PCA’s site in central Kingaroy. Photo: Kingaroy has a Big Peanut

BEGA Group has this week reached agreement with the Crumpton Group to sell the Peanut Company of Australia land, buildings and equipment located at its peanut-processing sites in Kingaroy and Tolga.

This announcement comes two months after the company revealed plans to close the sites due to the business being under sustained financial pressure.

Beg Group has confirmed this agreement does not change its plans to close the PCA business, and chief executive officer Pete Findlay said the company’s position remains that Bega Group will be paying 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,” Mr Findlay said.

He said the 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 Crumpton’s to identify up to 30 potential roles with Crumpton’s for its impacted workforce.

“We will continue to provide redeployment training and assistance, including a job fair held in Kingaroy.”

Crumpton Group is a fourth-generation family-owned diversified agribusiness operating out of Queensland’s South Burnett region.

It has a long history in peanut growing, shelling, processing and roasting, and supplies 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,” Crumpton Group CEO Sonie Crumpton said.

“We will soon be in discussions with peanut growers regarding the coming season.”

Bega Group will complete the sale of the land, buildings and equipment at Tolga to Crumpton Group in December 2025 to support the intake of peanuts from North Qld.

The Kingaroy site will continue to operate until June 2026, when the relevant Kingaroy assets will transition to the Crumpton Group.

Source: Bega Group