About Us
Dairy Group was founded in October 2020 with the merger of Dairy Farmers of South Africa (DFSA) and Coega Dairy.
We are the leading raw milk buyer in South Africa, passionately committed to creating optimum growth and value for our dairy producer members. At the same time, we ensure that our dairy contributes to consumer health with the highest quality nutrients contained in each and every product. It is our undertaking to promote a healthy environment and enable sustainable agriculture across our value chain.
The Dairy Group provides suppliers with Ultra High Temperature (UHT) milk, sterilised milk, milk powder, butter and other dairy products.
Our established infrastructure qualifies an efficient value chain from our members’ raw milk produce. It is our aim to become the leading Ultra High Temperature (UHT) supplier to consumers in South Africa and ultimately, Africa. In order to achieve this, Dairy Group facilitates mergers and acquisitions in competitive dairy categories through our reputable infrastructure network.
We are working towards instituting a world-class dairy sector at the tip of Africa.
Transformation
Dairy Group’s heritage in Coega Dairy and DFSA is fundamental to our commitment to support the government’s call for effective and sustainable transformation in South Africa. Dairy Group embraces B-BBEE codes and by so doing, we seek to advance the strength and power of the diversity of our employee base. We work to enable unrestricted economic participation by the communities we serve.
Coega Dairy currently holds a Level 5 rating. As part of our commitment to good corporate citizenship, Dairy Group takes heed of and benchmarks our people practices against declarations by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the United Nations (UN).
Find our Coega Dairy B-BBEE 2021 certificate here.
DFSA
Dairy Farmers of South Africa is the largest collector of raw milk in South Africa.
The company supplied Clover’s full raw milk requirements, including its own products which are predominantly UHT under the Clover, retailer-owned brands and Ultra Milk brands. DFSA was initially a full subsidiary of Clover SA. Then it was 74% owned by DFSA’s Milk Producers. Clover finally disposed of its investment in DFSA in May 2020 to the Milk Producers Trust.
Coega Dairy
Situated near Gqeberha in the Coega Harbour area, Coega Dairy began life in September 2011, producing UHT and butter products under the Coastal View and Crystal Valley brands, and for private labels.
The business was started by 13 Eastern Cape dairy farmers represented by the Coega Dairy Milk Producers Organisation (CDMPO), who established the Coega Empowerment Trust (whose beneficiaries include staff, staff of the CDMPO farmers and black-owned commercial dairy farms).
In September 2019, Dawson Dairy was brought into the Coega Dairy family, and amasi was introduced into Coega Dairy’s product line.
Famous Brands Cheese Company (FBCC) will continue to operate as a joint venture between Coega Food Group (CFG) and Famous Brands, with Coega Dairy managing the operations under a service level agreement.
Coega Dairy’s plant infrastructure is optimised for processing raw milk to UHT end-product and was expanded in 2012 to include a new butter factory. In 2013, the dairy expanded its UHT capacity, creating more local jobs (it currently has 360 employees) and increasing its capacity to meet high market demand.
Our Vision
To be a dairy farmer-centric organisation to the benefit of our members and nutritional dairy products provider to consumers.
Our Mission
To be a leading milk buyer by creating profitable dairy categories in South Africa and Africa. To build new dairy capabilities by leveraging existing UHT platforms, as well as through mergers and acquisitions, to the long-term benefit of shareholders.
Our Values
Consumer health is top-of-mind when we develop our products. We care deeply for the livelihoods of our communities; health of our animals and a sustainable environment. Support of emerging black-owned farmers is central to our future growth plans.