Since buying their business back from the national food group they sold it to just four years earlier, Peter and Anne Hector have turned Mundella Foods into one of Western Australia’s agricultural success stories.
Since buying their business back from the national food group they sold it to just four years earlier, Peter and Anne Hector have turned Mundella Foods into one of Western Australia’s agricultural success stories.
The Mundijong-based dairy farmers established their cheese factory in 1974 opposite their dairy property, and over time upgraded and expanded its product range and customer base to include shops and retail chains across WA.
The company still occupies its original site, albeit with bigger premises, and is eyeing further expansion, including a new management team and corporate structure.
With a team of 27 and a double-digit growth in turnover in the past three years, the company is gearing for its next phase of growth, and has enlisted a new chief executive and board to assist.
Mundella Foods chief executive David Day was appointed to the newly created role last month after the founders decided to take a step back from the management of the business and focus on the big picture vision for the company.
With a background in finance and venture capital in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, Mr Day saw the potential for Mundella to further develop its reputation and brand presence as a supplier of premium dairy products in the local market and beyond.
Mr Day said the company was now moving on its strategy for growth, with an increased focus on innovation, branding and market penetration.
The company has also adopted a business methodology directed towards strengthening strategic alliances with its business partners, including retailers and distributors, to increase their market share.
“I know there’s huge potential for the company – there’s a lot further for this vehicle to go than with the attention and energy [the Hectors] were able to give,” Mr Day told WA Business News.
“The decision was made to handover the reigns to someone with some commercial clout to drive the company through its next stage of growth.”
Since the Hectors re-purchased the business in 2003, Mundella has achieved strong increases in turnover, fuelled by the significant growth in product range led by renowned dairy technologist, Hilton Fowler.
The company also returned to its award-winning best, receiving gongs for its natural and flavoured yoghurts in the highly acclaimed Australian Grand Dairy Awards in 2006 and 2007.
Mr Day attributes the company’s success to its commitment to quality and being the best in their field.
“We’ve been ahead of our time for the products we’ve done,” he said.
“There is real attention to the process. What Mundella offers is a premium product; we don’t cut corners with the ingredients we use.”
With a long-term vision of expanding its distribution nationally and increasing its export market share into Asia, Mr Day said the strong standing of the brand exposed the company to a wealth of opportunities.
“At the moment we’re very strong, were number one in our category,” he said.
“We chose not to take on the big guys, we don’t distribute nationally, but that’s something that will change.”
Along with the Hectors and Mr Day, two more people will add their expertise to the board in the coming weeks.
Staying true to its family origins, son Mark, managing director of Q Property Group, and daughter Sara, a marketing executive, have been appointed to the board to assist with strategy decisions.
Mr Day will focus predominantly in business development, incorporating strategy, marketing and sales, as well as implementing company systems and processes as the growth begins to accelerate.
“Strategic goals and operational growth will be delivered with increased focus on innovation and our continual commitment to quality,” he said.
“We stand very alone in regard to the integrity of our premium product range.”
