected to hit selected retailers and outlets from late September, with Kenilworth Dairies still working through labelling, barcodes, sales and distribution arrangements.
“Earliest possible date to announce where people can buy it from would be Tuesday week. But you know, we’ve got to have everything go right,” Mr Cochrane said.
In a video shared online on Tuesday, Jason Rozynski said the new collaboration with Kenilworth Dairies came about after Dairy Farmers, Bega, Lactalis and Norco were unable to take on the farm’s milk.
“It’s going to be small at the start and it’s all going to depend on the support we get as to how well it goes,” he said.
“It’s not going to fix our problem 100 per cent at the start but if we get the support for it, it could grow into something really good.
“So, there’s a bit of a glimmer there for us. It’s been a tough road; we’re not out of the woods yet but we’re feeling a little bit more positive.
“It’s the most positive thing we’ve had in nearly three months to be honest. So, we’re looking forward to seeing where it goes.”
One Farm will join Kenilworth Dairies’ existing range of bottled milk products, which are sourced exclusively from farms within the Mary Valley region.
