Camel milk: Australian company seeks investment for new processing facility

Good Earth Dairy's camel milk supply comes from the world’s largest feral camel population in the Australian Outback. Photo / Good Earth Dairy

An Australian company says camels are the next big thing in alternative milk, as it looks for further investment in a new processing facility.

Perth-based commercial camel milk producer, Good Earth Dairy, has been awarded an A$4.4 million (NZ$4.8m) grant from the Western Australian government to construct the facility.

The funding brings the company a step closer to the A$20 million project, which will be Australia’s first dairy facility solely for the production of fresh and powdered camel milk products.

Set for completion in 2026, the facility will increase Good Earth Dairy’s production capacity to 21.9 million litres a year, expand its distribution to international markets and allow it to enter the infant formula market.

To do so, Good Earth Dairy plans to IPO on the Australian Securities Exchange in the second quarter of 2024.

It has also launched a bridging round through an equity crowdfunding campaign via OnMarket - which will enable the company to increase its current capabilities while the new facility is built.

Launched in 2016, Good Earth Dairy is one of Australia’s leading camel milk producers and has turned over nearly A$3.4 million in revenue since distribution began, growing 200 per cent over the last year.

The company sources its supply from the world’s largest feral camel population in the Australian Outback.

It operates on an 800-hectare property with a herd of 160 camels - with a further 200 on order - and distributes a range of products through leading and independent stores across Western Australia.

The company said the grant would go towards increasing its farm capability and primary production, which will create more than 90 new jobs once the assets are fully utilised.

Founder and chief executive of Good Earth Dairy, Marcel Steingiesser, said Australia was in a unique position to “be a global leader” in camel milk production.

“If we were to rely on breeding we would be very limited but we have access to a huge supply of camels in outback WA.

“We have the livestock, the technology, the climate and the opportunity; now we have the government backing to move to the next level and begin growing on an international scale.”

Camel milk is an alternative to cow’s milk, retailing in Australia for a premium price between A$13 and A$20 a litre.

It has low amounts of allergens, has high nutritional value, and claims to be a close substitute for human milk.

In addition, it is low in saturated fat and does not hard coagulate, making it suitable for infants and adults to digest.

The new processing facility will allow Good Earth Dairy to enter the infant formula market, while capitalising on the A$840 billion dairy market as more consumers seek out dairy alternatives.