Farmlands - your co-operative
Farmlands is a rural supply business, its objective is to provide its Shareholders with products and services at low prices in order to make their businesses more profitable. The business is owned by local farmers and growers. There are 45 Farmlands stores exclusive to the North Island with an annual turnover for the financial year ending June 2011 of $683 Million.
To become a Farmlands Shareholder there is an initial one-off investment of $550 which entitles the Shareholder to all the benefits the Co-operative offers, those benefits being the access to a massive range of products and services at lower than average prices. The idea is that the more shareholders Farmlands has the more product is purchased from suppliers which means lower prices through higher volumes. The idea works.
Shareholders on average recoup the Shareholder investment within the first year due to the rebates or discounts that they receive when buying products and services through Farmlands stores. The rebates or discounts to Shareholders for the financial year ending June 2011 were $44.2 Million.
Then there is Farmlands Card. Farmlands Card is Farmlands charge card. It used to charge purchases in store at Farmlands stores and at businesses that are Farmlands Card Partners throughout the North Island. Both the Farmlands stores and the majority of these businesses give very worthwhile discounts to Farmlands Card holders. The turnover on Farmlands Card for the financial year ending June 2011 was $236 Million.
If a product isn’t stocked in a Farmlands store then more than likely it can be found through a Farmlands Card Partner. Products and services such as fuel, telecommunications, insurance, fertiliser and farm services are available through Farmlands Card as well as national retail card partners such as Noel Leeming, Repco, Bunnings and Resene, to name a few, plus many local town businesses.
Another appeal of Farmlands is the simplicity of the monthly accounts that show all purchases numbered and listed in categories which makes monthly book-keeping easy. All purchases, in store or on Farmlands Card, are charged to your monthly Shareholder Account.
Shareholders receive the monthly Farmlands Shareholder Magazine featuring store specials, Farmlands Card offers and informative articles and information.
The co-operative model works well but the real cement to the success of Farmlands is the relationships between Shareholders, Farmlands staff and suppliers. Farmlands prides itself on the friendly service we offer to our Shareholders, the knowledge the staff have about products, about the Shareholders businesses and the belief in the co-operative to deliver the promise that Shareholders have the best buying power than can get.
Since 1962 the goal has been the same as it is today.
Farmlands is a member of the New Zealand Cooperatives Association, to find out more about the association visit their website.
