$1.5m grant to help take Toowoomba ice cream to the world

Toowoomba manufacturer Pixie Ice Cream is set to create 23 new jobs over two years by upgrading its technology to become more internationally competitive after being supported by a $1.5 million State Government grant.

Minister for State Development and Manufacturing Cameron Dick said Pixie Ice Cream would use the Made in Queensland grant to install automated wrapping and boxing equipment in its Toowoomba facility. 

“This technology will save the company approximately $1.1 million a year in operating costs and increase distribution capacity in Australia, as well as helping to increase Pixie’s recent foothold in North American and Asia-Pacific markets,” Mr Dick said.

“The combination of Pixie’s equal investment with the State Government means its workforce can increase by more than 25 per cent to 110 employees, up from 87.

“Upskilling Queensland’s workforce is an important part of this program, and 26 Pixie Ice Cream employees will get additional training to use this new equipment.”

Mr Dick said the family-owned company had been operating and using Darling Downs milk and other local products to make ice cream for nearly 60 years.

“This is just another example of the strong appetite for innovation in Queensland’s manufacturing industry,” he said.

“According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the average household spends almost
$150 a year on ice cream.”

“Queensland’s $20 billion manufacturing sector already employs approximately
165,000 people.

“The Palaszczuk Government has a 10-year plan to transition the state’s manufacturing sector to more advanced manufacturing high-paid, knowledge-based jobs.

“In April I announced the opening of the second round of the $40 million Made in Queensland program, and we have received 115 expressions of interest,” Mr Dick said.

The Made in Queensland program offers matching grants of between $50,000 and
$2.5 million to manufacturers looking to adopt innovative processes and technologies to generate high-skills jobs and become more internationally competitive.

The State Government will contribute up to 50 per cent of the total cost of funding improvements, with the business to pay for the balance.

The program complements the Queensland Advanced Manufacturing 10-Year Roadmap and Action Plan, which sets out a vision for an innovative, sustainable and globally-recognised advanced manufacturing sector in Queensland by 2026.

To date, there have been more than 50 Made in Queensland grants, generating 530 jobs for Queensland.

Media contact: Joe Begley 0447 320 039