New South Wales commits US$5.72M to boost regional food and beverage manufacturing 

NEW SOUTH WALES – The New South Wales (NSW) government has announced a $5.72 million investment into regional projects designed to strengthen local industries and create jobs.  

The funding includes US$2.5 million for Grove Juice to establish a new bottling line at its Leeton facility and US$2.27 million for Staughton Group to develop a Regional Demonstration Hub for chilling and freezing. 

The state government confirmed that recipients will contribute an additional US$17.74 million to deliver advanced manufacturing technologies and expand regional tourism initiatives.  

Minister for Agriculture and Regional New South Wales, Tara Moriarty, said the investments demonstrate the government’s commitment to supporting industry growth and job creation. 

“Investments that embed new technology into the Riverina’s local food processing businesses will bring productivity gains and expand production capacity, to ensure we can grow jobs and feed Australians and the world,” Moriarty stated. 

Australian Juice Processing and Bottling, the manufacturing arm of Grove Juice, will install the new bottling line at the company’s recently acquired Leeton facility.  

The automated, continuous operation will include container heating, blow moulding, filling, capping, and labelling. Output is expected to increase to 100,000 containers per hour, strengthening Grove’s production capacity. 

The Leeton facility was formerly owned by Bega Group, which sold the site for US$11.4 million in October 2024 after entering a binding agreement in August. Bega has since signed a long-term supply deal with Grove to process fruit juice for its beverage range. 

Grove’s fruit supplier, Vitonga Farms, confirmed the acquisition was finalised earlier this year, noting that the expansion reinforces its support for growers in the Griffith and Leeton regions. 

Grove was also recently selected for the Brisbane Economic Development Agency’s (BEDA) Future Food Global Accelerator, which will help the company expand exports worldwide. 

Meanwhile, independent pet food manufacturer Staughton Group has received US$2.27 million to establish a Regional Demonstration Hub for inline chilling and freezing.  

The project aims to transform food processing across regional NSW by delivering new technologies to enhance chilling and freezing infrastructure. The hub will also provide equipment and services to local abattoirs and food manufacturers, improving sustainability and profitability in the sector. 

The NSW government highlighted that the combined investments will deliver long-term benefits to the Riverina region by supporting agribusiness, hospitality, and tourism while ensuring continued growth in food and beverage manufacturing. 

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