Cefetra starts work as new marketing partner for Crop Marketing Group Ltd

Cefetra, which has a base in Whitchurch, Shropshire, has taken on responsibility for the grain marketing for CMG, which is made up of more than 300 members, from Harvest 2024 onwards after a detailed review process conducted earlier this year.

The company has now announced that CMG Managing Director Andrew Buck and Senior Administrators Sophie Meadows and Gail Perren have joined the business and are now actively preparing for the coming season.

Mr Buck said: “Working with our new partners at Cefetra, CMG is fully prepared for harvest and the coming season.

"Cefetra was selected following a rigorous selection process, so we are now seeing the benefit in working together to generate future growth for CMG and our members.”

Dating back to 1970, CMG comprises of 10 regional groups, each with its own marketing committee, whose chairman is appointed to the CMG board.

Each marketing committee has input upon pool pricing through regular meetings and the setting of selling mandates, all done with the marketing partner. CMG offers members transparency with committees fully involved and updated with sales to prevent surprises at the end of the pool period.

Cefetra, founded in 1992, is a major trader of grains and animal feed ingredients with an annual turnover of over £1.5bn. Supplying customers in the animal nutrition, food and drink industries and handling circa 5million tonnes per annum, it has regional offices throughout the UK and Ireland.

Cefetra Grain has a team of 35 farm grain buyers and a speciality crops division in Premium Crops, the company offers national coverage with regional buying offices across England and Scotland to support farmers and marketing partners including cooperatives.

Simon Wilcox, Manager – UK Farm Grain Origination, said: “Having been selected by CMG to be their strong grain trading partner we are delighted to report that the reception and support from CMG member farmers has been positive.

“I have attended all the regional group meetings over the last few months and very much enjoyed meeting a strong, dynamic and progressive group of farmers who are committed to CMG.

“This support from CMG farmer members has meant that we have received a good level of pool commitments for this coming season. We welcome Andrew, Gail, Sophie and Senior Administrator Janet Meadows, who has already been helping during the transfer, to our team.

“They are all extremely experienced and know their partners well so I am confident we can all work together to rapidly strengthen and grow the CMG business.”