Thomas Foods makes multimillion-dollar investment
New jobs as one of South Australia’s largest billion-dollar companies beefs up its business.
South Australian family-owned meat processing company Thomas Foods International is planning to invest $22 million to expand its Southern Cross Feedlot in Tintinara as SA beef exports continue to soar.
The plan was submitted to the Coorong District Council to build 66 new shade-covered pens, with each accommodating 160 head of cattle.
It would see the Tintinara feedlot capacity increase from 27,000 to 38,000 Standard Cattle Units and needs more hay and grain storage to be located near existing site infrastructure.
Thomas Food’s Southern Cross Feedlot General Manager James Sage said the proposal would boost operational demand for the Tintinara-based feedlot and generate employment opportunities for locals.
“This is a significant investment in our feedlot operations which play a vital role in TFI’s integrated supply network,” Sage said.
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“The Southern Cross Feedlot has been growing steadily in recent times, in part due to the increasing number of cattle required at the Murray Bridge meat processing plant, and the overall outlook is very positive.”
Cattle from the Southern Cross Feedlot would be processed at the Thomas Foods Murray Bridge processing facility.
Upgrades to the Murray Bridge meat processing plant were completed in 2023 – following a 2018 blaze that destroyed the original plant – and have since planned to increase beef processing upward of 700-800 head per day.
Thomas Foods is Australia’s largest fully family-owned meat processing companies and one of South Australia’s largest companies, having generated more than $3 billion in revenue last financial year.
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Its expansion comes as September data showed beef export trade figures reached a new peak of $1.64 billion, after a boost of $573 million in the past year.
Despite global instability spurred by Trump’s tariffs and fears it would destablise South Australia’s US export market – SA’s top five markets saw an uptick – led by a surge of about $273 million in meat exports to the US.
SA also saw gains of $60 million to South Korea, Japan with $34 million, China with $17 million and Malaysia with $22 million.
Beef was the standout performer, with exports more than doubling to reach $849.3 million, and lamb climbing by almost 20 per cent to about $717 million.
The feedlot upgrade plans for TFI followed what the company called a difficult period of “drought conditions and lower livestock supply” that saw more than 200 staff stood down at their meat processing facility in Lobethal.
This latest investment in the Southern Cross Feedlot followed more than $17 million in investments by TFI over the past three years to upgrade and expand the facility to its current capacity.
Up to 15 new jobs were expected to be generated from the feedlot’s expansion, taking the total number of workers from 40 to 55.
“Our feedlot already represents the very best in modern cattle handling systems with a focus on animal welfare and operational efficiency,” Mr Sage said.
“Through this expansion we are best positioning the feedlot for the long term.”
The company plans to begin construction of the new pens immediately if the plans are approved by the Coorong District Council.
