A Central Coast business is among one of the first seven NSW food and beverage manufacturers to win a NSW government low interest loan to help boost productivity, create jobs, and deliver advanced manufacturing capabilities.
The loans, delivered as part of the Government's Regional Development Roadmap, will help boost productivity, create jobs, and deliver advanced manufacturing capabilities.
East Coast Beverages based in Kulnura, is one of the only family-owned and operated juice companies left in Australia suppling its products to Woolworths, Coles, IGA, SPAR, and Foodworks.
The company will use the loan to install automated technology including high speed conveyors, bottling equipment, and advanced line cleaning systems.
Under the $5 million pilot program, the loans can be used for projects such as installing automated production lines, upgrading bottling lines, or buying equipment that will enable products to be exported more efficiently.
The NSW Government is assisting good businesses grow so they can increase demand for local produce, add value to their products, boosting revenue and creating jobs into their regions.
The food and beverage manufacturing sector is a major employer in regional NSW, which is already home to companies such as Nestle, Ferrero, Stone and Wood, Sanitarium and Simplot Foods.
Last year the sector across NSW had an annual turnover of $42.5 billion and employed more than 66,000 people.
Find out more about the Regional Development Trust Fund.
Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said:
"East Coast Beverages is one of the region's success stories and the Government is committed to helping businesses like this grow, create more jobs and benefit local producers and the community.
"Across the state we are committed to strengthening the farming sector and regional economies by encouraging and assisting local businesses.
"We are always willing to support businesses that add value to local produce, expand their production capacity and employ locals."
Minister for the Central Coast David Harris said:
"East Coast Beverages is a fantastic family-owned business based in the highly productive Central Coast hinterland, who will continue to go from strength-to-strength with this NSW Government support.
"They are just one of the businesses helping grow the Coast's considerable renown as a region that produces, manufactures and exports fine food and beverages and adds to the vibrant local foodie scene."
Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch said:
"East Coast Beverages is a symbol of all that is wonderful about our Central Coast hinterland, producing high quality products, while creating local jobs and boosting our local economy.
"It has been fantastic to see the rise of East Coast Beverages from a small family-owned and operated local juice company to a dominate player in the Australian juice market and we all love buying their products from outlets across the Central Coast and beyond.
"The NSW Government is committed to supporting our local food and beverage manufacturers such as East Coast Beverages to continue to move from strength to strength with the award of a NSW Government low interest loan."
