GAMBER PRODUCE LIMITED

Founded and survived since 14^th June 1993

Directors: Frank Green (Farmer)

Patrick Gething Lewis (Managing)

BRIEF HISTORY

Gamber Growers was a co-operative formed in 1980 in order to give potato producers a company that would market and grade their product. The co-op owned its site that consisted of an insulated building with a potato grader, together with bagging and washing machinery. Unfortunately when it became obvious that the future of the company depended upon investing in added value machinery the co-op was reluctant to commit. This resulted in a management buyout between the largest grower with the co-op and the managing director.

The new company formed in 1993 named Gamber Produce Limited bought the assets of the co-op and rented the site on a two-year basis and brought in some added value machinery and additional management. In 1996 Pengethley Potatoes that was sited two miles from Gamber Produce’s rented premises came onto the market owing to the owner suffering ill health. The opportunity seemed too good to miss as the site had a purpose built packhouse with cold storage and room for expansion. The sale went ahead and since then the company has continued to expand and diversify.

COMPANY PROFILE

Potato merchants/potato and onion packers/expanding onion peeling and prepared vegetable department

Packing: 20,000 tonne per year

Staff: 30 full time

Varieties used: Nadine, Estima and Maris Piper

Outlets: Wholesale markets, schools, hospitals, catering trade and fruit and

Vegetale shops

TRADING

Core of growers with fixed marketing charge based on £ per tonne not % per tonne

Non core growers margin based upon market trading.

FUTURE

Expand current markets

Diversity into other crops in order to spread the risks

Carry on offering marketing service to growers