By Casey Neill
A Keysborough goat milk business has expanded into a second site in the suburb.
NuLac Foods, owner of the Caprilac goat milk brand, intends to install a sachet and can-filling line in the Bridge Road space to pack the goat milk powder it makes at its milk-drying facility.
It will be expanding its range into goat infant formula products this year.
“It’s an exciting new step in our journey as a food producer in Australia,” CEO and owner John Gommans said.
“The market for goat milk products is growing in Asia and we have strong demand from customers to move into formulated products given the goodness of goat milk, which is well known for its digestive ease.”
The company has its own goat milk farms in Gippsland, including the popular Gippy Goat Cafe farm at Yarragon.
In August last year, Mr Gommans told the Journal that he and wife Penny Gandar started the business in Australia in 2005.
“We started off in goats in 1980-something in New Zealand, but our main business was dairy cows,” he said.
“It was all a bit early. We allowed that to lapse.
“Then we started off seriously again in 2000. We came to Australia in 2005.
“We flew 500 goats over in a plane from our New Zealand farm. We bought this factory and a farm.”
A 500-year family history in the trade preceded Mr Gommans’ foray into farming.
He’s proud to be continuing the tradition that a recently traced family tree dated back to 1470.
“We have 12,000 dairy goats ourselves and then we have another eight independent suppliers that supply us milk from their farms,” he said.
“Our foundation is in goat milk products.
“A few years ago we decided to expand our range and we developed a coconut yogurt.
“Continuing on from that development as a business, we created some cow milk ranges.
“We started the Coach House Dairy range, with a high-quality chocolate milk.”
That product has now won several awards.
“The biggest part of our business is still the goat milk products, and in particular the milk powders,” Mr Gommans said.
“Goat milk powder is widely sought after throughout Asia.
“It’s regarded as a premium product to cow and it’s easier to digest for many people of Asian origin.”
