Chris Duff and Gerard Hines have spent nearly four decades working alongside each other, building one of Australia's most respected independent agribusinesses from a single rural store into a national business.
What does it take to build an agribusiness from a handful of people into a national business, without losing the culture, relationships and local connection that made it successful in the first place?
Gerard Hines and Chris Duff are the co-founders of
Delta Agribusiness. Their working relationship stretches back almost 40 years, from a small rural business near Young, NSW, through the creation of Delta Agribusiness in 2006 and more than 20 acquisitions, before Delta ultimately became part of Elders.
This is a conversation about much more than growth. Gerard and Chris unpack the decisions, people and principles underneath it, from backing themselves during drought, putting their own money on the line and using employee ownership to create alignment, to learning why balance sheet strength, local relationships and great people matter when building a business for the long term.
Key insights from the conversation:
- How Gerard and Chris built a partnership spanning nearly 40 years through trust, respect and shared values
- Why bringing independent agronomy into agricultural retail fundamentally changed their business model
- The role mentors and early equity opportunities played in shaping Delta's inclusive ownership philosophy
- What IAMA, Wesfarmers and AWB taught them about leadership, governance, systems and financial discipline
- Why Delta was founded during the middle of a severe drought and how backing themselves changed everything
- The importance of maintaining a strong balance sheet so opportunities can be seized during difficult seasons
- How focusing on people, culture and local relationships drove more than 20 successful acquisitions across Australia
- Why equity ownership became one of Delta's greatest tools for attracting, retaining and aligning great people
- How staying connected to customers and the frontline has remained critical, even as the business has grown nationally
- The lessons learned from succession planning, bringing in private equity, and ultimately partnering with Elders to secure Delta's next chapter
Chapters:
- (00:00) - Introduction to the Delta Agribusiness Story
- (01:22) - Early Careers in Agriculture and Agronomy
- (04:58) - Brian O’Malley, IAMA and the Value of Equity
- (15:50) - Bringing Agronomy Into Ag Retail
- (21:14) - What Wesfarmers Taught Them About Systems and Cash Flow
- (30:45) - Starting Delta in the Middle of a Drought
- (40:25) - Family or Footy Team? Building the Culture
- (44:17) - Growing Through Acquisitions and Tough Seasons
- (53:19) - Navigating the 2018–19 Drought
- (59:09) - Bringing in Private Equity for Growth and Liquidity
- (01:05:36) - Succession, Connection and Staying in the Paddock
- (01:10:57) - Finding the Right Partner in Elders
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That's why Rabobank is committed to supporting young farmers with more than finance. Through industry insights, specialist agribusiness expertise, networking opportunities and long-term partnerships, Rabobank supports the next generation as they build their skills, knowledge and connections.
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