Bega Group
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.

Overall

Owned AUS
Rating C
About the Ratings
Bega Cheese Ltd
AUS

Company Assessment

(Last updated Jul 2024)
Bega Cheese Ltd
Praise
76/100 in TIME rankings
World's Most Sustainable Companies of 2024 by TIME and Statista recognises the Top 500 most sustainable companies in the world. From a selection of 5,000 of the world's largest companies, non-sustainable businesses were excluded, and the remaining companies were rated on Commitment & Ratings, Reporting & Transparency, and Environmental & Social Stewardship. This company received a total score of 76/100, ranking 40th overall.
Source: TIME (2024)
4/5 for packaging performance
This company received a packaging performance level of 4 (Leading) in its 2024 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 (2024)
Modern Slavery disclosure quality
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.
12/20 in Social Benchmark
The 2024 Social Benchmark assesses the world's 2,000 most influential companies on their responsibility in meeting society's fundamental expectations towards three measurement areas: respecting human rights, providing decent work, and acting ethically. This company was assessed in 2022 and received a score of 12/20. The average score was an alarmingly low 4.6/20 and the highest score was 15.5/20.
Criticism
Renewable energy use
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.
Palm oil rating - WAZA
The PalmOil Scan app, produced by the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), rates companies on their commitment to sourcing sustainable palm oil. Companies are scored on their use of certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO), commitment to sourcing CSPO, on-the-ground conservation action, and membership to the RSPO. Companies can earn a rating of Excellent, Good, Poor or No Commitment. This company is rated "Poor" (retrieved 18 Nov 2023).
Source: WAZA (2023)
29/100 S&P Global ESG Score
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.
Information
Fined for excessive smoke
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)
Palm oil free products
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.
RCMI signatory
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)
Gender equality
This company appears on the 2023 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, signifying a commitment to supporting gender equality through policy development, representation, and transparency.
Sustainability claims
This company has extensive sustainability claims on its website in two core areas: Farm Sustainability and Factory Sustainability.
Former CEO guilty of child sexual abuse
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.
No tax paid in 2019-20
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)
> About the Icons

Company Details

Type:
Public company
Founded:
1899
Revenue:
1.4 billion AUD (2019)
Employees:
2,000 (2019)
Subsidiaries:
Bega Dairy and Drinks Pty Ltd
Dairy & drinks manufacturer
One of Australia's largest dairy companies (formerly known as National Foods). Acquired Australian dairy companies Dairy Farmers in 2008, Lactos in 2006, and King Island Dairy in 2002, plus juice company Berri in 2005. Owned by Lion/Kirin from 2007 until 2021, when Bega Cheese took over ownership.
Betta Milk Co-operative Society Ltd
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.
Tatura Milk Industries Ltd
Dairy product manufacturing
Bega Cheese acquired 70% of this company in 2007, and the remaining 30% in 2011. 60% of production is exported.
Capitol Chilled Foods (Australia) Pty Ltd
Dairy
Previously a joint venture between Lion Dairy & Drinks and Bega Cheese, but now wholly owned by Bega Cheese. It is the only dairy manufacturer in the ACT.

Contact Details

Address:
23-45 Ridge St, North Bega, NSW, 2550, Australia
Phone:
02 6491 7777
Website:
begagroup.com.au

Products / Brands

Bega Group
B Honey Honey
Bega Cheese Spread
Bega Peanut/Nut Butter
Bonox Stock
Farmer's Table Butter & Margarine
Happi Baby Formula
Meander Valley Cream
Simply Nuts Peanut/Nut Butter
Vegemite Yeast Spread
Zoosh Dips
Zoosh Salad Dressing/Mayonnaise
Bega Group / Mondelez Australia (brand owner)
Dairylea Cheese
Bega Group / Fonterra Oceania (marketing)
Bega Cheese
Bega Dairy & Drinks
Australian Grown Juice & Fruit Drinks
Berri Cordial
Berri Juice & Fruit Drinks
Big M Flavoured Milk
Bornhoffen Yoghurt
Classic Flavoured Milk
Daily Juice Iced Tea
Daily Juice Juice & Fruit Drinks
Dairy Farmers Cream
Dairy Farmers Custard & Desserts
Dairy Farmers Cheese
Dairy Farmers Flavoured Milk
Dairy Farmers Milk
Dairy Farmers Yoghurt
Dare Flavoured Milk
Divine Classic Custard & Desserts
Farmers Union Milk
Farmers Union Yoghurt
Farmers Union Flavoured Milk
Fruche Custard & Desserts
Good Sport Flavoured Milk
Heart Active Milk
Just Juice Juice & Fruit Drinks
Kyneton Soft Drinks
Liberte Yoghurt
Masters Flavoured Milk
Masters (WA) Milk
Mildura Juice & Fruit Drinks
Moove Flavoured Milk
Nourish Juice & Fruit Drinks
Prima Juice & Fruit Drinks
Pura Cream
Pura Flavoured Milk
Pura Milk
Quelch Ice Blocks
Summit Bottled Water
The Complete Dairy Milk
The Culture Co Probiotic Milk/Kefir
The Juice Brothers Juice & Fruit Drinks
Yogo Custard & Desserts
Yogo Yoghurt
Yoplait Yoghurt
Yopliat Custard & Desserts
Yoplus Yoghurt
Zooper Dooper Ice Blocks
Betta Milk
Betta (TAS) Milk
Capitol Chilled Foods
Canberra Milk (ACT) Milk

Other related products

Naked Life / Bega Group (distributor)
Naked Life Non-Alcoholic
Naked Life Iced Tea
Naked Life Soft Drinks