Wellnex Life and Australian Dairy Nutritionals launch Ocean Road Dairies infant formula range in Chemist Warehouse
Wellnex and Australian Dairy Nutritionals Group’s range of organic A2 infant formula is expected to hit Chemist Warehouse shelves by mid-year.
Health and wellness company Wellnex Life (ASX: WNX) and Australian Dairy Nutritionals Group (ASX: AHF) have formalised their joint venture to launch Australia’s first organic A2 infant formula range using Australian milk under the new brand Ocean Road Dairies.
The companies revealed their partnership late last year with the intention for the range to be manufactured by Australian Dairy Nutritionals Group and sold through Wellnex’s retail and pharmacy distribution network.
In today’s joint announcement, the pair said the Ocean Road Dairies range has secured national distribution with Australia’s largest retailer of infant formula, Chemist Warehouse. Ranging is targeted by the end of the 2022 financial year (ending June). The range will be in around 500 stores and is expected to eventually replace the Uganic organic brand in the market.
In addition, national distribution of the future Gradulac Gentle infant formula range has been secured with Chemist Warehouse and wholesaler Symbion, which supplies product to around 3,000 pharmacies in Australia.
Like-minded partners
Wellnex chief executive officer George Karafotias described the company’s joint venture with “like-minded company” Australian Dairy Nutritionals Group as an “exciting development”.
“Bringing a unique and high value product to the infant formula market will give us the opportunity to grow our sales and provide premium nutrition to toddlers both domestically and internationally,” he said.
Australian Dairy Nutritionals Group chief executive officer Peter Skene said this “major distribution milestone” follows many years of hard work to commercialise the unique product.
“This joint venture with Wellnex will see both future Gradulac Gentle and Ocean Road Dairies infant formula being retailed by two of Australia’s largest retailers of infant formula,” he said.
The brand name Ocean Road Dairies reflects the milk being sourced from Australian Dairy Nutritionals Group’s farms located near the Great Ocean Road in Victoria.
The brand boasts “superior freshness” in addition to being sourced and produced locally with the fresh milk and infant formula being processed at a plant located 20 minutes’ drive from the farms.