Thirty years of calm

Mid Kent Growers, the top fruit co-operative, has recently celebrated its 30th anniversary, and looked back with unheralded calmness on the success it has achieved since since its beginning.

There has been no dramatic falling out with members; no radical changes of policy or direction, but just quiet family of growers getting on with the job.

MKG"s success is due in no small measure to the fact that it has had only one marketing agent throughout its 30-year history. The co-operative has 23 members dotted around Kent, though they have been steadily increasing in numbers. Their total acreage of around 1,350 acres of dessert (561 acres), and culinary (630 acres) and 147 acres of pears, has remained remarkably stable.

It all started when Henry W Arnold Limited (Spitalfields), the marketing agents for a group of Kent fruit growers, thought their group should form themselves into a marketing organisation, because of the onset of the Common Market. The practical objective was to become eligible for any future grants.

When Henry W Arnold was wound up in 1977, Norman Collett who had been its sales director became Mid Kent Growers market agent. Andy Sadler, managing director, Normal Collett Limited, who has been with the company for 20 years, firmly believes the long lasting bond with MKG has everything to do with mutual respect for each other.

"Our business is managed in a way where my director colleagues and I can have personal contact with our growers," he says.

According to Philip Charlton, MKG"s chairman it is that personal contact and knowing that input is listened to that has kept the strong link.

To a large extent the MKG management style was set by its first chairman, the late John Bardsley. A kindly and shrewd grower who guided them on their way. His tenure of office from 1972-1982 was followed by Mike Davidson (1982-1991), Mike Lutener (1991-1998) and now the present chairman, Charlton.

MKG jogged along beside its sister co-operative Spymark, with a base in Canterbury. Since the closing of the Spymark offices in Canterbury, MKG has gone it alone but picking up new members, many of who are ex-Spymark members.

The MKG offices are now on Philip Charlton"s Rumwood Green Farm, Langley, near Maidstone, where daughter-in-law Linda is the part-time secretary.

About 40-45 per cent of Collett"s top fruit acreage is represented by Mid Kent Growers. Collett"s sells only English fruit and it may surprise some that they represent around a quarter of the English top fruit offer.

"There is no doubt MKG is the core of our business," says Andy Sadler. Collett"s has always operated under a one-roof system for MKG and its other customers and this system has always worked for all parties, he adds.

"It means as directors of the company we see the product every day and therefore have much better control," he says. Besides himself the four working directors are Ashley Bernhard, Sean Tolton and Ron Green.

MKG members appreciate that Andy Sadler likes to see all the growers and walk their orchards with them. "That is something Norman (Collett) used to do and I have followed him," he says. "Growers like to see you on their farm, looking at their crop and discussing any issues directly with them."

For Mid Kent Growers, the family ties are still strong with Nigel Bardsley, son of John Bardsley, now vice chairman. He masterminds all the producer administrative work under the EC Fruit and Vegetable regime, an important part of the co-operative"s work.

"There isn"t any doubt we are still like a big family. We can co-operate well together but still have our own flexibility," says Philip Charlton.

"There are enough of the next generation within MKG, to feel confident the future is in good hands," he concludes.

Thu 8 Jan 04

 Norman Collett Ltd - English Apple and Pear Marketing