City HQ takes on world
AGT Foods Australia on export win
FROM two staff to a team of 20, AGT Foods Australia has come a long way building its export links around the world - and it’s all been done from Toowoomba.
Its Margaret St head office oversees its Australian operations under parent company AGT Foods and Ingredients, a Canadian conglomerate with a strong reputation as a reliable global trader.
Its from downtown Toowoomba that CEO Peter Wilson often works, but it’s just as easy for him to catch a flight to link up with his global clients and colleagues.
And it’s that connectivity that has given AGT Foods Australia an edge enough to win the state’s Export Award in the agribusiness category.
“We can run a national business from Toowoomba because of the airport and that means all of my assets are accessible to me, as well as international travel.
“We’ve got a great team here in Toowoomba, with the other regional locations and they’re all combining at the right time to be running a leading export operation.”
Having won the Exports Award for agribusiness ahead of a competitive field of national exporters, Mr Wilson said the nod “goes to
the heart” of what the company was trying to build from its Toowoomba headquarters.
All corporate staff have since relocated to the Garden City, along with their families.
“When I decided to make Toowoomba the base of our business, there was really only two of us so now we’ve got just shy of 20 (workers),” he said.
“It’s a great place to recruit. Toowoomba is starting to feed on itself a little bit, whether staff need access to ongoing education or health care, it’s all there.”
AGT Foods Australia is a division of the Toronto Stock Exchange-listed AGT Food and Ingredients company which bills itself as a global leader in value-added processing of pulses, staple foods and ingredients for
export and domestic markets, according to its website.
Its global reach includes Canada, the US, Turkey, Russia, China and South Africa.
Remaining competitive in that field isn’t easy, Mr Wilson said, but Toowoomba with its connectivity - both physical through roads and airport, and digitally - gives it an edge.
“Anybody involved in any export of any product, goods or service knows it’s a highly competitive market,” he said.
“It’s ruthless competition both international and domestic.
“Toowoomba is a bit of a no-brainer for us - it’s a great place to have exporters, the staff are wonderful and love being here.”