RIVERINA Fresh milk.
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For years it was the name on everyone’s lips.
But over the past two months a shortage in stock has seen vendors across the Riverina struggle to fill orders, forcing corner stores and retailers to substitute the locally produced dairy products for Norco and Your Choice branded supplies.
After weeks of uncertainty, vendors and retailers have begun to question Fonterra’s – the company which owns the Riverina Fresh brand – local link.
“It is Riverina Fresh by name,” one vendor, who wished to remain anonymous, said.
“They’re not using local freight; they are not using local milk.”
He said he was frustrated and sick of not knowing what lines of milk and produce will be available for delivery to customers on a day-to-day basis.
Shop owners have noted that milk supplies vary daily and while replacement brands are offered, many customers chose to go without.
Most recently, Riverina Fresh Contour milk has been taken off many shelves around Wagga, while the brand’s iced coffee had been unavailable for almost eight weeks.
Fonterra ANZ general manager, operations and supply chain, Craig Jackson has attributed the recent stock issues to manufacturing problems at the Wagga plant which were made worse by the flooding and factory closure last month.
While Fonterra is said to be working to fix the problems, it has not been able to state when the issues would be resolved.
“We have implemented a daily review and action program to address key issues,” Mr Jackson said.
However, a spokeswoman from Fonterra said due to commercial reasons the company can’t confirm what the production setbacks and manufacturing issues are, what the key issues that the daily review and action program are addressing or where the production of other products been moved to.
