Farmlands Posts Strong 2025 Half-Year Growth
Rural retailer Farmlands has released it's latest round of half-year results, labeling it as evidence that its five-year strategy is delivering on financial performance and better value for members.
Rural trader Farmlands has completed the final hurdle to purchase animal nutrition business Seales Winslow.
The Commerce Commission approved the purchase today: the completion of sale is planned for 1 June 2024.
The purchase of SealesWinslow from fertiliser co-operative Ballance will bring it together with Farmlands’ feed businesses - NRM and McMillan, increasing the co-operative’s feed manufacturing footprint into the North Island. The merger of these businesses will deliver improved operating efficiencies, reach and capability.
Farmlands chief executive Tanya Houghton says that SealesWinslow is a great match for Farmlands, combining a co-operative heritage, strong feed assets and expertise.
“Bringing our combined assets, expertise and market reach together, offering three leading animal nutrition brands, we’ll increase our ability to create long-term benefits and value for shareholders and customers.”
“We’re very excited to be able to welcome the SealesWinslow team into our Farmlands whānau. We’ll be one huge step closer to achieving our goal of being the number-one supplier of animal nutrition to New Zealand farmers. We’ll offer our customers the most comprehensive range of feed solutions in the country, showing our commitment to the industry, stakeholders and customers.”
Farmlands is committed to smart partnerships and acquisitions such as this, to provide the best solutions to deliver on being the best buying group for New Zealand farmers and growers. The co-op’s last major partnership was created in 2022 with the establishment of Fern Energy, which is now the largest rural fuel provider in New Zealand.
Houghton says that the Farmlands team will begin working closely with Ballance and SealesWinslow leadership to ensure the transition is a positive one for the teams involved.
“The key thing to note is that SealesWinslow will continue to produce its own leading brand of nutrition products and service its existing customers as it always has.”
Ballance Agri-Nutrients chief executive Kelvin Wickham notes that the divestment aligns with Ballance’s focus on its core of providing reliable and affordable supply of nutrients for New Zealand farmers and growers.”
SealesWinslow was established in 1968. In 2011, Ballance purchased 51% of SealesWinslow and acquired the remaining 49% in 2013. Ballance has grown the company’s reputation and reach, with SealesWinslow now offering high-value animal feed brands throughout New Zealand.
DairyNZ Chair Tracy Brown has seen a lot of change since she first started out in the dairy sector, with around one-third of dairy farmers now women.
Castle Ridge Station has been named the Regional Supreme Winner at the Canterbury Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
The South Island Dairy Event has announced Jessica Findlay as the recipient of the BrightSIDE Scholarship Programme, recognising her commitment to furthering her education and future career in the New Zealand dairy industry.
New Zealand and Chile have signed a new arrangement designed to boost agricultural cooperation and drive sector success.
New DairyNZ research will help farmers mitigate the impacts of heat stress on herds in high-risk regions of the country.
Budou are being picked now in Bridge Pā, the most intense and exciting time of the year for the Greencollar team – and the harvest of the finest eating grapes is weeks earlier than expected.