Ballarat’s Ferndale Confectionery has been awarded $400,000 from the federal government as part of the Manufacturing Modernisation Fund, with grant recipients announced this week.
86 businesses will share in grant offers of $55 million to invest in modernisation of Australian Manufacturing. These projects will encourage innovation, boost productivity, and create new jobs under six National Manufacturing Priority areas.
Ferndale Confectionery was founded in 1995 by Bruce Edward and remains 100% family owned and operated. The business is now managed by Leigh Edward.
Ferndale has been on an aggressive growth path over recent years, having launched The So Soft Marshmallow Co. in late 2017.
Since launching The So Soft Marshmallow Co., the business has grown revenues by around 70%, and now employs around 50 people across two Delacombe production sites.
Ferndale has no plans of slowing down, continuing to focus on growing iconic brands, JILA MINTS®, JOLS PASTILLES® and SO SOFT® Marshmallows both here in Australia, but also in international markets including the USA & UK. Ferndale is also a key supplier to ALDI Australia.
Ferndale has immediate plans to add a third manufacturing facility, with works already well underway at 25 Wiltshire Lane to build a state-of-the-art 3500m2 facility to produce new innovative confectionery products, as well as expanding warehousing capacity by approx. 1800 pallets.
“As part of the expansion we will be looking to employ a further 10 full timers over the next 12 months, but as growth plans continue to evolve, we hope that number to be far greater” stated General Manager, Leigh Edward.
Ferndale and the Edward family plans to invest around $7 million in the latest expansion. “To receive a grant from the Federal Government gives us even greater confidence to continue investing in and expanding our capabilities in our Ballarat factories. Manufacturing is alive and well in Ballarat, and we plan to continue building our business in the city that we love for many years to come.”
