$20m snack food manufacturing facility set to open in Ballarat

Ferndale Foods Australia has made a $20 million investment in a food manufacturing facility in Ballarat to meet growing demand for its bars and snacks in the market.

‘Better-for-you’ products are rising in popularity, driven by their ability to offer convenience and nutritional benefits to consumers. The market for these products is growing both in Australia and globally, projected to be worth around AU$48 billion by 2025.

Leigh Edward, Ferndale Foods Australia CEO, said, “Through extensive research and consultation with our major customers and leading brand owners, we have identified a significant gap in the industry — a comprehensive, state-of-the-art manufacturing hub capable of producing a diverse range of bars, including protein, muesli, low-sugar, sugar-free, gluten-free and high-fibre options.”

Expected to be open in early September 2023, the new facility — named FoodLine Australia — will have the ability to produce around 850,000 bars per 24-hour period once the stage 2 packing line is complete, with minimal operator involvement.

Designed for flexibility, the plant will be able to make everything from traditional muesli and protein bars, right through to high-whip nougats and caramels. “Generally, facilities are specialised with certain focus areas; however, FoodLine has built a facility that is incredibly flexible, with relatively fast changeovers and recipe selection,” said Edward.

Varun Raheja, ALDI Australia Buying Director, congratulated Ferndale on the facility and said, “ALDI partners with many innovative Australian businesses to bring the highest quality products to our shelves. Ferndale’s commitment to Australian-based manufacturing speaks to ongoing investment in the industry, and its commitment to keep delivering when it comes to product innovation for our stores.”

The Edward family has established various food manufacturing facilities in Australia. The first was Ferndale Confectionery, which Bruce Edward opened in 1995, producing brands such as JILA MINTS and JOLS Pastilles. Leigh Edward and Bruce, his father, also founded the So Soft Marshmallow Co. in 2017.

Once operational, the new facility will have the capacity to manufacture 180 million bars annually. It will also provide co-manufacturing capability to existing brands and customers while creating its own product lines.