In the regional community of East Launceston in northern Tasmania, local brand Duck River is getting behind grass roots junior football at the East Launceston Junior Football Club.
In a milestone for the brand, the sponsorship marks the first time Duck River Butter – a household name and well-loved staple in fridges across the state – has been used in sponsorship.
Fonterra Oceania Farm Source Regional Manager in Tasmania, Troy Franks highlighted the strong connection between sport and regional communities across northern Tasmania where Fonterra’s Australian dairy farmer suppliers and employees call home.
“Local sporting clubs are an important part of life in rural communities. They foster connection and bring people closer together.
“Many of our farming families are connected to their local footy club. When they’re not in the dairy, you’ll likely find them out on the field, coaching from the sideline, or cheering the team on.
“It’s a good balance to strike between work and home life, which is one of the reasons we choose to support local sport and the people behind it,” Troy said.
The East Launceston Junior Football Club (ELJFC) currently has 11 junior teams participating in the Northern Tasmanian Junior Football Association, plus more than 70 children registered in their AusKick program.
Duck River’s sponsorship of the Club will ensure all junior footballers have access to training tops for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
ELJFC Club Vice-President Nicolas d’Emden said that sponsors play a critical role in keeping local football going and that the junior footballers highly value the new training tops provided with support from Duck River.
“We try and keep the participating costs down to a minimum for our players.
“All sponsorship dollars go towards ensuring our kids are having fun in a safe environment, and they feel like they are part of a team.
“That’s why Duck River’s sponsorship is important, as it will go towards providing all our youth participants with a warm-up top, which is especially needed here in Tassie in the colder mornings,” he said.
Cressy farmer and Fonterra supplier Robert Rigney, whose children James and Edward, and nephew William are part of the junior program at ELJFC are especially grateful for the support, given they supply the milk used to make Duck River products, crafted at Fonterra’s Spreyton’s site.
“Seeing the Duck River brand on the kid’s shirts gives us a sense of pride. It’s a local brand supporting local kids, and it’s even better knowing it starts with our milk,” Robert said.
Duck River’s sponsorship of grass roots football also extends to the Wynard Football and Netball Club, where the brand supports the junior and senior teams with their uniforms.
Doing Good Together
In the regional communities, where our Australian farmers and employees call home, sport plays a vital role.
In the last 12 months, Fonterra Oceania has supported 12 sporting clubs across northern Tasmania, including football, netball, cheerleading, golf, surf lifesaving, and equestrian. These donations are used to help clubs invest in new equipment and facilities or purchase uniforms.
If you know of a community group or initiative in need of support, please get in contact at inourcommunityaustralia@fonterra.com. Together, we can continue to strengthen our communities and make a difference.
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