Betta Milk
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Milk processor
Betta Milk was established by a group of dairymen on its present site in North Western Tasmania as a dairy co-operative in 1956. Owned by Tasfoods from 2019 until 2023 when Bega Cheese took over ownership.
Company Ownership
Betta Milk Co-operative Society Ltd | AUS | website | ||||
Bega Cheese Ltd ![]() owns 100% of Betta Milk Co-operative Society Ltd |
AUS | website | ||||
Dairy product manufacturer Founded in 1899 in the Bega Valley, NSW. Major cheese producer supplied by 500 dairy farms from NSW and VIC. Acquired 70% of Tatura Milk Industries in 2007, and the remaining 30% in 2011. Changed corporate structure from a co-operative to an unlisted public company in 2008, and listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) in 2011. All Bega branded cheese products are marketed in Australia by Fonterra. Acquired the Vegemite brand and Kraft license from Mondelez Australia in Jan 2017, and the Lion Dairy & Drinks business from Kirin in 2021. |
Company Assessment
PRAISE | CRITICISM | INFORMATION | ||
Betta Milk Co-operative Society Ltd | ||||
This company was a signatory to the Australian Packaging Covenant, a voluntary agreement to encourage waste minimisation. However in 2020 they elected to withdraw from the Covenant and report directly to state jurisdictions under the National Environment Protection (Used Packaging Materials) Measure 2011 (NEPM).
Source: APCO (2023) |
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Bega Cheese Ltd | ||||
This company received a packaging performance level of 4 (Leading) in its 2023 APCO Annual Report. Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) is a not-for-profit organisation leading the development of a circular economy for packaging in Australia. Each year, APCO Members are required to submit an APCO Annual Report and Action Plan, which includes an overall performance level from 1 (Getting Started) to 5 (Beyond Best Practice).
Source: APCO (2023)
Modern slavery disclosure is a critical step in mitigating the risk associated with modern slavery practices in companies' operations and supply chains. The quality of the disclosure signals the level of commitments and efforts that the companies have put in managing these risks. In 2021 the Monash Centre for Financial Studies analysed and ranked the disclosure quality of the modern slavery statements submitted by the 300 largest listed companies on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX300). This company's modern slavery disclosure statement received a grade of A.
Source: Monash University (2021) |
Greenpeace's Reenergise campaign ranks Australia's biggest electricity using companies on their commitments and actions regarding renewable energy use. This company has: not committed to powering their operations by 100% renewable electricity by 2030; not signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) to buy power from a wind or solar project; not invested in on-site solar.
Source: Greenpeace (2021)
This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 29/100 in the Food Products category of the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices (last updated 18 Nov 2022). The rankings are based on an analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, environmental reporting, climate strategy, human rights and labour practices.
Source: S&P Global (2022) |
In Dec 2015 the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) issued a $15,000 penalty notice to this company for using wet sawdust fuel in its wood-fired boiler at the Lagoon Street premises, leading to a discharge of excessive smoke.
Source: EPA (2016)
Some, but not necessarily all, of this company's spreads are palm oil free. For more details, follow the link to see Borneo Orangutan Survival Australia's list of products which manufacturers have told them are palm oil free or contain segregated certified sustainable palm oil.
Source: BOS Australia (2020)
This company is a signatory to the Responsible Children's Marketing Initiative (RCMI), which is managed by the Australian Food & Grocery Council and covers products found in retail outlets. Companies that have signed up to the initiative commit to: only advertising healthier choices to children and encouraging a healthy lifestyle through good diet and physical activity; not paying for or seeking product placement television programs, editorial content or interactive games aimed at children, unless the product is a healthier choice; not advertising and marketing to children in Australian schools unless they are asked to by those schools.
Source: AANA (2023)
This company has extensive sustainability claims on its website in two core areas: Farm Sustainability and Factory Sustainability.
Source: company website (2021)
In 2014 a former CEO of Bega Cheese pleaded guilty to multiple charges of child sexual abuse on the NSW far south coast. Maurice Van Ryn sexually abused and indecently assaulted six boys at his Tathra home over the past eight years. Van Ryn was CEO of Bega Cheese from 1990 to 2005.
Source: news article (2014)
According to data released by the Australian Tax Office in Jan 2022, this company was one of many local and foreign-based companies that paid no tax in Australia in 2019-20. Please note however that companies pay income tax on profits, not revenue (total income). While some companies use tax havens and loopholes to avoid paying their fair share of tax in Australia, other companies that paid no tax have perfectly legitimate reasons.
Source: ATO (2022) |
Company Details
Type | Wholly-owned subsidiary |
Contact Details
Address | 147 Old Surrey Road, Burnie, TAS, 7320, Australia |
Phone | 03 6433 0002 |
bettamilk@bettamilk.com.au | |
Website | www.bettamilk.com.au |
Products / Brands
Betta Milk
Betta (TAS) Milk |