Philadelphia cream cheese celebrates 50th milestone in SA

Mondelēz International, the maker of Philadelphia cream cheese, celebrated 50 years of manufacturing in South Australia on 28 October 2022.

Located in Mount Gambier, the company’s factory produces 20,000 tonnes (the equivalent of 80 million tubs) of cream cheese annually.

The South Australian operation sources close to 150 million litres of fresh milk from local dairy farms annually.

SA Premier Peter Malinauskas, Minister for Primary Industries Clare Scriven, past and present employees, and local dairy farmers gathered in Mount Gambier to celebrate the milestone and 50 years of manufacturing in South Australia.

Malinauskas said Philadelphia cream cheese is one of South Australia’s most iconic yet humble exports, stating: “The Mount Gambier Philadelphia factory is one of South Australia’s quiet export success stories, taking the Limestone Coast’s quality fresh produce to Australia and the Asia–Pacific. The Limestone Coast is a key economic driver for South Australia and has so much untapped economic potential, which is why my government is investing more than $130 million in the region.

“I congratulate Mondelēz International and its workforce on this significant milestone.”

The 50th milestone has sparked great pride and a huge sense of achievement for staff at the Mount Gambier factory, many of whom have been making the cream cheese for over 20 years.

Site Manager Adam Borchers said: “Philly is a brilliant example of taking the best of South Australian dairy to the world. A third of our volumes are exported to international markets including South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. It’s a thrill to know there’s a taste of South Australia in every cheesecake and on every bagel made using our brand.”

50 years young, the plant has no plans to slow down, with the business investing $50 million in the last decade to support growth ambitions and export opportunities. Local demand for cream cheese has surged since the COVID pandemic and the cream cheese maker has also teamed up with Cadbury to developed Marble- and Caramilk-inspired Philadelphia products.

“We’re incredibly proud of the last 50 years and look forward to continuing to be Australia’s favourite cream cheese spread for many years to come,” Borchers said.