Coles doubles down support for Aussie beef industry
Coles reaches landmark deal with Queensland beef processor, adds 30 Aussie farming families as direct cattle suppliers
5 May 2021
Coles has established a multi-year agreement to process livestock at Teys Australia’s Beenleigh processing facility, which will underpin the supply of top-quality Australian beef for Coles customers across the country.
Under the agreement, Teys Australia, which has been in the Teys family for four-generations, will process cattle purchased by Coles from hundreds of Australian beef farmers at Teys’ Beenleigh facility, located just south of Brisbane.
The arrangement, announced during the country’s largest gathering of cattle farmers and industry stakeholders at Beef Week 2021 in Rockhampton, comes as Coles builds direct supply with 30 new Australian farming families, including 15 from Queensland.
Teys is Australia’s second-largest meat processor, with 75 years of experience in the Australian beef industry. The arrangement with Teys will further reinforce Coles’ commitment to selling only 100% Australian beef, as well as the long-term sustainability of hundreds of Australian farming families.
“We look forward to supporting Coles’ producer network, and Australian consumers with sustainable and quality beef products under the processing arrangement with Coles at our Beenleigh site,” said Teys Australia’s Chairman and CEO Brad Teys.
Coles already sources directly from more than 100 Queensland cattle farming families from Capella in the north to Goondiwindi in the south, and the new agreements will increase that number to more than 130, helping to deliver great quality beef for customers.
Second-generation cattle farmers, Rob and Anne Bridle from Tara, are one of the 15 new Queensland cattle farming families to begin supplying Coles directly with cattle for the Coles butcher range, which includes cuts from scotch fillet to mince.
Mr Bridle said a regular supply contract with Coles gave him the certainty he needs to invest in the future of his business.
“Working with Coles directly gives me the confidence each week and stability in operations by having a consistent cycle of cattle moving through the feedlot, and cash flow to reinvest in the business,” he said.
“I like the hands-on approach with Coles visiting the farm regularly and working together on initiatives like the new eNVD app which saves us time on traceability paperwork and gives me fast access to information about price and volumes.
“For customers, it’s important they know there’s a 100% trust element and traceability with direct supply.”
The Bridle family has been breeding and producing cattle since 1961 and take a great deal of care to ensure the end result is a top quality, great-tasting product for customers to enjoy.
“We are so proud of the product we are able to provide for Coles customers. When they pick up a packet of Coles meat from the shelves, they are buying beef from a family like ours,” said Rob.
Coles General Manager for Meat, Charlotte Gilbert, said Coles is investing in the long-term sustainability of its beef suppliers and the Australian meat industry.
“We are extremely proud of the relationships we have built with all of our farmers in Australia. Our new processing arrangement with Teys Australia Beenleigh, and direct livestock supply arrangements with 30 new farming families demonstrates our passion and long-term commitment to the Australian beef industry,” she said.
“In Queensland specifically, we have more than tripled the number of individual farming families we work with from just 37 in 2018 to over 130 farming families today – that’s over 130 farming families we are supporting by purchasing cattle directly from the farm.
“Our buyers are regularly visiting our farmers to better understand their business and how we can work together to provide the best quality product for our customers. Over the past week we have visited several farmers in Queensland, and we look forward to engaging with other stakeholders across the industry during Beef Week.”
Click here for a
video you can use of Rob Bridle and Coles Livestock Buyer Jim Hutchinson talking about the direct supply arrangement with Coles
at the Bridle property in Tara.
High-res images of Rob and Anne Bridle
are available here.
COLES SUPPORTING BEEF WEEK AS MAJOR SPONSOR
At Coles, we care about the food that you eat and we care about our producers and the industry. That’s why all our delicious Coles Brand fresh beef is 100% Aussie and has No Added Hormones.
We work with over 1,000 Aussie beef farmers and partner with Australian farmers and suppliers who share our passion for meat, including where it comes from, and how it is produced.
Coles is proud to be a major sponsor of Beef Week and is excited to be bringing the following activities to the event:
- Cooking demonstrations and product sampling with former MasterChef’s Courtney Roulston and Michael Weldon
- Education session on how to break down a carcass
- Schools program – ‘Kids in the Kitchen’ segment for local schools • Listening Session with selected farming families
- Meet our team who will be attending seminars to stay up-to-date with industry trends
