SPC and Original Juice Company to Merge, Strengthening Iconic Victorian Brands

The Original Juice Company, one of Australia’s best-known juice companies, has lately entered into an alliance with SPC, a giant firm engaged in the production of vegetables and fruits.

This will also comprise Nature One Dairy, which specializes in powdery milk products, into the new entity.

The deal has been reported to the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) on Wednesday and awaits shareholders’ approval from OJC.

SPC is one of Australia’s largest producers of packaged fruit, baked beans, spaghetti, and ready-made meals. The company has been a manufacturing gateway in Victoria’s Goulburn Valley for over a century now. Its Nature One Dairy distributes powdered milk products all over Asia and Australia.

According to the ASX report, it mentions that revenue from the combined group is expected to be around $400 million upwards for the next financial year.

This is at a very crucial time for SPC, the company that has struggled to find adequate shelf space in comparison with its imports. In June, the company reduced its intake of peaches and pears by 40% due to declining demand for locally grown products and increased competition from cheaper imports. Last October, SPC launched a capital-raising initiative, inviting Goulburn Valley residents to invest in share offerings to fund necessary equipment upgrades to enhance its global competitiveness.

OJC runs a production facility in the Mill Park are of Melbourne that procures fruits from 45 farmers in New south Whales region.

Jeff Kennett, outgoing president of OJC and former Victorian premier, emphasized the importance of supporting Australian manufacturing.

SPC Chairman Hussein Rifai highlighted the company’s mission to create “better, healthier food for the future.” He stated that since acquiring SPC from Coca-Cola Amatil, the strategy has been to uplift the organization as a leader in the Australian and international markets.

The merger is being positioned as a win for all involved, with the ASX statement noting that SPC has “multiple unused spaces” at its Shepparton facility that could significantly boost OJC’s production capacity.