There is a distinct passion for serving the local Katanning farming community that is obvious from the moment anyone steps into the town’s Elders’ store, which has been honed over many generations.
It seems almost entrenched into the DNA of the tight-knit Elders’ Katanning team of staff as they integrate the store’s motto of ‘persistence and resilience’ into every interaction with their customers.
We love a challenge and always think outside the box to help our farmers…we have fun as a team and there are some great personalities within these walls.
And with its Branch Manager, Keith Daddow at the helm as a fourth-generation Elders staff member, and its core staff either active local farmers or from a farming family, it’s easy to understand this level of commitment.
Mr Daddow began his career with Elders in the 1980s as a trainee in the Midland saleyards and with his daughters also now taking on roles in Elders, he said there had been a member of his family in Elders since the 1940s.
“There is a big drive to be the best…we open at 6 am, which is two hours before everyone else and every day we refer to our customers as our beloved clients, Mr Daddow said.
“We love a challenge and always think outside the box to help our farmers…we have fun as a team and there are some great personalities within these walls.
“It doesn’t matter if the customer is spending a million dollars or one dollar, every person that comes through the doors of an Elders store is important.”
With its title as the largest undercover sheep yard in the southern hemisphere, Elders Katanning is often one of the first stores to gain visibility into upcoming trends in agriculture.
“We are speaking to the local farmers multiple times a day, so we generally always have a finger on the pulse of what the needs and issues are in rural supplies,” he said.
“Being in a rural setting, we understand that getting things in a timely manner isn’t always easy, so we like to stay ahead of the curve and predict the needs of our farmers by always keeping a steady supply of stock in-store.
The store recently became the first recipient of an Agribusiness of the Quarter award from poly manufacturing supply company, Coerco for their outstanding customer service and support. Mr Daddow said he began working with Coerco in 1995 and their commitment to innovation and care of its clients resonated with the vision he strived to achieve within his store.
Elders Katanning is located more than three hours southwest of Perth and is one of 44 Elders rural supplies stores in Western Australia, which includes the newly opened store in Muchea.