Please note: Images in this article were taken before current COVID-19 safety measures were in place.
[Vision: Staff at Alba Cheese working - Ben Carroll and David Bongionorno discussing the factory]
Ben Carroll - Minister for Industry and Employment
It’s wonderful to be here at Alba Cheese in Tullamarine; a wonderful, local manufacturing success story.
But why I’m here today is our Victorian Government has made a very strong financial investment in this cheese factory.
[Vision: Mozzarella shredding machine]
Right behind me you’re seeing a state-of-the-art mozzarella shredding and grating machine.
[Vision: Shredded cheese being packed]
David Bongionorno - Operations Manager, Alba Cheese
So we’re a family-owned company, been operating for 38 years based in Tullamarine, Victoria.
[Vision: Cheese curing]
We produce all Italian style traditional cheeses, and we export that around Australia and Asia.
[Vision: Melted cheese in vat - shredding machine]
We purchased a shredding line pretty much.
[Vision: Shredded cheese on conveyor belt]
So what that does is, is we turn blocks of cheese into shredded products that you see in the supermarkets in your bags.
[Vision: Shredding machine production line getting ready for bagging]
So what that does is it helps us to increase volume.
[Vision: Ben and David talking]
And helps us to be more competitive in the international market.
[Vision: Staff at factory - sealed cheese blocks - David speaking]
Now we look at hiring around about 20 new staff probably within the next 12 months.
We’ve already hired around about five or six leading up to the opening of the site.
[Vision: Cubed cheese on conveyor belt - shredding machine]
So we expect to get probably about another 15, you know, towards the end of this year, early 2019.
Charnjat Singh - Production Supervisor, Alba Cheese
I’m working as a supervisor.
So for me it’s a little bit entertaining to talk to the people and manage job for them.
And then, I keep everything, you know, according to the procedure.
[Vision: Staff placing checking cheese blocks]
We’re very proud that a company like Alba Cheese is installing the latest technology.
[Vision: Staff working on mozzarella]
But it’s employing more Victorians in our food and fibre sector.
[Vision: David speaking]
My favourite cheese would have to be the ricotta.
It’s one of my favourites.
And, you know, it’s well-known in the, you know, local market, and now even around the world.
[Vision: Mozzarella blocks]
[VICTORIA State Government]
[Speaker: Authorised by Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne]
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