Future of first milk

[Sid]

County Milk but converting to organic, supplying Omsco starting in November. Reckon we are around 100k better off than if we stayed with FM in 3 years on 1.2million litres/year.

You could have stayed with FM and been their sole organic member. The rest left enmass and the board didn't even get it flagged up to then!

 

[Scholsey]

You could have stayed with FM and been their sole organic member. The rest left enmass and the board didn't even get it flagged up to then!

To put it bluntly i would have rathered fist myself than stayed with first milk any longer! I dont think we would still be milking let alone have robots and converting to organic if we stayed with FM.

 

[Cuckoo's nest]

So Mike Gallacher is moving on and to be replaced by Shelagh Hancock as CEO she did time at Milk Link and was also at Medina can any of you fill in the blanks that

FM do not have yet? Is she going to take us forward or just be another mad female with daft idea's?

 

[Flappityflippers]

According to NFU in January, they reported she was leaving Medina as Business development director to start a new position in March....

 

[Fiacre]

So Mike Gallacher is moving on and to be replaced by Shelagh Hancock as CEO she did time at Milk Link and was also at Medina can any of you fill in the blanks that

FM do not have yet? Is she going to take us forward or just be another mad female with daft idea's?

Mrs Hancock is a first rate individual who did a splendid job at Milk Link. Highly experience and with first rate technical and personal knowledge of the dairy industry.

First Milk are very fortunate to secure her services.

 

[Married 2 The Mob]

Mrs Hancock is a first rate individual who did a splendid job at Milk Link. Highly experience and with first rate technical and personal knowledge of the dairy industry.

First Milk are very fortunate to secure her services.

Thanks for that @Fiacre I will take it at face value and be somewhat comforted.

Always knew that Mike would be going at some point, but seeing as we have only really just got to a patch of " smooth water",
I was kind of hoping things would not change until later this year at the earliest.

 

[llamedos]

shelagh hancock appointed ceo

Mike Gallacher to step down as CEO and will be succeeded by Shelagh Hancock.
Over the last two years Mike Gallacher led a radical and successful transformation of First Milk, focusing on its core business in cheese and liquid contracts and divesting a number of loss making subsidiaries. Together with major cost savings and operational improvements, this has driven a c.£30M improvement in the financial performance of the business and corresponding improvements in returns to members. At the same time, the independent governance review initiated by Mike has led to major changes in how the Co-op is managed.

Shelagh Hancock has over 25 years' experience in the food and agricultural supply sectors. Most recently she held the roles of Managing Director and Business Development Director at Medina Dairy where she led the development of strategic relationships and business growth with major retailers. Prior to this, she held a number of senior executive positions at the farmer-owned co-operative Milk Link including Milk Business Unit Director and Membership Director.

First Milk Chairman Clive Sharpe said:

"Mike has led First Milk through a period of huge change, with enormous levels of energy and focus. In addition to delivering a real transformation in our business performance he has also built an effective team and put in place the modern governance processes that will underpin our future success.

"Mike's departure is not a surprise as he has been open about his plans. On behalf of the members and the Board, I want to express our appreciation for the outstanding results he has delivered.
Both Mike and I are delighted at the appointment of Shelagh who brings a wealth of experience to the role."

CEO Mike Gallacher said:

"I am very proud of the huge progress made by all First Milk employees in transforming the business and in delivering improved results for our members. First Milk is now a very different business and customers and members can be confident in its future as a British Dairy Co-op

"The Board and I have worked closely on the CEO transition and I am delighted to see the appointment of Shelagh Hancock. Over the coming weeks we will be working together to deliver a smooth transition to ensure no loss of momentum as our business performance continues to improve."

Commenting on her appointment as CEO, Shelagh Hancock said:

"As a firm believer in the principle of farmers working together for the benefit of each other, I am delighted to be working again for a farmer co-operative. I strongly believe that First Milk has got a bright future and as a British farmer owned co-op we've got great credentials to build on. There are still further opportunities to develop the core business and I am confident that we can continue to build a strong and vibrant co-operative capable of creating value for its customers, and most importantly for our members.''


Shelagh Hancock has over 25 years' experience in the food and agricultural supply sectors. Most recently she held the roles of Managing Director and Business Development Director at Medina Dairy, where she played a key role in leading the development of strategic relationships and business growth with major retailers. Prior to this, Hancock held a number of senior executive positions at Milk Link the successful farmer-owned British dairy cooperative. Prior to Milk Link, Hancock worked for Glanbia progressing through a range of senior management and leadership positions across various business functions

 

[coomoo]

Was Gallagher a genius or did the supply and demand balance in time?

 

[Kingofgrass]

Was Gallagher a genius or did the supply and demand balance in time?

Anybody could do what he's done,he's just hammered the farmers to put the company in a better position we used to supply first milk as a group and if you were sat in the meeting about 16months ago you'd never want anything to do with him ever again,the blokes disgusting what he did!

 

[wasted years]

Did he have any choice about what to do?
Anyway judging from the photo of the new boss, she can juggle as well.
Obviously a multi tasker.

 

[miniconnect]

Was Gallagher a genius or did the supply and demand balance in time?

If it was as bad as what we were all told it was (days away from the banks pulling the plug) then yes he did do good, genius maybe a bit extreme. if he hadnt arrived on scene who knows where we would be now, pretty sure it would be worse than 2 weeks delayed milk payment.

 

[Married 2 The Mob]

Anybody could do what he's done,he's just hammered the farmers to put the company in a better position we used to supply first milk as a group and if you were sat in the meeting about 16months ago you'd never want anything to do with him ever again,the blokes disgusting what he did!

Wow!
A different take on History.
at Meetings that took place weeks after he took up post, your group were "discussed".
Much to the seething infuriation of members, your group's contract was honoured. And you continued to be paid better than us.
If you compare what he did, to what ( Midlands) Fm members wanted to happen, you owe him gratitude!

 

[cattow]

Wow!
A different take on History.
at Meetings that took place weeks after he took up post, your group were "discussed".
Much to the seething infuriation of members, your group's contract was honoured. And you continued to be paid better than us.
If you compare what he did, to what ( Midlands) Fm members wanted to happen, you owe him gratitude!

I was one of the seething ones, however @Kingofgrass had a contract with FM, the members do not they are governed by rules which can be altered when ever the board meets.

 

[westwards]

I don't think he is a hero, he did what he had to do to save FM and turn it round which is what he was employed to do, to sort the mess left by Kate Alum and her Board, two of who are still there as directors on the pay roll !! It was always a bone of contention that some non members were getting better prices than the ones who had put in capital and that should never happen again.
He has saved FM by screwing producers on price but taking capital from them was the previous Board, it was hard and at times bloody hellish but where would we all be if FM went tits up ?
He was helped by the fact many left FM but the problem now will be making sure there are enough of us left to produce enough milk to fill the contract with Adams for 50,000 tons of cheese and the liquid contracts we have.

 

[Cuckoo's nest]

How much longer is this bloody Bailout of FM going to need to continue ? Every month a thousand pounds off my milk cheque to go into my capital account.....my ass its to pay bonuses to Mike Gallacher and the Board and there is dam all for producers who have pumped millions in to save this business. We took up to 5p less than the market price for 18 months payed in thousands in capital and it still goes on and on.
It seems everyone at FM is on the gravy train except the people who OWN the business.

 

[Married 2 The Mob]

That's not bailout, it's just paying your dues.
How come you are so far behind?
A lot of members purchased capital at below face value to get out of the cheque deductions.

 

[jockthethistle]

Westwards. What's the cheese output for your peninsula brigade annually. Any modernization planned. Are they at full capacity this week. keep us all posted. jtt

 

[Cuckoo's nest]

That's not bailout, it's just paying your dues.
How come you are so far behind?
A lot of members purchased capital at below face value to get out of the cheque deductions.

We pay our dues in the milk price, and continuing to pay capital still at 0.5p when it used to be just 0.2p is still a bailout, they must need the cash. or it would go back to 0.2p.
I was offered shares at around 20p,that is OK buying them if you have spare cash, but I am putting up numbers so my target will keep going up.
Just a little bit hacked off that they can't be honest with us. The bail out is continuing in my opinion.

 

[coomoo]

All I ask myself with any buyer is what's there main business liquid, cheese, yogurt, protein products, brokering, retail etc and every time where fm are concerned I don't see the strong one.

 

[bigw]

They should be making good returns from the cheese market given the milk price this time last year, so their positon should be quite strong. Do you ever receive a 13th type payment from FM?