Allied Pinnacle says the 100th anniversary of its Trench Street mill in Ballarat is significant for the company and the local community as one of only four remaining flour mills in Victoria.
The mill was built by Otto Muller in 1923 and has operated under various monikers including Garden City Flour Mill, Bunge, and Allied Mills. It began operating as Allied Pinnacle six years ago.
Allied Pinnacle CEO David Pitt said, "We are deeply grateful to the Ballarat team that works tirelessly every day to fulfil Allied Pinnacle’s mission of creating market leading solutions from grain to table. At Allied Pinnacle, we bake the future from flour so it’s great to reflect on the past 100 years of Ballarat and I look forward to the next 100.”
The centenary was marked by a plaque unveiling and team celebration. Around a quarter of Allied Pinnacle’s employees at the mill have been there for 30 years or more.
Ballarat site manager Paul Panozzo, who has worked at the mill for 32 years, said, “The 100th year anniversary is a remarkable milestone. The Ballarat mill has a number of long-term employees, so the centenary means a lot.
“Throughout our long and historic tenure, we have faced challenges, disruption, and uncertainty, which we have managed to overcome.
“This is due to the wonderful Ballarat community and of course the incredible staff, past and present who carry great pride in work they do.”
Allied Pinnacle said ongoing investment in the mill ensures it remains agile and responsive to consumer demand. The Ballarat Mill has gone from milling many different types of mixes to those more specialised and niche, with a focus on organic, rye, and durum flour.
City of Ballarat mayor Des Hudson who unveiled the plaque marking the centenary said, “I worked at the flour mill in the quality control laboratory, after I finished VCE in 1987, until I went on to join Victoria Police in 1989. My father George Hudson worked at the flour mill, in charge of the silos and grain receiving for 33 years, while my elder brother Danny, Grandfather George Hudson Senior and two uncles, all had periods of employment at the flour mill.”
