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Remarkable Regional Business – Episode 46 (Part Two)
Guest: Michael Robertson & Marc Smith
Business Name: JL King & Co
Website: https://www.jlking.com.au/
By the time they moved back to Bendigo they had already outgrown the new facility. And they hadn't even moved in yet.
In Part Two of this conversation on Remarkable Regional Business, Caleb Maxwell continues the discussion with Michael Robertson and Marc Smith from JL King and Co. The conversation moves into greater detail of how to build and run a food manufacturing business at a serious scale.
Michael talks through the chaos of operating across six different sheds around Bendigo before the new facility was built, how the Simply Tasty brand came together, and the process behind developing and launching new products. Including a crazy lasagna soup that came from a Chicago supermarket visit but flopped in Australia.
Marc brings his perspective as the recently appointed CFO on what the business needs to get to the next level, from systems and data to taking some of the load off a managing director still emailing late into the night.
Topics Covered
/ The Simply Tasty brand
How the name was chosen by a vote of ten people and what the product range looks like today across salads, baked dishes, pasta, Asian style meals and pub meals.
/ Contract manufacturing at scale
How JL King and Co produces 24 products for IGA's private label brand and manufactures a Woolworths salad line up the entire east coast of Australia.
/ New product development
How trends, overseas travel, buyer relationships and customer feedback drive the product pipeline, and what happens when a Chicago-inspired lasagna soup flops in 6 months.
/ Building and outgrowing the new facility
The chaos of six different sheds, the decision to build, and what the move to the new site has made possible.
/ Letting go as an owner/operator
Why Michael still holds on to more than he probably should, why the new facility made him want to hold on tighter, and what Marc’s role is helping to change that.
/ What's next for JL King and Co
Systems, data, sustainability, solar expansion, packaging improvements and the growth strategy taking shape right now.
Watch Part One to hear the full origin story of JL King and Co, how a competitor's phone call changed it all, and how customer demand turned a produce wholesaler into one of regional Victoria's most significant food manufacturers.
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