Archives: News

 

Hello

 

I am writing this to update you and members of the Terang Co-op about a few matters relating to our Co-op and the Terang area.

As I said in the Co-op Members’ newsletter in March, the Co-op will be measured by what we do and the service we provide to the community.

Firstly, since the recent fires the Co-op has been helping people in cooperation with community agencies and also directly.

The Co-op has itself made donations to both victims of the recent Terang fires and to community groups that have helped in the recovery process.

More importantly, we have helped facilitate the accumulation and distribution of support on a wider scale. We have not sought to be a significant player in this regard but we have responded to approaches for assistance from people and organizations who want to provide assistance.

The Co-op has helped collect donations for the local charity, Terang Resources Inc. We also have an arrangement with Blaze Aid to collect donations for them to fund their activities.

In addition, there have been generous Co-op members and customers that have contributed funds and goods for the benefit of fire victims. Suppliers to the Co-op have also come to the aid of fire victims and provided goods to the Co-op to distribute.

All in all, the Co-op has been involved in distributing aid of nearly $20,000. Such a contribution to those affected by the fires is a tribute to our members and the wider that have community acted to help.

Secondly, we had some issues of our own on St Patrick’s Day, but of much less severity than the fires in the district. Our supermarket’s storage area had its roof lifted by the severe winds on that night. Thanks to staff and local tradesmen helping us out in a swift manner, we restored the situation to a safe level fairly quickly.

However, due to power outages, we were unable to open our store until later on Sunday 18^th March. To rectify the situation, we adopted a strategy from a Mr Murphy. We ordered a generator to guarantee that we could open the store later that day. By the time the generator got here, Terang’s power was back on.

Lastly, this Wednesday, on ANZAC Day, we acknowledge and are thankful for the sacrifice of those who have fought for our country.

Whilst we are not normally open on ANZAC Day, we have decided to operate our supermarket within the hours permitted by Victorian Law. We hope this is of benefit to our members.

 

Thank you

Kevin Ford

CEO

 

The Co-op’s CRT Rural Store is proudly displaying a new plaque after being named as one of five national finalists in the CRT National Community Member of the Year award.

Terang was the only store from Victoria to qualify for the final, along with three stores from Queensland and one from New South Wales.

The national title was won by Farmcraft from Kalbar in Queensland.

CRT manager Trevor Dowd said the national exposure had been great for Terang.

“Our story was shown on the big screen at the national CRT conference in Perth, which is great exposure for our little community,” Trevor said.

It was the second year in succession that the store had been named as a national finalist.

“Other stores from around the country came up to congratulate us on making the finals,” Trevor added.

CRT is Australia’s largest group of independent rural retailers with more than 300 stores servicing all major sectors of the rural industry.

 

Follow the link below to view the Co-op’s segment in the award nominations video:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-6kIHvfXx39b7W7ADVPP0ww4KQDycsOe/view

 

The Terang and District Co-operative Ltd has overcome difficult conditions in the region’s rural economy to post a $153,786 profit for the 2016-17 financial year.

The 2016-17 profit result was a small increase from the previous financial year’s profit of $137,224.

The Co-op’s revenue stayed steady with sales of more than $23 million.

Co-op Board Chairman Brendan Kenna said the result was pleasing in the face of very difficult trading conditions and showed the underlying strength of the business. “For the second year running we have been able to achieve sales in excess of $23m, which is very pleasing and shows the long term strategic decisions taken have placed the business on very sound footing,” Mr Kenna said.

The Co-op’s 2016-17 financial year was the final one for long-serving General Manager Charlie Duynhoven. Mr Duynhoven retired in March after 43 years of service, including 18 years as general manager. Mr Kenna acknowledged and thanked Mr Duynhoven for his years of dedication and leadership to the Co-op.

Newly appointed CEO Kevin Ford said that the Co-op was keen to expand its customer base and would continue to invest and build on its dairy services operation. “Achieving such expansion will vastly strengthen our dairy services offer and, in turn, add profitability to the bottom line,” Mr Ford said.

The Supa IGA supermarket continues to lead business activities each year, with sales in excess of $11 million. “We remain gratified that our store is seen as a great place to shop,” Mr Ford said.

Both the Home Timber & Hardware stores in Terang and Camperdown have continued to enhance their operations by managing sales, stock and staff more efficiently. Mr Ford said the Co-op’s benchmark comparisons with other hardware stores, and sales in excess of $6m indicate the hardware model is working and welcomed by members and customers.

As it has done since being established in 1908, the Co-op continues to act as a cornerstone to the local region with $311,085 being contributed back into the community via members’ rewards, discounts, donations and sponsorships.

The 2016-17 financial year also saw a number of new members join the Co-op, bringing the total membership base to 2,500. In the past 10 years membership has grown by more than 60 per cent, from 1,548 to 2,500 members. The Co-op Board recently approved a 10 per cent bonus points allocation to members.

Terang will farewell long-serving Co-op general manager Charlie Duynhoven with a special community event on March 15.

Mr Duynhoven is retiring after 43 years with the Co-op, including the past 18 years as General Manager.

The Co-op Board is hosting a farewell afternoon tea for Mr Duynhoven from 2-4pm on Wednesday, March 15 at the Civic Hall Rose Room.

Mr Duynhoven will retire on March 24 and plans to relocate to Melbourne. New CEO Kevin Ford will start on March 27.

Mr Duynhoven, who turned 60, last year, said he was leaving with a lot of positive memories.

“To see how the Co-op has grown has been very rewarding,” he said.

He was appointed general manager in February 1999 and highlights since then have included relocating hardware from the basement of the main building to a new HOME Hardware store, upgrading and expanding the supermarket, extending the CRT Rural Store, establishing a dairy services team, and venturing out of Terang/Noorat for the first time with the purchase of the Camperdown HOME Hardware and Timber store.

“As a team we’ve achieved pretty much everything we set out to achieve and the Co-op remains in a strong position,” he added.

Mr Duynhoven also commended the Co-op for giving young people in the community the opportunity to start their working careers. “It’s been wonderful to see kids grow and develop with the working experience,” he said.

Mr Duynhoven said the time was right to retire but there was a lot he would miss about the Co-op after dedicating most of his working life to the business. “I’ll mostly miss working with the team,” he said. “I’ve built up a lot of good working relationships with everyone; the managers, the staff, the Board and the community.”

He sees a positive future for the Co-op and he remains a staunch supporter of the philosophy behind the co-operative system.

“There is a strategy plan being put into place to guide the future. The Co-op is always looking for services that Terang doesn’t have and to make sure it meets the needs of members and the local community.”

“The Co-op is owned and supported by the local community and an integral part of the fabric of Terang. We work together well and I see a bright future.”

Terang Co-op Board Chairman Brendan Kenna described Mr Duynhoven as an “exemplary leader”.

“Charlie has given the Co-op 43 years of service which is really a lifetime of work,” he said.

“He started in the business as a furniture sales assistant and has risen through the ranks to become the general manager and in that time has seen rapid growth in the business,” Mr Kenna said.

“When Charlie took over as General Manager the Co-op wasn’t in good shape but he was able to get things back on track and successfully manage it back into profit and substantial growth,” he said.

The Co-op’s business success has been matched by its reputation as a good place to work under Mr Duynhoven.

“Charlie is very popular amongst the staff and gets the best out of everybody which makes him a very good manager,” Mr Kenna said. “He’s always had the interests of the Co-op at heart.”

Mr Duynhoven said he is looking forward to spending time with family and travelling once he retires.

The afternoon tea is open to the community.

Just one example of how the Co-op gives back to the community.

CEO Charlie Duynhoven presenting the Terang Co-op IGA Community Chest cheque to Cooinda Terang Inc.

Did you know that the IGA Community Chest and associated programs have raised over $80 million for local community groups, not-for-profit organisations, charities and other worthy causes?