General News
16 September, 2025
Hope for Tolga peanut plant
THERE is hope for the Tolga peanut plant, with the Bega Group announcing it has reached agreement with the Crumpton Group to sell the land, buildings and equipment located at its processing sites in Kingaroy and Tolga.
In July, the Bega Group announced it was planning to close the Tolga plant in December, citing increased competition from cheaper overseas imports and declining production as the main reasons behind the decision.
The Bega Group bought the Peanut Company of Australia (PCA) in 2017, even though it had been under “sustained financial pressure” for several years.
Group chief executive officer Pete Findlay said the announcement of the sale to Crumpton did not change the company’s intention to pay redundancies and entitlements to all staff impacted by the closure.
“While it was always our preference to sell the Peanut Company of Australia, we are pleased that the land, buildings and equipment located in Kingaroy and Tolga will remain in local hands,” he said.
Bega Group has worked with Crumpton Group to identify alternative employment opportunities for its exiting workforce, alongside continuing to provide outplacement support services.
“Bega Group remains committed to supporting its people through this transition and has worked with Crumptons to identify up to 30 potential roles with Crumptons for its impacted workforce,” Mr Findlay said.
Crumpton Group is a fourth-generation family-owned business operating out of the South Burnett region.
Crumptons is a diversified agribusiness with a long history in peanut growing, shelling, processing and roasting, and supplying peanut products to the Australian market.
“The acquisition of these assets will allow us to better serve Australian Peanut Growers in all regions moving forward. We will soon be in discussions with peanut growers regarding the coming season,” Sonie Crumpton said.
Bega Group will complete the sale of the land, buildings and equipment to Crumpton Group in December 2025 to support the intake of peanuts from North Queensland.
The Kingaroy site will continue to operate until June 2026.
