WAGGA consumers have firmly backed farmer fresh milk in a movement that has seen local brands “fly from the shelves”.
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Supermarkets have reportedly been cleaned out of Riverina Fresh milk as residents rally behind locally made produce.
It comes as the government on Wednesday announced a $579 million support package for Aussie dairy farmers.
Lake Albert Foodworks owner Rodney Porter said his store has seen the sale of local milk “explode” with an increase of up to 40 per cent.
"I noticed our girls in dairy had to expend the facings of the Riverina Fresh brand from three rows to now having a full shelf because the demand has just exploded,” he said.
“It’s a shame it took a full-blown price war between Coles and Woolworths before the farmers started to garner support.
"It might only be a trend; it could go for a month and then all of a sudden everybody will fall back into the same routine."
Greycat Enterprises, which delivers Riverina Fresh milk locally, also confirmed they have had to increase their order to Woolworths.
Mr Porter described the stand against supermarket powerhouses as a “well-needed resistance”.
“I know a friend in Victoria who has had enough and decided to walk off his farm,” he said.
“They're struggling to make a living now and at the rate we're going everybody could be drinking powdered milk.”
Wagga’s Sheree Purcell, who has bought locally produced milk for years, welcomed the trend.
“I used to barely give it thought and buy the cheaper brands, but I realised eventually it’s important to buy local,” Ms Purcell said.
“We hope this is going to continue on forever, it’s just great to see it going viral on Facebook and really circulating online.”
The trend has flared years after Coles ignited the supermarket war with their $1 milk bottle range.
NSW Dairy Committee chair Rob McIntosh blasted $1 milk as one of the main causes of the problem.
“The government’s announcement of a significant support package is welcome, but this is a band-aid solution to a much more serious wound,” he said.
“It’s time we started talking about the elephant in the room here – dollar a litre milk is simply unsustainable.”
Coles also confirmed the surging demand in branded milk.
“Many of our stores in regional NSW have sold out of branded milk due to increased demand,” a Coles spokesperson said.
“We are working with our suppliers to increase production and to provide a full range for local customers as soon as possible”.