CBH Group’s 90th birthday: Australia’s biggest co-op celebrates an historic milestone after formation in 1933

Australia’s biggest cooperative CBH Group is celebrating an historic birthday with the launch of a special, 30-second television ad with the theme “90 harvests strong”.

The ad, which features farmers from the Wheatbelt, is the first in a series being rolled out across social media and on television channels to mark the cooperative’s 90th birthday.

It features emotive footage of farmland, farmers and children in the Wheatbelt, before the words “the reason you do it, is the reason we do it” appear on the screen.

CBH chair Simon Stead said the co-operative had a long and proud history and it was an honour to celebrate “such a significant milestone”.

“It is one that represents a rich history and demonstrates the resilience and strength of WA grain growers,” Mr Stead said.

“We pay tribute to the wisdom of those early pioneers of CBH who sought out to reduce growers’ costs and strengthen the grains industry.

“They laid strong foundations on which succeeding generations have been able to build and continue the legacy on.”

Mr Stead said as the company looked towards its centenary in 2033, its leaders were confident the co-operative structure would remain “strong and sustainable”.

CBH, which stands for Co-operative Bulk Handling Limited, was founded during the Great Depression on April 5, 1933, through the realisation bulk handling system would reduce growers’ costs and strengthen the then-struggling wheat industry.

Established by the trustees of the Wheat Pool of WA and Wesfarmers Ltd, Mr Stead said the co-operative was formed on the principles of equality.

The business – now Australia’s biggest grain trader and cooperative – had humble roots with five trial sites in Benjabbering, Nembudding, Korrelocking, Yelbeni and Trayning.

It now has more than 100 active receival sites – and a further 100 that have closed in the name of efficiency in recent years - making it one of the biggest grain supply chains in the world.

In those 90 years, WA grain growers and CBH have overcome wars, floods, droughts, pest infestations, cyclones, frost, unpredictable harvests and pandemics.

The industry has also made significant advancements in safety, agronomy and technology.

This includes mechanisation and automation, developed improved road systems and infrastructure, established strong customer relationships, and recent record harvests.

CBH chief executive Ben Macnamara said despite the highs and lows, CBH’s purpose remained the same: to sustainably create and return value to WA growers, current and future.

Mr Macnamara said the business’ success was testament to farmers and CBH employees.

“We celebrate WA grain growers, both past, current and future and also recognise the many people that have worked at this co-operative over the past 90 years,” he said.

“Our employees have played a crucial role in getting us to where we are today, from enhancing our supply chain, establishing key relationships with industry, government and international customers, to developing new markets.

“CBH has continued to evolve, innovate and grow to become Australia’s largest co-operative, biggest grain exporter and one of the country’s largest agribusinesses.

“As we look towards our centenary in 2033, we are committed to continuing to sustainably creating and returning value to WA growers.”

CBH Group has about 3500 grain growing businesses as members and is the only major participant in the Australian grains industry that is 100 per cent owned by growers.

The business’ key infrastructure includes four ports, at Geraldton, Albany, Esperance and Kwinana, its own rail fleet, a fertiliser business and various investments in end processing.