Ten high-performing SMEs selected for ANZ Business Growth Program

This week ANZ announced the ten high-performing small to medium sized companies (SMEs) that have been selected to participate in the seventh ANZ Business Growth Program. It is a nine-month intensive course aimed to help CEOs/MDs and executive team members build the foundations for the long-term growth of their companies.

The ANZ business growth program was developed by Professor Jana Matthews, ANZ Chair in Business Growth and Director of the Australian Centre for Business Growth at the University of South Australia. It targets ANZ business customers with less than 200 employees and more than $5 million in annual sales.

ANZ Managing Director Commercial and Private Banking Isaac Rankin said: “Helping customers to start, run and sustainably grow their businesses is at the core of what we do.

“This program equips business leaders with the knowledge and frameworks they need to scale their businesses in a sustainable way. Many well-known Australian brands have been through this program over the past six years. Watching each of them grow and succeed is a fantastic part of my job,” said Mr Rankin.

Eight of the companies that participated in the first program have recorded an aggregate 341% (FY20 data) increase in revenue and 157% (FY20 data) increase in profit since attending the program. They created over 1100 new jobs in total. Thirty eight per cent of participants are now exporting to 38 countries in total.

Program Director Dr. Jana Matthews said, “We believe that each of the companies selected has high growth potential. Many of them are family businesses whose owners are eager to acquire the knowledge, skills and frameworks required to grow their companies. Then continue to innovate and expand nationally and globally.

“We are delighted that 98% of the past participants say they’d recommend this program to other CEOs/MDs and executive team members. Those who want to learn what to do, when, why and in what order to grow their companies. And equally delighted to be helping ANZ achieve its mission of enabling individuals and communities to thrive.”

The CEOs/MDs of each the ten companies selected are required to nominate at least two other members of their executive teams to participate in the three, three-day growth modules. All ten companies are taught a structured curriculum focused on what they need to know and do to grow. Company teams also receive face-to-face mentoring and coaching from Growth Experts, CEOs who have started, grown and exited companies.

ANZ Business Growth Class 7 Participants

 R&R Smith/Willie Smith

R&R Smith is the largest certified organic apple producer in the country. A vertically integrated business which produces, stores, packs and markets apples and cherries. R&R Smith warehouses and markets fruit for other growers in the country.

Tasmanian Berries    

Tasmanian Berries are located in the central North of Tasmania across two farms, producing strawberries, raspberries and blackberries for the Australian domestic market under the Driscolls label. They produce approximately 1000 tonnes of strawberries, 200 tonnes of raspberries and 200 tonnes of blackberries, and employ up to 400 people in peak harvest period.

TAXIBOX        

TAXIBOX is Australia’s largest company owned mobile storage operator, with operations across Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. It provides a variety of storage and moving services including mobile self-storage, on-site storage, cool room storage and local and interstate moving services.

Kennedy Property Services

Kennedy Property Services is a local South Australian Company, specialising in Interior Construction, General Building and Maintenance services. The company utilises a fleet of modern commercial vehicles which are fully fitted and stocked to undertake construction project works, installation, on-site maintenance and service work.

TasFoods Limited      

TasFoods Ltd is an ASX listed company building a portfolio of food brands that leverage the natural advantages of Tasmania and it’s reputation for fine food to deliver the essence of Tasmania to the table. The company is focused on building a brand portfolio based on two strategic core pillars of dairy and poultry. The poultry division incorporates a vertically integrated meat chicken business called Nichols Poultry. The dairy division has three processing centres of excellence creating products for a range of brands including the premium brands of Pyengana Dairy and Meander Valley Dairy and the most popular Tasmanian milk brand of Betta Milk.

Jayben Australia P/L

The Jayben Group is an advanced manufacturing company and specialises in powertrain products and industrial plant and equipment, including R&D, engineering, manufacture, domestic and international distribution.

OTM Civil Construction         

OTM Civil Construction is based in the Mid North of South Australia. Undertaking work across SA and Victoria with a strong focus on renewable energy projects, OTM Civil Construction specializes in the construction, maintenance and upgrading of civil infrastructure.

Husk   

Husk operates 13 boutiques retailing apparel, shoes, accessories, homewares & sensory products. They manufacture their own eponymous label as well as purchasing brands from across the globe. The brand has appeal amongst women living a life less ordinary.

Forager Foods

Forager Foods is a contract manufacturing business in North West Tasmania, Australia specialising in food processing, freeze drying, and packing of food products. With a suite of over 150 Forager branded products sold nationally and internationally, the company also contract manufactures for global and local brands.

Designs To You         

Designs To You is an Australian supplier and manufacturer of premium corporate apparel, healthcare uniforms and workwear.   Driven by design and innovation, we are experts at creating inspiring, modern and practical uniform solutions.

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