Lactalis Australia is global provider of world class food & dairy products. Lactalis Australia benefits from the multi-national scale and ambition of its parent company, without sacrifice of the proud local heritage and traditions that began with the original Pauls milk business in the 1930s.
A BRIEF DAIRY HISTORY
1930s
Pauls Polar Perfections Pty Ltd was established. Business commenced in a small section of Birts Cold Stores in Stanley Street, South Brisbane.
1942
Pauls introduced bulk transportation of milk in Queensland, using a 1,000 gallon stainless steel tanker.
1948
Square milk bottles with foil caps were introduced by Pauls. They were the first in Australia.
1960
Established in Queensland as a milk & ice cream company - Queensland United Foods
1968
Opened Australia's first UHT longlife milk plant. Commenced exports of longlife milk to countries in South East Asia and the Pacific Islands.
1969
The name of the company was changed from Queensland United Foods to Q.U.F.
Industries Ltd, to reflect the wider activities of the group
1980
Combined ice cream operations with Petersville in the QUF partnership & sold
Paul's halfshare in 1988
1982
Pauls commenced the airfreighting export of fresh milk and dairy products, marking
the beginning of the Company's significant "fresh flown" dairy export business.
1982-1988
In 1986 QUF acquired a 50% interest in The Great Australian Pie Company Pty Ltd.
The Company operated from a new factory at Labrador on the Qld Gold Coast,
manufacturing pies & bakery products for domestic & export markets. This was
disposed of in 1997. In 1988 QUF was appointed Australian Licensee for Danone
yogurts and dairy desserts. Acquired Maryborough & South Burnett milk
businesses and expanded into the tourism industry in the Northern Territory.
1992-1996
Between 1992 and 1996 several acquisitions took place: Sandhurst Dairies Ltd
from Coles Myer (in Victoria); Associated Dairies (in Victoria) and Port Curtis Dairy
(in Queensland). Formed the Norco Dairyfields Milk Joint Venture (Pauls' interest
was 22%).)
1998
Changed name to Pauls Ltd and Parmalat Australia Pty Limited (a subsidiary of
Italian company, Parmalat Finanziaria SpA) acquired 100% of shares in Pauls Ltd
2006-2009
Joint Venture with Norco ceased. 2007 a National Distribution Centre was established at
Richlands, Brisbane and in 2009 Parmalat acquired Clarence Gardens (SA) and Lidcombe
(NSW) sites from National Foods.
2011
In July 2011, Lactalis become the majority shareholders in Parmalat. Lactalis is a family-run
Group based in Laval, Mayenne, in the dairy region of the West of France.
To find out more, click here.
2014
Parmalat continues to expand and go from strength to strength. The acquisition of Harvey Fresh
in WA gives the company a truly national footprint. Furthermore, the company expands into
specialty cheese, via the market leading Lemnos and Jindi brands.2014 also saw the launch of
President – the world’s biggest cheese brand - and further product diversification with the Longwarry Food Park site.
2015
Parmalat Australia acquires Yogurts & Desserts business from Fonterra, including sites at Echuca and Tamar.
2019
Groupe Lactalis purchase remaining shares of Parmalat S.p.A. Parmalat Australia changes it’s name to Lactalis Australia.
1930s
Pauls Polar Perfections Pty Ltd was established. Business commenced in a small section of Birts Cold Stores in Stanley Street, South Brisbane.
1942
Pauls introduced bulk transportation of milk in Queensland, using a 1,000 gallon stainless steel tanker.
1948
Square milk bottles with foil caps were introduced by Pauls. They were the first in Australia.
1960
Established in Queensland as a milk as a milk & ice cream company - Queensland United Foods
1968
Opened Australia's first UHT longlife milk plant. Commenced exports of longlife milk to countries in South East Asia and the Pacific Islands.
1969
The name of the company was changed from Queensland United Foods to Q.U.F.
Industries Ltd, to reflect the wider activities of the group
1980
Combined ice cream operations with Petersville in the QUF partnership & sold
Paul's halfshare in 1988
1982
Pauls commenced the airfreighting export of fresh milk and dairy products, marking
the beginning of the Compan's significant "fresh flown" dairy export business.
1982-1988
In 1986 QUF acquired a 50% interest in The Great Australian Pie Company Pty Ltd.
The Company operated from a new factory at Labrador on the Qld Gold Coast, manufacturing pies & bakery products for domestic & export markets. This was disposed of in 1997. In 1988 QUF was appointed Australian Licensee for Danone yogurts and dairy desserts. Acquired Maryborough & South Burnett milk businesses and expanded into the tourism industry in the Northern Territory.
1992-1996
Between 1992 and 1996 several acquisitions took place: Sandhurst Dairies Ltd from Coles Myer (in Victoria); Associated Dairies (in Victoria) and Port Curtis Dairy (in Queensland). Formed the Norco Dairyfields Milk Joint Venture (Pauls' interest was 22%).)
1998
Changed name to Pauls Ltd and Parmalat Australia Pty Limited (a subsidiary of
Italian company, Parmalat Finanziaria SpA) acquired 100% of shares in Pauls Ltd
2006-2009
Joint Venture with Norco ceased. 2007 a National Distribution Centre was established at Richlands, Brisbane and in 2009 Parmalat acquired Clarence Gardens (SA) and Lidcombe (NSW) sites from National Foods.
2011
In July 2011, Lactalis become the majority shareholders in Parmalat. Lactalis is a family-run Group based in Laval, Mayenne, in the dairy region of the West of France. To find out more, click here
2014
Parmalat continues to expand and go from strength to strength. The acquisition of Harvey Fresh in WA gives the company a truly national footprint. Furthermore, the company expands into specialty cheese, via the market leading Lemnos and Jindi brands.2014 also saw the launch of President – the world’s biggest cheese brand - and further product diversification with the Longwarry Food Park site.
2015
Parmalat Australia acquires Yogurts & Desserts business from Fonterra, including sites at Echuca and Tamar.
2019
Groupe Lactalis purchase remaining shares of Parmalat S.p.A. Parmalat Australia changes it’s name to Lactalis Australia.