Norco and Woolworths announce cream partnership

Norco Co-operative and Woolworths have announced a partnership that will see the dairy co-op provide an additional 5000 litres of cream products to 167 supermarkets in Queensland and NSW each week.

The agreement comes as part of the co-op’s support for farmers affected by the recent floods which also saw extensive damage to the Norco ice cream facility in Lismore. The deal means that cream from this factory will be provided to consumers.

“With the loss of the ice-cream factory, we had to re-evaluate how to best utilise our fresh cream that would have otherwise made our great tasting ice cream,” said Norco General Manager Commercial & Strategy Ben Menzies.

“This expanded ranging is just one of the ways we’re helping to safeguard a prosperous future for our hard-working dairy farmers who have been doing it especially tough in recent times, and we’re grateful for Woolworths’ support, which has enabled us to make this business pivot.”

The three new products being offered are the 300 and 600 mL thickened creams and 250 g sour cream, all of which won silver awards at the recent 2022 DIAA Australian Dairy Product Competition.

Woolworths Cream Category Manager Justin Heffernan said that Woolworths was making supporting Norco and its farmers a priority and customers would benefit from the arrangement as well.

“We care for all Australians, and we’re invested in a prosperous future for Australian dairy,” Heffernan said.

“It’s a real win for our customers in northern NSW and Queensland who can now enjoy great tasting local Norco cream as we head into the winter season of hearty home cooking and indulgent desserts.”

Norco recently increased farmgate milk prices to help its members, and additional price increases are expected to be announced sometime around 1 June.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Maryana