Farmers Union
Encyclopedia
Farmers Union is a brand name established by the South Australian Farmers' Co-operative Union Ltd (S.A.F.U.).
on 28 February 1888, a committee formed to establish a grain "producers' union to combat the effects of depressed agricultural prices and the power of dealers". In October, John Pearce, Thomas Mitchell, Alex McCallum and others floated the "South Australian Farmers' (later Co-operative) Union Ltd" with a paid-up capital of under £300, ninety-four shareholders, John Pearce as managing director, Thomas Mitchell and Alex McCallum directors, and George Lake as secretary.
Pearce was elected chairman, and remained a director until 1902. His eldest son Edward James Pearce later became a director. Mitchell succeeded Pearce as chairman. Lake later became manager, and continued as secretary-manager until 1895.
In 1893 the union declared its first profit.
, and business was diversified to include dealing in wheat-sacks, machinery and superphosphate. Mitchell died in 1908 after 20 years of leadership; his son Robert later became a director.
, which was subsequently acquired by Lion Nathan
, which was subsequently acquired by Kirin
.
The brand continues as a wholly owned subsidiary of Kirin, and is now famous for Farmers Union Iced Coffee.
Jamestown
At a meeting in Jamestown, South AustraliaJamestown, South Australia
Jamestown is a town in the Mid North region of South Australia north of Adelaide. It is on the banks of the Belalie Creek and on the railway line between Gladstone and Peterborough, and ultimately on the main line linking Adelaide and Perth to Sydney...
on 28 February 1888, a committee formed to establish a grain "producers' union to combat the effects of depressed agricultural prices and the power of dealers". In October, John Pearce, Thomas Mitchell, Alex McCallum and others floated the "South Australian Farmers' (later Co-operative) Union Ltd" with a paid-up capital of under £300, ninety-four shareholders, John Pearce as managing director, Thomas Mitchell and Alex McCallum directors, and George Lake as secretary.
Pearce was elected chairman, and remained a director until 1902. His eldest son Edward James Pearce later became a director. Mitchell succeeded Pearce as chairman. Lake later became manager, and continued as secretary-manager until 1895.
In 1893 the union declared its first profit.
Adelaide
In 1895 the head office was transferred to Adelaide. A merchandise store was established at Port AdelaidePort Adelaide
Port Adelaide is a suburb of Adelaide lying about 14 kilometres northwest of the City of Adelaide. It lies within the City of Port Adelaide Enfield and is the main port for the city of Adelaide...
, and business was diversified to include dealing in wheat-sacks, machinery and superphosphate. Mitchell died in 1908 after 20 years of leadership; his son Robert later became a director.
Yorke Peninsula
Dairying was for many years a thriving business with the South Australian Farmers' Union opening a factory in Stansbury in 1923. At its peak it produced 2400 pounds of butter a week. Increasing wool prices saw cows being replaced by sheep: less labour-intensive sheep were providing a better return for farmers. The butter factory closed in 1951.Murray lands
In the early 1900s irrigation settlements were established along the lower Murray with one of the largest at Jervois. A dairy industry developed and for more than 20 years the milk was collected by a fleet of small river boats. The South Australian Farmers Union opened their Murray Bridge factory in 1922 and operated a fleet of milk launches including the Loyalty, the Union, the Co-operation and the Progress.Competitors
Its main competitor in Adelaide was AMSCOL - the Adelaide Milk Supply Co-operative Limited. The company was taken over by the South Australian Farmers Union and Dairy Vale in 1978.Fate
Farmers Union became part of the Adelaide Steamship Group, and was included in the public float of National FoodsNational Foods
National Foods is an Australian company and subsidiary of holding company Lion Nathan National Foods , wholly owned by the Japanese Kirin Holdings Company Limited, and consequently the Mitsubishi Group....
, which was subsequently acquired by Lion Nathan
Lion Nathan
Lion Nathan National Foods is the parent company created in October 2009, into which Lion Nathan and National Foods were merged. It is fully owned by Kirin Holdings Company, Limited...
, which was subsequently acquired by Kirin
Kirin Brewery Company
is a Japanese company. It is a member of the Mitsubishi keiretsu.-Overview:Kirin sells two of the most popular beers in Japan, Kirin Lager--the country's oldest beer brand--and Ichiban Shibori. In the happoshu category, Kirin Tanrei is the top seller. Kirin handles domestic distribution for...
.
The brand continues as a wholly owned subsidiary of Kirin, and is now famous for Farmers Union Iced Coffee.
Further reading
- G. M. Messner, The Formation and Early History of the S.A. Farmers Co-operative Union Ltd (B.A. Hons thesis, University of Adelaide, 1964)
External links
- History, Farmers Union Iced Coffee website
- (Farmers Union Iced Coffee) was first launched commercially in 1977, but was originally discovered years before by a bunch of blokes at the Farmers Union Cooperative dairy, who were creating a special recipe for the Royal Adelaide Show.