WA's oldest and largest dairy company, Brownes, has been put up for sale after its Chinese owner got into financial difficulty over a $200 million loan.
The owner of WA's biggest dairy farm is placing his reputation and cash on the line to prove the potential of an autonomous and green production facility.
Bannister Downs Dairy, jointly owned by the Daubney family and Gina Rinehart, has created the first Western Australian milk to be crowned most popular dairy product in the country.
ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL: The future can be a scary place for many, but WA's entrepreneurial spirit will ensure we make the most of opportunity. This article is part of a special series to mark Business News' 25-year anniversary.
Sue and Mat Daubney's Bannister Downs Dairy officially opened its $20 million-plus robotic milking operation and tourism centre at the weekend, with the pair cutting a special ribbon with major investor Gina Rinehart.
Western Australia's three largest dairy producers are now under foreign ownership, after Brownes was sold to a consortium of investors that includes Chinese dairy operator Shanghai Ground Food.
SPECIAL REPORT: Mitsui & Company, Shell and Itochu Corporation are among a swag of businesses that have made substantial investments in the state's exporting industries over the decades, showing that foreign investors can contribute without directly operating assets.
An upgrade to a meat processing plant at Katanning, a chicken feed mill in Muchea, a new piggery at Moora and a live lobster holding facility in Welshpool are the latest in a string of investments that will boost the agribusiness sector in Western Australia.
Billionaire Gina Rinehart has appointed a new executive director and a new chief executive at Hancock Prospecting and foreshadowed plans to recruit additional senior executives to run its commercial and agribusiness operations.
Bannister Downs Dairy has appointed Perkins Builders as head contractor for its $20 million-plus creamery project at Northcliffe, and is planning to commence construction in coming months.
The South West Development Commission has appointed Sue Daubney as deputy chair to replace former Busselton Mayor Ian Stubbs who left the board after stepping down from his role on the council.
Bannister Downs Dairy Company managing director Sue Daubney is aiming to rebuild Azzura Gelati to its former glory after striking a deal this week to buy the local ice-cream manufacturer.
Iron ore magnate Gina Rinehart has agreed to invest in WA business Bannister Downs Dairy, to support a planned $20 million-plus expansion of the niche dairy producer.
A Western Australian dairy boss who waited three years for the business to turn a profit has discovered the other end of the spectrum, and is now dealing with an operation that has outgrown its facilities.
A shake-up in Western Australia's dairy industry may be set to deliver for local stakeholders, but the broader sector is unimpressed with free trade commitments made with South Korea and Japan.
