Seeds of success in family-owned business
BrettYoung strives to distinguish its products, services
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This article was published 06/03/2017 (3513 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
BrettYoung’s seeds are planted in Canada and over 40 other countries, growing forage, canola, soybeans and corn crops as well as being used for turf in facilities such as golf courses and revegetation projects.
Originally started by Bill Brett and Reg Young in the 1930s at a location near what is now known as Winnipeg’s Confusion Corner, the company built wooden furnishings for the T. Eaton Company. The entrepreneurs branched out into the seed business a few years later. After Peter Dyck bought the business in 1975, he decided to focus on producing, selling, marketing and distributing western Canadian-grown seed.
“This company is based on the production and sales of forage and turf seeds,” said marketing director Eric Gregory.
The company’s current facility located in the RM of Macdonald near the intersection of Highway 101 and PR 330 was built in 1977 on 20 acres. After Peter’s death, the business was passed on to his son Lloyd who is still involved in strategic planning. Lloyd’s son Erik now works as a product manager.
The company has about 170 full-time employees.
BrettYoung’s operations include three main areas: wholesale forage and turf seed; professional turf and reclamation; and seed and crop inputs.
Gregory said the company partners with some of the major agricultural giants such as Monsanto, as well as other medium-sized companies.
They contract with farmers to grow forage and turf seed including: perennial and annual rye grass; fescues; timothy; brome grasses; clovers; and alfalfa, among others. They are the largest forage and turf seed contractor in Canada. Agronomy manager Rene Mabon said different grasses grow best in different geographic locations.
Seed samples are taken in the field and also from the trucks that deliver seed to the BrettYoung plant. Mill/plant manager Rob Schaubroeck said three cleaning lines are used to screen out weed seeds and other foreign material. Seed growers must ensure that the seed they deliver meets BrettYoung’s moisture guidelines which average about 10 per cent depending on the type of grass seed.
Seed analysis is conducted at an in-house Canadian Food Inspection Agency- registered and certified laboratory. This allows BrettYoung to meet domestic and international export standards as the company’s seed is shipped around the world.
While the company doesn’t own any research facilities, one of its partners is DL Seeds, which researches canola genetics.
Along with the Winnipeg head office, the company has a distribution, blending and cleaning centre in Calmar, Alta., a receiving station in Rycroft, Alta., a distribution centre in Gormley, Ont., and recently acquired a distribution centre in Clifford, Ont.
“That will help us expand into the turf business in southern Ontario,” Gregory said.
BrettYoung adds value to the seed it sells by custom treating, coating and bagging it to meet customer requirements.
A new bagging plant is being installed to increase efficiency. The company can custom-blend various types of forage and turf seed to meet customer specifications. Some of the bagged products carry the BrettYoung label while others are marketed under the customer’s brand. Bag size ranges from 750 grams to 55 kilograms.
Bags are stacked in the company’s warehouse that was recently expanded with a new loading area.
In its professional turf and reclamation division, BrettYoung provides seed for customers including golf courses, landscaping companies, sod farms, oil and gas companies that are revegetating pipelines and former sites, and highways departments wanting to seed along ditches and right-of-ways. Along with seed, BrettYoung also sells fertilizer, pesticides and equipment needed for turf growth.
The seed and crop inputs division serves customers across Canada and the northern U.S. Products include BrettYoung brand canola and forage seed; Elite brand corn and soybean seed; and biological yield enhancers, like BioBoost Liquid for canola and BioBoost Plus Enhanced for soybeans.
“Elite has its own breeding program,” Gregory said. One of the soybean traits being developed is higher pod height, which enables farmers to reduce pod loss when harvesting.
Mergers within the international agri-business industry are reducing the number of companies operating, but Gregory said BrettYoung strives to achieve its motto of “distinct by design.”
“We see ourselves as an alternative to the multinationals,” he said. “It’s an opportunity for us to grow our presence in western Canada in the retail market.”