June 18, 2024
Bega Group has confirmed it is conducting a “strategic review” of its peanut processing operations in Kingaroy.
Bega bought the Peanut Company of Australia’s operations in Kingaroy – which consists of the famous silos in Haly Street, shelling, sorting and roasting plants and associated facilities – in late 2017.
The review, being conducted by corporate advisory firm Kidder Williams, also covers PCA’s other operations in Gayndah and Tolga.
“The strategic review is focussed on optimising Bega Group’s core business, with a focus on branded assets whilst evaluating options for non-core assets,” Bega Group CEO Peter Findlay said.
“There is no certainty that this initiative will lead to any particular outcome or transaction.”
However, a specialist food industry publication speculated last week that the “disposal” of the Kingaroy facility was the “most likely option” from the review.
PCA processes about 19,000 tonnes of Australian-grown peanuts every year.
Bega’s buyout of PCA in 2017 created a supply chain which linked the Australian peanut industry from farmers’ paddocks through to Bega’s peanut butter manufacturing facilities in Melbourne.
Why would you want to break the supply chain so nicely set up?