CONO Kaasmakers ___________________________________________________________________________________________
It ’ s only a matter of time before we reclaim and cement our position as the product leader in the branded cheese category
“ At CONO we all share the mentality that humans have created the problems that we now face , so it ’ s up to all of us to put them right ,” Jerry states . “ Our farmers are the owners of our company and have been since its establishment in 1901 , it ’ s as true a coop as you ’ ll ever find . They founded it to ensure that they received the best prices possible given any market circumstances , it ’ s just unfortunate that those of late haven ’ t been particularly favorable . We ’ ve faced a lot of challenges together over the last 122 years , and there will forever be issues that require our attention .
“ I am confident though , that we will be able to provide our farmers with a bright future regardless , one that will certainly allow for them to pass their livelihoods onto the next generation . I would argue that one of the key problems that goes against this , is how consistently low consumer prices have been in recent years . It makes it incredibly difficult for members of the industry to secure sustainable incomes . Thus far , however , by focusing on our branded cheese strategy , we have been able to come out on top for many of the last 15 years though , as compared to the other Dutch dairy companies .”
Product leader
As the conversation turns to Jerry ’ s vision as the new CEO of CONO , he looks to the future . “ A few years ago , we developed a strong strategic compass that is still guiding the company ’ s future , today . Our goals are very clear , but that ’ s not to say we can ’ t turn direction at short notice if needs be . We all know now how quickly the world can change . In remaining flexible enough to facilitate this approach , we ’ ve identified three key phases .
“ The first is to optimize the current business . Although it needs to pay the bills that are coming in each month and reward our farmers appropriately , it ’ s also our lifeline in generating sufficient revenue to fund the next two phases . These involve transforming CONO as we know it , to better serve our customers by introducing direct-to-consumer strategies , for example , and protecting the business from what may be around the corner . You can never be 100 percent sure as to which future changes could post existential threats to our business .
“ Within the next three to five years ,” he concludes , “ I see the organization performing either close to or at the top of dairy business . It ’ s only a matter of time before we reclaim and cement our position as the product leader in the branded cheese category . All the while , we can continue our focus on supporting innovative sustainability programs that improve animal welfare , the climate , biodiversity , and the position of our farmers .” ■
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