Campbell’s Australasia, part of The Arnott’s Group, has been a part of the Shepparton community for nearly 60 years, making high quality soups, stocks, broths and juices sourced from local and Australian food producers. The Arnott’s Group has announced an $8 million upgrade of the Shepparton site as they begin increasing their exporting stock. More than half of the spend will be on Australian services, equipment and labour, with the remainder spent on importing equipment.
The announced Arnotts factory upgrade will uplift production at the Shepparton plant by 30 per cent and exports by 400 per cent. The three-phased project will also help secure the financial future of the Shepparton plant and is expected to deliver up to 12 new full-time jobs.
While domestic demand for canned soup products has been largely flat, even declining for some categories in Australia, the demand from Asian countries such as; Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, Korea and Taiwan remain strong.
The group is targeting these new markets for exporting and increasing existing markets in Hong Kong and Japan with their new factory capabilities following the upgrade.
“We are proud that this iconic plant in regional Victoria will drive more Australian exports to Asia. We plan to be a regional powerhouse of food brands based in Australia, and today, Shepparton brings us closer to that goal. Declining domestic demand for soup products had meant our Shepparton plant was under-utilised. This upgrade also secures the plant’s medium-term future,” The Arnott’s Group CEO, George Zoghbi said.
Arnotts factory upgrade will also have flow-on benefits to Australian suppliers and partners. The Shepparton plant has more than 100 Victorian-based suppliers, many based in the Goulburn Valley. From local suppliers providing not only the fresh produce that goes into the soups, but also the cans that deliver it to Aussie homes, and services required to keep the Shepparton plant operating safely.
