Farmlands simplifies calf feed range

Farmlands is always looking for ways to be more efficient, and saw an opportunity to optimise its bagged calf feed range. This involves streamlining the range from 18 products to eight and three brands to two. Sam says performance won’t drop, farmers won’t see an impact on their calves and the Farmlands and SealesWinslow teams will help them through the process. “It was about making sure we had the right range for our customers at the right price, and ensuring that we put the right products on our shelf. We also did a bit of range rationalisation in some spaces, to ensure that we had competitive offers that were compelling for our customers and met all their needs. “We've got a better offer and slightly different coloured bags. At the end of the day, we'll still be here to help you feed your calves. “Our Farmlands store team, field teams and the SealesWinslow Nutrition Specialist team are here to support and share info about this change and support with your farm’s calf feed needs for the season ahead.”

Removing complexity

Sam, who joined Farmlands in January, is leading the roll-out of the new calf nutrition product range. The process traces back to Farmlands’ acquisition of animal feed brand SealesWinslow, which significantly enhanced the co-operative’s manufacturing capabilities and broadened its product range in the nutrition space. However, it is possible to have too much of a good thing. The merger saw Farmlands offering a huge range of calf feed options under three different brands: SealesWinslow, NRM and its own brand Reliance. “We wanted to simplify the offer in the market, remove the complexity and just make it easier for our customers to shop, whether instore, out on the farm through FarmlandsPRO, through their local TFS or SealesWinslow Nutrition Specialist,” Sam explains. “It also gives farmers more confidence they’re choosing the right product without having to navigate a complex range.”

Three becomes two

One aspect of the change is NRM moving out of bagged calf feed, although the iconic brand will continue to offer a wide range of animal nutrition solutions including for sheep, equine, poultry and other lifestyle animals. The good news for those who previously bought NRM calf feed, or any of the other discontinued products, is that there is an equivalent option in the new range (see chart for more info). “When we look at the range, every customer need is still met, and if you were purchasing something before, there's a specific product that you should be moving into,” Sam says. “In fact, a lot of the times you'll get a better product at the same offer. We’ve ensured that we've got good quality products in our range and that they all match up to what the customers were purchasing before. “Our teams in store and on-farm will help guide that transition, so farmers can be confident they’re making the right call.”

Three-tier range

To keep things simple, Farmlands has also divided its calf feed range into three tiers: premium, standard and value. At the premium end is the SealesWinslow Calf Max range, which features additives such as essential oils and prebiotics to support gut health. In the standard tier is the Reliance Calf range, which is exclusive to Farmlands but doesn’t contain the gut health additives. Meanwhile, in the value tier SealesWinslow Value Calf products are lower priced but have less starch and higher fibre content. They are available direct to farm and in selected stores. “We've done a lot of work to ensure that each of the NRM products that has come out has got a direct replacement, mainly under the SealesWinslow brand,” Sam says. “We've got Reliance still sitting there in the standard tier, and then the value products are a really good alternative to what we previously had with Reliance Nifty 50 and the NRM Sweet 16 pellets.”

To learn more, explore our feed guides below:

Calf feed product swap guide

Bagged calf hard feed: quick guide