An award-winning employment program for people with disabilities is coming to an end, as Bega Cheese moves production to its Strathmerton factory in Victoria.
Tulgeen Packaging Services was established a decade ago in a partnership between Tulgeen Disability Services and the dairy processor Bega Cheese.
It supports the employment of 15 people, who prepare individually wrapped cheese.
Mitch Porteous has autism and is intellectually delayed, and he has been doing the work for 10 years.
"The job role provided me with life skills, and I learnt how to drive a forklift," Mr Porteous said.
Bega Cheese executive chairman Barry Irvin said demand for single-wrapped cheese has fallen and the job would now be done at a purpose-built facility in Strathmerton.
"It wasn't a question of cost: We just didn't have the volume to give them the business. It wasn't a question of cost at all. If we had the business to give them, we would definitely give it to them.
He said the company would continue to support Tulgeen and find another use for the Bega building facility where the cheese had been processed.
"We have decided that we will support Tulgeen in repurposing that facility and ideally creating other activities and a new project for Tulgeen."
Mr Porteous said he felt sad about the situation and the role coming to an end.
The packaging service is a big team and it's a crap situation we are in... I don't understand why they are not continuing employment for the disability group," he said.
Tulgeen chief executive Jen Russell said most of the workers affected would still get work with the organisation's other social enterprises.
"There's only about five of them who will choose to retire. So, they are all employed and will continue to be employed in those thriving social enterprises," she said.
The decision to close Tulgeen Packaging Services comes after last month's announcement of job cuts at Bega Cheese.
