Michael Schulz, Simon’s father with grandchildren
We’re so proud to find ourselves here, entering our 50th year of living, working and caring for our family dairy farm in Timboon, Victoria. Now in our third generation (fourth if you include the kids), The Schulz family has been nurturing soil, land and animals here since 1972.
It’s been a long road, but somehow it feels like we are only getting started.
It’s a Family Affair
In 1972, German immigrant Hermann Schulz purchased a plot of land just outside the township of Timboon in Victoria’s Western Region, igniting a passion and a journey that now sees its 50th year.
Hermann, a Melbourne Food and Wine Festival ‘Legend’ and Biodynamic farming pioneer found his path originally by sheer circumstance; he simply couldn’t afford chemical inputs like pesticides and fertilizers. And so, our Biodynamic/Organic farming heritage began. After 12 years of dairy farming, Hermann’s saw an opportunity to value add and drive a better price beyond the farmgate.
Timboon Farmhouse Cheeses was born and again, Hermann found himself pioneering an industry, this time it was handmade cheese. Timboon Farmhouse Cheese ran from 1984 to 2000, hand-making and distributing traditional German and French style cheeses all across Australia (and beyond! Hermann’s mini camembert cheeses were served on Qantas first-class international flights).
In the late 1990s, the second-generation, Hermann’s son Michael, merged his neighboring farm with Hermann’s, taking the reins as farm manager, continuing the chemical-free practices that Hermann had implemented and converting the farm from Biodynamic to Organic.. In 2006 it was the third generation’s turn, with Simon establishing Schulz Organic Dairy, building it to the brand we know today.
As the current custodian of the farm and founder of Schulz Organic Dairy, Simon’s mission has been to build on the sustainability foundations set up by his grandfather and father. From the continued improvement of regenerative practices on-farm to the milk in glass bottle initiative, Simon’s focus is always set on doing ‘better’.
Simon Schulz on the Farm
Simon set about creating a ‘Home’ for Schulz Organic Dairy and thus Schulz Organic Creamery & Cafe was born. Set on the corner of our thousand-acre dairy farm, our cafe produces a seasonal menu championing Schulz Organic Dairy Products and local produce led by patissier chef, Hila Perry.
And so, with such a deep and rich history in the area (Western Victoria), and the industry (Dairy), we wanted to share some of the highlights (and future plans) that 50 years of heritage brings.
Our Award-winning Dairy
2011: Hermann was inducted as a Legend at the 2011 Melbourne Food & Wine Festival.
2015: Delicious Magazine From the Dairy category award
2016: Champion Organic Product/Produce Award the Australian Food Awards for our Pure Cream
2018: Gold medalist in Delicious magazine’s produce awards for our organic dairy full cream milk
2018: Simon Schulz wins Hostplus Trailblazer of the Year at the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival
2018: Australian Food Awards for our Organic Quark
2019: Simon wins Young Organic Leader of the Year from the Australian Organic industry
2020: Finalists in the premier’s Sustainability Awards for our Milk in Glass initiative
2020: Finalists in The Design Files, Sustainable Design category for our Milk in Glass bottles
2021: Winner of Alla Wolf-Tasker Good Food Matters scholarship for our grass to glass initiative
2021: Gold medalist in Delicious magazine’s produce awards for our organic dairy full cream milk
2021: We received Beverage Packaging Category High Commendation at the PIDA Awards
2021: We won the bronze award for Reuse at the PIDA Awards
2021: Best Made winner for our Organic Full Cream Milk from Eat Easy
Plus many more for both Schulz Organic Dairy and Timboon Cheesery.
Schulz Organic Dairy Full Cream Milk at the 2021 delicious Produce Awards
Our Milk in Glass Journey
In October of 2017, we trialled Milk in Glass at Farmers' Markets. We tested 1-litre organic milk in returnable, refillable glass bottles and the response was overwhelming.
Buoyed by the support, We launched our Pozible crowdfunding campaign and raised $106,100 to fund the equipment needed to realise our glass bottle dream.. In our first year, we delivered 5,000 bottles per week to retailers and farmers' markets, removing 7.6 tonnes of plastic from our (Australia’s) faulty recycling system!
Our Milk in Glass bottles are still available for purchase in retail outlets throughout Victoria, fighting the war against waste and contributing to the circular economy.
If you’re in Victoria and want to buy our Milk in Glass – you can find a retailer here.
And if you can’t find a local retailer but would like one, suggest a retailer here.
Our Milk in Glass Initiative
Collaborations Over the Years
Fleur Studd (Market Lane Coffee) understands that the best quality coffee must be accompanied by the best quality milk. That's why Schulz Organic Full Cream Milk can be found in all milk-based beverages at Market Lane. "It has a lovely, rich texture and is very sweet and creamy, reflecting the diverse herbage on the farm and the gentle pasteurisation techniques practised by Schulz," Fleur's said.
The best Melbourne chefs understand that once you've made your own butter, you'll never go back to store bought again. Dan Hunter (Brae) makes their unbeatable hand-made butter with our very own Organic Pure Cream!
Waste warriors look to us when trying to reduce their environmental footprint also. Joost Bakker came to us when he needed a waste free milk option for his restaurant Brothl. The stainless steel pails we sourced to this project were later produced for other food service clients across Victoria.
Julia Ostro is a Melbourne-based Italian teacher and food writer who also happens to be a fantastic cook! Her recipes emphasise fresh, seasonal ingredients. Her food embodies everything that is good about modern Australian eating - simple, comforting food with a generous spirit. Her Spiced Carrot Cake with Schulz Organic Dairy Quark frosting, Spinach and Schulz Organic Feta Tart and Strawberry Quark Cheesecake are just a few examples of her many creations!
Celebrations in 2022
We have a huge year of partnerships, product releases and events planned throughout the year. We can’t wait to be embarking on this historic year, and we invite you to be a part of the celebration.
We’re excited to announce that a range of new Schulz Organic products will be hitting shelves in 2022.
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