Woodlands Dairy, one of South Africa’s leading dairy producers and the powerhouse behind the First Choice brand, proudly celebrates 30 years of Choosing Good. Founded in 1995 by visionary entrepreneur Lex Gutsche in Humansdorp, Eastern Cape, the company has grown from humble beginnings into the leader in sustainable, responsible, and innovative dairy production, and the region’s largest employer.

Woodlands Dairy was originally established to serve local farmers, many of whom remain trusted suppliers to this day. In the early 2000s, the company expanded into value-added products with the launch of its consumer-facing brand, First Choice. This strategic move transformed the company into a household name, trusted for its quality, innovation, and broad range of dairy offerings.

Over the years, the company has made significant investments in technology, processing capacity, and infrastructure, enabling it to diversify its product portfolio to include UHT milk, cheeses, creams, custards, desserts, and more recently, high-protein options. Today, it serves both national and export markets, while continuously adapting to meet changing consumer demands.

Sustainability has been at the heart of Woodlands Dairy’s growth. The company has earned industry-wide recognition for its leadership in responsible dairy production, pioneering initiatives in water recycling, energy efficiency, waste reduction, and circular economy solutions. Its commitment to environmental stewardship has secured multiple accolades and internationally recognised environmental certifications.

Core Values

According to Woodlands Dairy CEO Helen McDougall, the company is anchored by five core values: integrity, passion, environmental stewardship, inclusivity, and excellence. “These are more than   guiding principles,” she explains, “they underpin our culture, shape our decisions, and define how we engage with all our stakeholders.”

Integrity, she says, remains paramount. “We act ethically and transparently in all dealings - from sourcing and production to customer relationships and community engagement. We’re passionate about Woodlands Dairy and our customers. Our teams are highly energised, innovative, and deeply dedicated to delivering on our promises. We take immense pride in offering high-quality, value-adding dairy products.”

Environmental responsibility is another cornerstone. Woodlands Dairy has made significant investments to reduce its environmental footprint, including the implementation of biomass boilers, resource recovery plants, sustainable packaging solutions, and circular economy practices.

Inclusivity and respect are equally central to the company’s ethos. “We embrace inclusivity and respect, both within our workforce and in the communities we serve. We’re committed to being an equal opportunity employer and actively promote diversity and gender equality across all levels of the business,” says McDougall. “We believe in fair representation, fostering a safe and empowering environment for everyone, and ensuring that talent and potential are recognised regardless of gender or background.”

Finally, excellence drives continuous improvement across the organisation. “We hold ourselves to the highest standards of governance, accountability, and continuous improvement. From digitising our new product development process to embedding robust sales and operations planning (S&OP) systems, excellence is woven into the way we operate, innovate, and lead.

“These values are embedded in the fabric of our organisation, guiding decisions from the factory floor to the boardroom, and shaping the way we do business. Responsibly, ethically, and sustainably,” McDougall adds.

Choosing Good

Woodlands Dairy’s Choosing Good philosophy is the guiding force behind every aspect of the business, from ethical sourcing and environmental stewardship to employee wellbeing, corporate culture, and community upliftment. At its heart, it reflects the company’s conviction that responsible business creates lasting value for both people and planet.

“Choosing Good is a deeply embedded philosophy that guides how we source, produce, and engage, always balancing environmental issues, social issues, and corporate governance (ESF),” explains Marisa Maccaferri, Marketing Executive at Woodlands Dairy. “It’s reflected in our rigorous ‘Grass to Glass’ Woodlands Dairy Milk Standard, which ensures ethical farming practices and exceptional milk quality; in our investments in clean energy, packaging circularity, and waste reduction; and in our unwavering commitment to community upliftment, employee wellbeing, and ethical governance. These values are embedded through scorecard-driven KPIs, inclusive leadership approach, and everyday business decisions - from product design to farm partnerships - making Choosing Good a lived culture, not just a slogan.”

Sustainability

Sustainability is deeply woven into Woodlands Dairy’s DNA. Over the years, the company has implemented a series of groundbreaking initiatives that set it apart as an industry leader in responsible dairy production. Among its most notable achievements is the implementation of one of South Africa’s first large-scale water recycling plants in the dairy sector, allowing for the recovery and reuse of process water and significantly reducing freshwater consumption.

Woodlands Dairy has also made significant strides in renewable energy. Solar installations, ongoing energy efficiency projects, and its innovative biomass boiler, which uses plant-based renewable materials to generate steam, have dramatically reduced the company’s reliance on fossil fuels. In packaging, Woodlands Dairy continues to pioneer with bio-based cartons, fully recyclable materials, and the introduction of tethered caps, all helping to lower its carbon footprint while aligning with global circular economy goals.

“Sustainability is not something we do on the side. It’s deeply embedded in our operating model,” explains CEO Helen McDougall. “As one of South Africa’s most progressive dairy producers, we’re proud to be pioneers in sustainable packaging, resource efficiency, and climate-conscious operations.”

The company’s sustainability framework is underpinned by the Woodlands Dairy Milk Standard (WDMS), a robust, independently audited benchmark that governs responsible milk sourcing. The WDMS ensures supplier compliance across key criteria such as animal welfare, milk hygiene, traceability, and employee wellbeing. McDougall notes that the standard is continuously evolving:

Through its integrated approach to sustainability - spanning water stewardship, energy efficiency, packaging innovation, ethical sourcing, and community development - Woodlands Dairy not only meets but often exceeds industry standards. “Our goal is to lead by example, not just within the dairy sector, but across South Africa’s broader agri-processing industry,” McDougall adds.

In its ongoing pursuit of water and energy stewardship, Woodlands Dairy operates a sophisticated resource recovery plant and biomass energy system, both of which help reduce its environmental footprint while driving continuous improvements in operational efficiency.

André Adendorff, Sustainability Manager at Woodlands Dairy, confirms the company’s steadfast commitment to reducing its environmental impact. “We’re proud to report that our total carbon emissions have decreased by 4.7% in 2024, bringing us down to 33,968 tons of CO₂e. This marks a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to mitigate climate change. Since our base year of 2012, we have successfully reduced our greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint by an impressive 63.6%. Furthermore, our product carbon footprint per litre of milk for 2024 stands at just 92 grams of CO₂e, underscoring our continuous investment in sustainable practices.”

Woodlands Dairy draws on a diversified mix of energy sources, including electricity, diesel, biomass, heavy fuel oil (HFO), biogas, and fugitive gases. Since introducing biomass in 2019, it has steadily grown to become the primary energy source for the facility. In 2024, following the commissioning of a second biomass boiler, biomass now accounts for 71.47% of the company’s total energy consumption, a major step in reducing reliance on fossil fuels and driving down carbon intensity.

The targets and achievements for 2024 are reflected in the table below.

In 2024, Woodlands Dairy recorded a 3.38% year-on-year increase in total water consumption. The water usage intensity, measured as litres of water consumed per litre of dairy product produced, experienced a slight uptick, largely due to increased operational demand. According to Sustainability Manager André Adendorff, a key factor behind this trend was a 36% reduction in recycled water volumes, stemming from scheduled maintenance activities at the Resource Recovery Plant (RRP).

“We remain fully committed to enhancing our water stewardship,” says Adendorff. “In 2025, we will implement targeted water efficiency initiatives and infrastructure upgrades aimed at strengthening our circular water use practices and further reinforcing our commitment to responsible environmental management.”

In a further demonstration of its sustainability leadership, the Woodlands Dairy factory achieved major advances in waste management throughout 2024, successfully diverting substantial volumes of waste from landfill through its on-site sorting and recycling programme. The facility introduced a systematic waste segregation process at source, ensuring materials such as Tetra Pak cartons and cardboard were correctly sorted to improve recycling rates and reduce contamination in recyclable waste streams. Notably, zero biowaste was sent to landfill during the year, with 100% of all biowaste responsibly processed and diverted from landfill.

Adendorff adds that Woodlands Dairy’s sustainability efforts are underpinned by strict adherence to globally recognised management systems. These include:

• ISO 50001 (Energy Management System)
• ISO 14001 (Environmental Management System)
• ISO 45001 (Occupational Health and Safety Management System)
• ISO 22000 (Food Safety Management System)

 “These certifications reflect our commitment to operating at the highest international standards across energy, environmental, health, safety, and food safety management,” says Adendorff.

Beyond the factory gates, Woodlands Dairy’s sustainability initiatives extend into both operational and community spheres. Internal projects focus on food waste reduction, general waste minimisation, expanded recycling programmes, and the development of fully recyclable packaging solutions. Externally, the company actively supports municipal waste bin projects, participates in regular street and beach clean-ups, and contributes to local community greening initiatives. It is all part of its broader vision to drive positive environmental and social impact beyond its core business.

Social Development

According to Mandla Charlie, Assistant Brand Manager at the company, Woodlands Dairy’s most impactful and long-standing initiative is their Learnership Programme, which has been running since 2012. “This programme provides young people, particularly from under-resourced and rural communities in the Eastern Cape, with practical workplace experience, skills training, and mentorship. Many of these learners have secured permanent employment, either within Woodlands Dairy or in the broader industry. This initiative plays a key role in empowering youth, reducing unemployment, and strengthening local economies.”

Beyond the Learnership Programme, Woodlands Dairy is deeply invested in education and community upliftment. Through its bursary programme, the company supports students in accessing tertiary education, helping them reach their full academic and professional potential.

“In terms of nutrition support, we regularly donate dairy products to schools, Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres, and feeding schemes to help improve child nutrition and foster healthy development,” Charlie adds. “We also support vulnerable families in the Kouga Region by providing dairy donations to local soup kitchens, helping alleviate hunger and strengthen food security. Our annual school shoe drive ensures children in need have appropriate footwear to attend school with dignity and confidence.

“These sustained efforts reflect our deep-rooted commitment to building stronger, more resilient communities, not only in the Eastern Cape, but across South Africa.”

Leadership

Says McDougall “Leadership is not about titles; it’s about choices. At Woodlands Dairy, Choosing Good for the good of all, is our collective commitment to doing what’s right, even when it’s not the easiest or most immediately profitable path.

“Our executive team has consistently championed long-term sustainability investments, such as the construction and ongoing management of renewable energy infrastructure, including our Resource Recovery and Biomass Boiler plants,” explains McDougall. “These initiatives reflect our commitment to reducing our environmental impact while contributing to energy resilience, despite the significant upfront capital investment and extended ROI timelines involved.”

Leadership also drives this ethos through accountability frameworks, team engagement, and cross-departmental alignment, ensuring Choosing Good is both lived and measured.

The Future

Woodlands Dairy is focused on building a future-fit, resilient business that continues to create shared value. In the next decade, the company’s ambitions include:

• Regional Expansion: Strengthening its footprint in Southern Africa and expanding its presence in West and East Africa, with additional entry into new African markets already in the pipeline.
• Global Market Reach: Leveraging its world-class manufacturing capabilities and trusted brand to pursue selected opportunities in international markets beyond Africa, with a focus on differentiated, value-added dairy products that meet global health and sustainability trends.
• Category Innovation: Scaling up health-forward and functional dairy ranges, particularly high-protein and sustainability-led offerings, aligned with evolving consumer preferences.
• Sustainability Leadership: Pursuing ambitious environmental and social goals, from carbon reduction and ethical sourcing to packaging innovation and community upliftment.
• Many of these targets, including emissions, packaging circularity, and community development, are transparently outlined in their Sustainability Booklet and annual ESG disclosures.

“Thirty years ago, Woodlands Dairy started with a vision to deliver quality dairy while uplifting local communities and caring for our environment. Today, that commitment is stronger than ever. To our employees - thank you for being the heart of this business. Your resilience, energy, and pride in what we do inspires everything we stand for. To our customers and consumers - thank you for choosing good with us. Every purchase supports local farms, sustainable practices, and a more ethical food system. And to our partners - thank you for building the future of dairy alongside us. Here's to continuing this journey, together,” McDougall concludes.

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