A business built on happy customers.

By Clare Stanfield

An industry award confirms Ray Redfern’s conviction that it pays to lead, not merely follow, the marketplace.

Popular myth aside, it’s not all that uncommon to find people who are optimistic about the future of agriculture. What’s rare is finding someone who embodies that optimism in every fibre of his being; in every action, every decision and every choice made.

When Ray Redfern drove into Rivers, MB, 37 years ago with an idea to set up a new kind of retail outlet, one that combined product and service offerings tailored to individual farmer needs, someone said to him: "You’re going to start a business here? Everyone’s leaving, and you’re going to start a business here?"

He laughs, recalling the comment: "When I first went there, I couldn’t afford to buy a house. Every dollar available was essential for the startup." And when a collaborator unexpectedly turned into a competitor, "half of my marketplace was gone before I’d even begun."

His financing, which had been arranged in Alberta, fell through when the lender decided that secured assets couldn’t go into Manitoba. So Redfern went to the local bank and was turned down. He was already in businesses several weeks when he made the drive into Winnipeg to see the bank’s senior regional manager, lay out his business plan and demonstrate his commitment to it. The manager was impressed and decided to support this new venture.

Today, with 11 outlets in Manitoba, Redfern Farm Services Ltd. is a leading light in the independent agri-retail world. And Ray Redfern, now the third recipient of the prestigious Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers (CAAR) Retailer Hall of Fame award, is recognized as an innovative and exceptional leader in the industry he helped forge almost four decades ago.

Passionate about agronomy
A farm kid with a degree in agriculture and some input agronomy experience under his belt, Redfern left his job as a marketing manager with Imperial Oil in Alberta to come to Rivers.

He’d conceived the idea of an integrated farm supply and service business while at Imperial Oil. In fact, he’d researched the concept on behalf of the company, saw the potential and decided to set up shop as a franchisee. Then came those early obstacles.

"You have to see past the objections to the opportunities," says Redfern. And the first opportunity was fertilizer. "Back then, we were all pioneers in the evolution of that market," he says. "In 1973, there weren’t a lot of farmers using anhydrous ammonia and we introduced it to Manitoba. We found our niche by being innovative and nimble — farmers didn’t have the equipment or experience to apply it so we acquired the equipment in the U.S., dragged it home, and convinced farmers that this new investment in higher nutrient rates and continuous cropping programs was the future of dryland prairies agriculture."

And he was committed. "I’m passionate about the benefits of agronomy," he says. Every product and service Redfern added to the business was introduced because he fervently believed it would help his customers implement sustainable practices, allowing them to get more from their land and improve their operations.

Over the years, many business components were added in direct response to current and future customer needs. Fertilizer was the cornerstone, with the widest selection of products, service and equipment in the marketplace. "An extensive line of crop protection products, seed, an ever-increasing array of application equipment and services, agronomy support through crop scouting and the evolving ‘Soilutions by Redfern’ program, are all core to our business," he says. "And we’ve grown to be the supplier of Imperial Oil products for the entire region."

Seeing a need and potential synergy with his company’s core offerings, Redfern partnered in the creation of two subsidiaries: Redsper, a seed processing, retailing and storage operation, and Accu-Test, an accredited seed testing lab.

Professional agronomic services, equipment rental and maintenance supports, custom farming operations, hardware, livestock feed and information services for grain marketing — all have been added over the years because his customers found each of them of value. Today they stand as evidence of Redfern’s full commitment to customer support.

Recognition where it’s due
Redfern was a little surprised but extremely gratified when he heard he was the recipient of the 2010 CAAR Retailer Hall of Fame award.

His relationship with the organization goes back to its predecessor, the Western Canadian Fertilizer and Chemical Dealers Association, where, as president, he played a key role in the implementation of standards and regulations for storage facilities. "I’ve always been focused on the promotion of agriculture," says Redfern. "CAAR has always been a place where I could meet and work with other like-minded retailers and further the aims of the crop input business."

What means the most to him is what his customers said during the nomination process. "Some cited our ability to change and adapt with the times, and some our work ethic," he says. "Others commended us for integrity, open honesty and reliability in all our relationships, and our commitment to looking after customers — that we were no ‘snake-oil’ salesmen," he laughs. "They seem to know we have a genuine interest, and are making sure everything is right for them."

The support from suppliers was equally gratifying. "I firmly believe that suppliers are partners, not adversaries. We’ve been served better by committing to long-term relationships with our supplier partners to help bring new technology and marketing programs to our customers."

And the award itself? "It was great to have our people see how we are perceived by our customers and suppliers," says Redfern, who acknowledges that he drives his staff hard to deliver on his high expectations for quality work and excellent customer service. "It was good to reassure our people that we are on the right track, that what we do is worthwhile."

Looking forward
Redfern sees himself more as an influencer and motivator than a leader. With boundless energy, the willingness to do whatever it takes to get the job done right and with eyes constantly scanning the horizon for new opportunities that could make a difference for his customers, he’s not far wrong.

"I hope I lead by example," he says. "I want to bring value to (the company) and maximize that value. I want to create opportunities for our people so they can make a career here. That’s part of our commitment to small communities — we offer lifestyle opportunities in those communities and want to bring value to the communities we’re in.

"We’ve had our ups and downs in business," Redfern continues. "The role of an independent retailer requires commitment and perseverance if you’re to create differentiation in the marketplace and maintain your own identity.

"Our approach to our business may be a little different from some of the larger companies. To compete in the marketplace, we can’t be all things to all people, but we must remain relevant to our customers, understand them and their unique farming needs, and deliver on our commitments to them. The customer is more sophisticated now. He doesn’t buy out of loyalty or price. He buys when it makes sense to him.

"And that’s what I, and our team, want to do — execute and run our business in a way that’s productive and relevant to our customers." FF

Share Story

More Business