In February, Urban Farmer was able to host its business partners in South Africa for the first time in two years.
Urban Farmer has its financial year end in April. The timing works well because it affords the company the opportunity to see out the busy year-end period without the distraction of budgets and planning exercises; and to tackle these crucial tasks with a fresh perspective in the first quarter of the new calendar year.
“Measure twice, cut once,” was the theme for the business partners’ visit.
In carpentry the adage means one should literally double-check one’s measurements for accuracy before cutting a piece of wood; otherwise, it may be necessary to cut again, wasting valuable time and material. For Urban Farmer it means to plan and prepare thoroughly and carefully before taking action.
Urban Farmer’s business model relies on the establishment of local subsidiaries to support its customers in key markets. To date, Urban Farmer has incorporated subsidiaries in Zambia, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda. These businesses are able to offer Urban Farmer’s customers a level of transactional and technical support which Urban Farmer cannot provide remotely.
Urban Farmer supports its subsidiaries with many key business functions and the week spent here is S.A. afforded the partners the opportunity both, to meet with their colleagues in the different divisions within Urban Farmer and also, to address their specific challenges and opportunities, face to face.
These internal meetings were interspersed with a series of external interactions where the partners were introduced to some of Urban Farmer’s strategic supply partners. The meetings highlighted the value of these relationships and reinforced Urban Farmer’s claim that it “brings together the products and services of the world’s leading animal nutrition and health companies to offer its clients the opportunity to produce animal protein in Africa, competitively.”
The week was also long enough to offer everyone the opportunity to interact socially. Perhaps this unintended result was the most beneficial outcome for all concerned? In the end, people work with people, and people work better with people they like and trust.
We are grateful to our country managers who made the journey to South Africa, and to the Urban Farmer staff and its supply partners who made the week so memorable. Thank you.