Top 100 CEO Interviews
Issue No. 43 - October/November 2008
Lenswood blossoms
Lenswood Cold Stores Co-operative Society Limited is a cold storage and fruit packing facility headquartered in Lenswood in the Adelaide Hills. Established in 1933, LCS has 28 members, all local apple growers. After a long history of marketing fruit on behalf of the growers, this year LCS exploded into action. Now it owns two stores retailing farming products and providing services to customers. What’s more, it is providing professional and industry leadership in a big way under its energetic new GM, Michael Cox
“Many co-operative societies have ceased to exist in recent times, but Lenswood Co-op believes it has a strong future,” says Michael.
“While never forgetting obligations to the growers who own the business, the company is run as a business, with the aims of providing the best possible service for customers and the best returns possible for growers.
“It’s never easy to balance these two opposing objectives, but it is something that the Co-op has managed to achieve for 75 years.”
Michael says strong grower support is one of the underpinning strengths of the Lenswood fruit growing area, where LCS plays a key role in providing employment.
Michael was appointed GM early this year on the heels of a record apple packing year in 2007 of about 6.8 million tonnes. LCS acquired Langseeds Rural, a pasture seed and fertilizer business, in January. An Orchard Development Program has been established to support members’ viability and LCS has achieved QA accreditation under GlobalGap, WQA and SQF programs.
Another key project has been strengthening and leveraging the rural business links with IHD, the leading independent retail supplier of goods and services to Australia’s food and fibre production industries.
To market Lenswood’s versatility as an apple growing region more strongly, LCS has also adopted a new brand identity.
“This new logo reflects that our marketing approach based on the finest produ...
