A new era in farm retail featuring the latest in convenient online shopping services and direct-to-farm delivery options has rolled out across the Canadian prairies with the western expansion of Farmers Farmacy.
The pioneering e-commerce driven brand, previously available only in Ontario and the Maritimes, now offers full service to farmers across Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. Farmers can peruse and order from a full catalogue of over 1,700 items ranging from animal health products to barn equipment, maintenance supplies and work clothes – a full 23 categories of items are available.
Access is available 24/7 via the online store at www.farmersfarmacy.com, along with four new Pick-Up & Order Points at Fortified Nutrition Limited locations in Lethbridge, Red Deer, Brandon and Winnipeg. Farmers Farmacy and Fortified Nutrition Limited are part of the Grand Valley Fortifiers Group of Companies (GVF Group), headquartered in Cambridge, Ont. “We couldn’t be more pleased to bring Farmers Farmacy to the west,” says Ian Ross, President and CEO of GVF Group. “The world of retail and distribution is constantly evolving, with advances in e-commerce and on-demand, direct-to-customer options leading the charge. This presents exciting opportunities to bring innovative models and options to the marketplace – including new ways of bringing enhanced convenience, efficiency and value to farmers. We invite western farmers to visit our online store or learn more by visiting the Pick-Up & Order Points at Fortified Nutrition Limited locations.”
Items available from Farmers Farmacy cover a complete range of options for dairy, swine, poultry, beef and sheep operations. Full multi-item orders can be made conveniently online, by phone, by fax or via the Pick-Up & Order Points at Fortified Nutrition Limited locations for pick-up within two weeks.
“As paradigm-shifting new retail models reshape the consumer landscape, Farmers Farmacy is built for the emerging new environment while offering a unique specialized focus on farmer needs,” says David Ross, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of GVF Group. “A lot of the progress of Farmers Farmacy has happened very organically, driven by the evolution of the marketplace and our farmer customer base. The new western expansion is another natural next step. We look forward to building on the Farmers Farmacy legacy of serving farmers and the broader farming community with our new activity across the prairies.” Farmers Farmacy has experienced consistent strong growth over its 20-plus year history. It started with humble beginnings as a service offered to Grand Valley Fortifiers premix customers, operated out of a back room at the original premix plant. “The initial idea was simply to provide a few additional items to our premix customers for their convenience,” says Lorie Pepper, Customer Service Manager for Farmers Farmacy, who has long been part of the team. “It took off from there. A few items became many items. The customer base grew from beyond the symbiotic relationship with our premix customers to a much broader marketplace.” As the journey has continued, that original ethos of serving farmers has remained at the centre of the Farmers Farmacy brand and company culture, says Pepper. In June, Farmers Farmacy moved from the building it has occupied for 15 years to a new location with more than double the capacity with 23,000 square feet. “In addition to the milestones and innovations we have achieved with our catalogue, purchasing options and delivery capacity, just as integral to our success has been our ability to provide knowledgeable customer service from people who truly care about farmers and understand agriculture. People who know how the products are used and can provide good advice on purchasing decisions.”
The Cambridge-based team includes many who have been with Farmers Farmacy for many years. This same team will be directly involved in serving Farmers Farmacy customers in the western region, alongside members of the locally based Fortified Nutrition Limited team, says David Ross. “Farmers Farmacy takes great pride in the commitment of our people and our strong agricultural roots. Serving farmers and continually strengthening the value we provide to the agricultural community remains our focus as we shift to the future.”
Source: Farmers Farmacy