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Butter and Dairy Product Manufacturing in Australia - Market Research Report (2013-2028)

Jack Fahey Jack Fahey Melbourne, Australia Last Updated: August 2023 ANZSIC C1133c

Revenue

$8.1bn

2023-24

$8.0bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XXX.Xm

Employees

7,262

Businesses

127

Wages

$XXX.Xm

Butter and Dairy Product Manufacturing in Australia industry analysis

Butter and other dairy product manufacturers have faced challenging conditions over the past few years. Global dairy prices have been volatile over the period, declining overall. Production of butter and other products like buttermilk and flavoured milk have fallen substantially because of major shifts in overseas demand and local consumer preferences. Milk supply constraints have caused butter production to plummet since 2017-18. The COVID-19 pandemic also created volatility in demand and prices. That's why revenue is declining at an average annual rate of 2.9% over the five years through 2022-23, to $8.12 billion. This trend includes a drop of 5.2% in 2022-23.

Trends and Insights

  • Milk production is declining in Australia. This has reduced production capabilities for butter and other dairy product manufacturers who have to compete with drinking milk, cheese and milk powder manufacturers.
  • Sales of natural yoghurt and yoghurt with added calcium and probiotics are rising. This is because consumers are becoming more mindful of what they eat.
  • Victoria is the largest dairy farming state and the majority of milk produced is destined for manufacturers. That’s why Victoria is home to the largest number of butter and other dairy product manufacturers.
  • Larger manufacturers benefit from economies of scale. This allows them to reduce production costs and gain a competitive advantage in downstream retail pricing.
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Everything you need in one report

  • Reliable market estimates from 2013-2028
  • Competitive analysis, industry segmentation, financial benchmarks
  • Powerful SWOT, Porter’s Five Forces and risk management frameworks
  • Online membership platform with PDF, Word, Excel and PPT exports

Industry Overview

Market size and recent performance (2013-2028)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 2.9 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $8.1bn in 2023.

Trends and Insights

Butter producers have lost out as upstream milk production has fallen

  • Butter production has declined over the past five years, because of increased demand for non-industry dairy-based products and a reduction in milk production.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Butter and Dairy Product Manufacturing in Australia
Revenue (2013-2028)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Milk production is set to fluctuate over the coming years

  • Milk production has been in a state of decline for the past decade, because of volatile weather conditions and falling dairy cattle numbers. Over the coming years, dairy cattle farming conditions will stabilise, although volatile weather events may upend this situation.

Biggest companies in the Butter and Dairy Product Manufacturing in Australia

Company
Market Share (%)
2023
Revenue ($m)
2023
Saputo Dairy Australia
1,145.4
Bega Group
1,107.0
Lactalis Australia
853.6

To view the market share and analysis for all 4 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Butter and Dairy Product Manufacturing in Australia
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Butter products, Proteins and Other dairy products. Butter products is the largest segment of the Butter and Dairy Product Manufacturing in Australia.

Trends and Insights

Rising health consciousness is boosting demand for natural yoghurt

  • This segment includes yoghurt, sour cream and other cultured dairy-based products, like cultured buttermilk.
  • More insights available in the full report

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Competitors

  • Ice Cream Manufacturing in Australia
  • Cheese Manufacturing in Australia

Complementors

  • Dairy Cattle Farming in Australia
  • Milk and Cream Processing in Australia
  • Milk Powder Manufacturing in Australia

International industries

  • Dairy Product Production in the US
  • Yogurt Production in the US
  • Dairy Product Production in Canada
  • Cheese, Butter and Milk Powder Manufacturing in New Zealand
  • Butter & Cheese Production in the UK

View all industries in Australia

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Manufacturers primarily produce dairy products, like butter, yoghurt, condensed milk, evaporated milk and other dairy products. Cheese, ice cream, milk and milk powder manufacturing is not included in the industry.

What's included in this industry?

Butter productsProteinsYoghurtCultured buttermilkSour creamCondensed milkFlavoured milk

Companies

Saputo Dairy AustraliaBega GroupLactalis Australia

Purchase this report to view all 4 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

CASEINWHEYNUTRACEUTICALFARMGATE MILK PRICE

Industry Code

ANZSIC 2006

ANZSIC 1133 - Butter and Dairy Product Manufacturing in Australia

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Milk production is declining in Australia. This has reduced production capabilities for butter and other dairy product manufacturers who have to compete with drinking milk, c...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2013-2022) and forecast (2023-2028)
  • Employees, including historical (2013-2022) and forecast (2023-2028)
  • Businesses, including historical (2013-2022) and forecast (2023-2028)
  • Profit, including historical (2013-2023)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Sales of natural yoghurt and yoghurt with added calcium and probiotics are rising. This is because consumers are becoming more mindful of what they eat.

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets
  • International Trade

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2023
  • Product innovation level
  • Total imports, level and trend
  • Total exports, level and trend
  • Trade Balance

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2023
  • Major market segmentation in 2023
  • International trade, including imports by country and exports by country

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
  • Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Victoria is the largest dairy farming state and the majority of milk produced is destined for manufacturers. That’s why Victoria is home to the largest number of butter and o...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2023

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2023
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2023
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2023
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2023

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Larger manufacturers benefit from economies of scale. This allows them to reduce production costs and gain a competitive advantage in downstream retail pricing.

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2018-2023
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

There has been a flurry of acquisition activity over the past decade. Major manufacturers have sought to expand their market share and economies of scale.

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2019 through 2023
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2023
  • Overview of Saputo Dairy Australia's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2017 through 2023
  • Overview of Bega Group's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2017 through 2023
  • Overview of Lactalis Australia's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2017 through 2023
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for one additional company

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Saputo Dairy Australia, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Bega Group, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Lactalis Australia, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for one additional company

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Falling milk production on Australia’s dairy farms is reducing output potential for butter and other dairy manufacturers. It’s also harming profit margins, with farmgate milk...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2013-2028) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2013-2028) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Profit margins have tumbled in recent years. This is because falling milk supply has caused an upswing in farmgate milk prices.

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2023
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2023
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2013-2028)
  • Revenue per Employee (2013-2028)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2013-2028)
  • Employees per Establishment (2013-2028)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2013-2028)
  • Average Wage (2013-2028)
  • Wages/Revenue (2013-2028)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2013-2028)
  • IVA/Revenue (2013-2028)
  • Imports/Demand (2013-2028)
  • Exports/Revenue (2013-2028)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2013-2028)
  • IVA (2013-2028)
  • Establishments (2013-2028)
  • Enterprises (2013-2028)
  • Employment (2013-2028)
  • Exports (2013-2028)
  • Imports (2013-2028)
  • Wages (2013-2028)

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Australia include:

  • Australian Bureau of Statistics
  • Australian Taxation Office
  • Australian Securities & Investments Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.

Frequently Asked Questions

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Butter and Dairy Product Manufacturing industry in Australia in 2024?

The market size of the Butter and Dairy Product Manufacturing industry in Australia is $8.1bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Butter and Dairy Product Manufacturing in Australia industry in 2023?

There are 127 businesses in the Butter and Dairy Product Manufacturing industry in Australia, which has declined at a CAGR of 2.8 % between 2018 and 2023.

Has the Butter and Dairy Product Manufacturing industry in Australia grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Butter and Dairy Product Manufacturing industry in Australia has been declining at a CAGR of 2.9 % between 2018 and 2023.

What is the forecast growth of the Butter and Dairy Product Manufacturing industry in Australia over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Butter and Dairy Product Manufacturing industry in Australia is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Butter and Dairy Product Manufacturing market in Australia?

The biggest companies operating in the Butter and Dairy Product Manufacturing market in Australia are Saputo Dairy Australia, Bega Group and Lactalis Australia

What does the Butter and Dairy Product Manufacturing in Australia include?

Butter products and Proteins are part of the Butter and Dairy Product Manufacturing industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Butter and Dairy Product Manufacturing in Australia?

The company holding the most market share in Australia is Saputo Dairy Australia.

How competitive is the Butter and Dairy Product Manufacturing industry in Australia?

The level of competition is high and increasing in the Butter and Dairy Product Manufacturing industry in Australia.