Arla Foods Mayer Australia set to acquire Brancourts to accelerate growth in cottage cheese
Arla Foods Mayer Australia (AFMA) is pleased to announce it is set to acquire Brancourts, an Australian producer of cottage cheese and other dairy products, alongside plans to significantly expand local production capacity at Brancourts’ Hexham dairy and accelerate growth in Australia’s fast-growing cottage cheese category.
The acquisition also marks an important next phase for AFMA, building on the successful joint venture and imported dairy business between Australian family-owned Mayers Fine Food and global dairy cooperative Arla Foods. Together, the joint venture partners share a long-term vision to enable good food choices for Australian consumers by producing and supplying high-quality dairy products that meet evolving consumer demand.
With a heritage dating back to 1895, Brancourts has built a strong reputation for consistency, craftsmanship and local dairy know-how, making it a natural fit with AFMA’s ambition to lead and scale the cottage cheese category while maintaining the highest standards of quality and innovation.
“Through AFMA, Australians know and love Lurpak and Castello, and Brancourts represents an exciting opportunity to expand into a fast-growing adjacent category, where we already have global category expertise,” said Mai Roberts, General Manager of Arla Foods Mayer Australia. “We look forward to welcoming new colleagues to the business and, together, tapping into the significant long-term potential of the Australian market.”
Cottage cheese is one of the fastest-growing cheese categories globally and is surging in popularity in Australia. Locally, it has become the fastest growing segment in the entire cheese category, with volume growth of more than 40% year-on-year, fueled by consumer preferences for health, protein, versatility and everyday cooking. With strong dairy consumption generally and accelerating shopper adoption, there is a significant opportunity to further grow awareness, usage and availability among Australian consumers.
“I am confident that the acquisition is a strong next step for our joint venture with Arla Foods,” said Robbie Mayer, CEO of Mayers Fine Food. “We are excited to add new categories to our existing offers to customers, bringing further scale and category development to our long-standing collaboration with our commercial partners.”
The acquisition will support the long-term development of the category through investment in capacity expansion, product innovation and a continued focus on quality. Drawing on Arla Foods’ leadership in cottage cheese across European markets, alongside Mayers’ deep understanding of Australian consumers and retail partners, AFMA is well positioned to accelerate category growth locally – benefiting consumers, retailers and the broader dairy sector.
For more than 50 years, Australians have enjoyed products under Arla Foods’ brands such as Lurpak and Castello, high-quality butter and cheeses products that have long been part of everyday meals. These brands were well-established in Australia long before the joint venture between Arla Foods and Mayers Fine Food began in 2015, and have since strengthened their position under AFMA and gained a strong foothold in the market. This foundation provides a strong platform for expansion into adjacent growth categories.
“For Brancourts and our family, finding the right successor to our business was about shared values and a long term vision for our people, our site and the Australian market,” said Julie Conradt, fourth-generation owner of Brancourts. “AFMA brings the ambition to invest in the future of the business, while respecting the heritage, people and local relationships that have defined Brancourts for generations. After more than 130 years of family ownership, I am incredibly proud of the contribution our family, our team and our products have made to Australian dairy, and excited to see Brancourts’ potential continue to unfold under its new owners.”
The acquisition is expected to complete in the coming weeks. Further details of the transaction will not be disclosed.
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About Arla Foods Mayer Australia
Formed in 2015, Arla Foods Mayer Australia is a joint venture between European dairy cooperative Arla Foods and Australian family-owned Mayers Fine Food, with Arla Foods holding a majority stake. AFMA serves Australian consumers with branded high-quality dairy products across butter and cheese categories, combining global expertise with strong local execution.
About Arla Foods
Arla Foods is an international dairy company owned by more than 7,200 farmers from Denmark, Sweden, the UK, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Arla Foods is one of the leading players in the international dairy arena with well-known brands like Arla®, Lurpak®, Puck® and Castello®. Arla Foods is focused on providing good dairy nourishment from sustainable farming and operations and is also the world’s largest manufacturer of organic dairy products.
About Mayers Fine Food
Mayers Fine Food is an Australian, family-owned importer and distributor of premium specialty foods, trusted by retailers and foodservice partners for decades. With a portfolio spanning leading international and local brands, Mayers Fine Food brings high-quality products to Australian consumers through strong category expertise, deep market relationships, and nationwide distribution.
About Brancourts
Founded in 1895 by French immigrants, Brancourts is a family-owned Australian dairy producer based in Hexham, New South Wales. Operating for over 130 years, Brancourts produces cottage cheese, sour cream and sweetened condensed milk using fresh milk supplied by Australian farms and recipes refined over four generations.
