Coles brand cheese is made by different processors using 100% Australian milk, with Saputo manufacturing much of it at their Victorian plants under a toll processing agreement, following Coles' move to direct farmer sourcing in 2019, though various dairy processors have supplied Coles' private label over the years.
With strong partnerships with over 8,000 Australian suppliers, we operate 3 manufacturing facilities: Chef Fresh in Geelong (VIC), Banksmeadow (NSW), Retail Ready Operations in Erskine Park, and Fresh MilkCo in Laverton and Erskine Park.
Coles Group is an Australian public company, meaning it's owned by its shareholders, including large institutional investors like BlackRock and Vanguard, but it was previously owned by the conglomerate Wesfarmers from 2007 until Wesfarmers spun it off in 2018, making Coles an independent entity listed on the ASX.
ABOUT SAPUTO DAIRY AUSTRALIA
Our products are sold in several countries under well-known brand names such as Caboolture, CHEER™, Cracker Barrel*, Devondale, Great Ocean Road, Liddells, Mersey Valley, MG Ingredients, Mil Lel, Sheese, Sungold, South Cape and Tasmanian Heritage.
Murray Goulburn will provide cheese for Coles' home brand. Photo: Dairy Australia. Dairy co-operative Murray Goulburn has snatched a contract from competitor Bega, to supply home brand cheese to Coles for the next five years.
There's no single "best" cheese, but top contenders often cited include Holy Goat's La Luna (goat cheese), Prom Country's Inverloch Blue, Long Paddock Cheese, Fromart's Devil's Foot, and Apostle Whey's Southern Briez, with recent awards recognizing Montefiore Trecce (Grand Champion 2025) and Inverloch Blue as top specialty cheeses, showcasing Australia's diverse, high-quality artisanal scene.
We are the Bega Group and we're proudly Australian-owned. For over a century, we've been passionate makers and innovators of food and today, we produce foods, beverages, and ingredients that millions of people use daily.
Yes, Bulla Dairy Foods is still proudly Australian-owned and operated by the same three founding families (Sloan, Anderson, and another related family) since 1910, making it one of Australia's oldest family-owned dairy businesses, producing all its products in Victoria using local milk.
Coles Group now owns Coles supermarkets; 1st Choice, Liquorland and Vintage Cellars liquor stores; Coles Express (with Shell) fuel & convenience stores. German-owned ALDI operates over 570 stores in Australia, accounting for 11% of supermarket sales. Most brands in store are ALDI owned.
When Cole's owner Cedd Moses announced in early July that the restaurant was closing, he said there were several reasons for the decision, including the rising cost of labor, crime, the actors and writers strikes and the COVID-19 pandemic. Cole's has been serving up French dips since 1908.
Coles Australia salaries vary widely by role, with Team Members earning around $28-$35/hour (or ~$50k-$60k/year), while Store Managers can earn over $100k annually, and specialized roles like Warehouse Workers can reach $30+/hour; wages depend on age, experience, and award agreements, with specific rates set by the SDA and Enterprise Agreements, as seen in detailed pay scales for different age groups and roles.
Australian flour miller, Manildra Group, the brand behind the iconic, in-house Coles Bakery breads and sweet and savoury baked goods, has been awarded Coles Bakery, Deli and Seafood Supplier of the Year 2021.
Several milk brands are 100% Australian owned, including Norco, an Australian farmer-owned co-operative; Riverina Fresh, a long-standing Australian dairy company; and Procal, a family-owned dairy in Victoria, plus brands like aPLUS milk, Little Big Dairy Co, and Great Ocean Road Dairy, all emphasizing local ownership and production to support Australian farmers and communities.
Our Coles Free Range eggs are sourced from Australian farms that provide access to the outdoors during the day, and comfortable barn shelter for protection at night. These eggs are sourced from hens that are free to roam & perch.
The biggest dairy company in Australia is set to become Lactalis after its acquisition of Fonterra's Australian business, creating a dominant force with brands like Pauls, Tamar Valley, and Mainland, while Saputo Dairy Australia and Bega Group are also major players in processing, with Bega often leading in revenue for butter and dairy products.
The healthiest cheeses are often fresh, low-sodium options like Cottage Cheese, due to its high protein and low calories, and Mozzarella, known for being lower in sodium and fat. Other excellent choices include Ricotta, Goat Cheese, and Parmesan, offering good protein, calcium, and flavor without excessive calories, though portion control remains key for all cheeses.
Bega, famously known for cheese, recently acquired the former Kraft Peanut Butter factory in Victoria, and the original recipe, adding the delicious spread to its portfolio, keeping hundreds of Aussie jobs for Victorian factory workers.
The site is upgrading its production lines for processed cheese and adding a new shift for its Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) Mozzarella. These are some of Fonterra's key foodservice products, topping billions of burgers and pizzas each year.
One of Bega's most notable achievements came in 2017 when it acquired several iconic Australian food brands from Mondelez International. This $460 million deal included the purchase of Vegemite, ZoOSh, and the rights to use the Kraft brand in Australia for peanut butter and cheese products.
🧀 Our blind-taste test crowned Waitrose & Partners the best mature cheddar, with Marks and Spencer close behind and Aldi UK taking the Great Value title. Turns out supermarket cheese can outshine the big brands!
Anticaking agent ? Preservative ? Country of origin ? Made in Australia from at least 95% Australian ingredients.
Product Details. Happy Farms Deli Sliced Sharp Cheddar Cheese is made with real fresh milk and offers a rich, bold flavor. Each slice contains 80 calories and is a good source of calcium.