About Us

Welcome to WAMMCO. Australian for Lamb.

The Western Australian Meat Marketing Co-operative – WAMMCO International – is a major lamb and mutton co-operative with processing operations in Western Australia and New South Wales. The business is owned by our membership of more than 700 farmer-members across Western Australia. Our core business is the sourcing, processing and supply of the finest quality lamb products to our discerning customers in top-tier supermarkets, high-end restaurants and food-service businesses in global export markets.

WAMMCO’s primary aim is to serve and support its producer membership. As a farmer-owned cooperative, members enjoy direct access to global buyers, market-leading returns for their livestock through competitive schedule prices, and the potential for annual bonus payments.

Along with superior financial returns, our members enjoy access to key industry and market data including research programs, industry best practices, world-class processing facilities, and confidence in the commercial relationships of WAMMCO’s global customer base.

Proudly 100% Australian Owned, Grown and Produced.

Proudly 100% Australian Owned, Grown and Produced.

A leading Australian processor, exporter and marketer of lamb and mutton products, WAMMCO International owns and operates processing facilities at Katanning, in Western Australia’s Great Southern Region; and at Goulburn in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, under the Southern Meats business.

Jointly, WAMMCO International processes up to 50,000 head of lamb and mutton each week for supply to domestic and export markets.

Our Mission, Vision and Values

Our Mission, Vision and Values describe for our team, and our customers, the reason we exist, what we do and how we do it.

Mission

To be a strong, successful, producer-owned and controlled meat co-operative, maintaining our long-term viability whilst maximising benefits to our active members.

VISION

To secure the loyalty and support of all our stakeholders by exceeding their expectations.

Values & Principles

We will achieve our vision by living and working to our core values and principles.

Customers

We nurture long-term alliances by understanding and fulfilling the needs of each individual customer.

Employees

We provide secure, rewarding and satisfying employment, and recognise the unique contribution of every employee.

Suppliers of Livestock, Goods and Services

We establish profitable relationships that deliver competitive prices for product that meet agreed specifications.

Active Membership

We continually add value.

Our Co-Operative

We maintain member ownership, democratic control and participation to bring the unique “co-operative difference” to our business.

Community

We ensure that we are a good corporate citizen by acting fairly and responsibly fulfilling our legal, moral and social obligations.

Our Story

1971
IN THE BEGINNING…

In 1971, the Government of Western Australia established the Western Australian Lamb Marketing Board (WALMB) to meet industry demand for a system of orderly meat marketing.

Export markets for lamb were significant for producers in Western Australia, with a limited domestic market and historic surpluses of spring lamb production.

The WALMB, under its legislated powers at that time, compulsorily acquired every lamb at the point of slaughter enabling it to set stable prices for lamb. It also maintained information systems to enable operation and marketing of lamb products.

1986
THE NEXT PHASE…

Government involvement in the meat industry was amended in 1986. The WALMB merged with the marketing division of the Western Australian Meat Commission (WAMC). The new entity, Western Australian Meat Marketing Corporation, took on commercial trading in other meats.

Lambs for domestic consumption were exempted from the domestic market in 1994, effectively deregulating the market and the Corporation became a “single desk” exporter of Western Australian lamb and an exporter of other meats.

A new name and logo established WAMMCO International in 1994. The new logo features a farmer/producer, representing the reason for WAMMCO’s existence.

In 1998, the State Government announced it would abolish its acquisition powers for export lamb and privatise the Corporation.

1999
A NEW ERA…

The Western Australian Meat Marketing Co-operative Limited was incorporated in 1999. Owned and controlled by farmers and producers, the organisation could operate freely as a non-Government agency.

The transition to free-market operation was accompanied by management changes and asset rationalisation. The Katanning plant was upgraded to a “state of the art” production facility and a core business established in value-adding premium quality lamb.

Share certificates were issued to more than 1,000 farmers in 2003/04, acknowledging their membership, ownership and participation in the Co-operative. Member benefits and financial returns commenced in 2005, with ongoing annual bonuses of $3.8 million and a shareholder registry reaching 2,000 members by 2008. An Australian-first reward system – an additional Select Bonus payment – was also introduced for premium lamb producers to provide an additional 5% premium for delivering carcases with high lean meat yields.

In 2008, processing plant improvements and new technologies saw the commissioning of a new blood plant and hide processing facility, stock receival area improvements and boning room redesign to improve efficiencies and commercial viability.

2011
AN EAST COAST DIVISION…

A strategic opportunity crystallised in June 2011 when WAMMCO purchased Southern Meats Pty Ltd in Goulburn, to commence the operation of an east-coast sheep and lamb processing plant. To this date, this continues to provide tremendous synergies between the west and east-coast operations.

The Goulburn plant is similarly sized to Katanning. The shared resources and knowledge enable WAMMCO to further capitalise on market opportunities to the benefit of WAMMCO’S membership. This includes greater buying power from larger scale operations, for things like packaging contracts and shipping services.

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Board of Directors

Bill O’Keeffe

Chair

Bill has a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting). Bill and his family have extensive sheep and grain farming interests in the Gnowangerup district.

Bill is past Chair of the Gnowangerup Training Centre Board, past Chair of GDHS and current director of the community business co-operative, GNP 360.

Kim Hutchinson

Independent Director

Kim has a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) and a Graduate Diploma in Finance (FINSIA).

He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (Australia and NZ) and is a Fellow of FINSIA. Before retirement he was National Managing Partner of RSM (previously RSM Bird Cameron) and holds a directorship in the Hay exporting group, Gilmac Hay.

Brad Ipsen

Producer Director

Brad has a Bachelor of Business (Horticulture), majoring in plant biology and crop production. He is a fourth-generation sheep and broccoli farmer in Manjimup, WA. Brad has represented the horticulture industry on various State and National Bodies.

Mark Lucas

Independent Director

Mark is Group Creative Director of Lateral Aspect, a highly successful advertising agency with offices in Perth & Canberra. He has a proven, global background in post-farm gate marketing, was Non-Executive Director of Dardanup Butchering Company for 16 years, and is a preferred brand consultant to Meat & Livestock Australia.

Tom Lynch

Producer Director

Tom and his family have extensive sheep and grain farming interests in Hyden, WA.

Tom is a director and Chair of the Hyden Business Development Company, a company set up to assist start up capital and advisory services to retain organisations in the district.

Coll MacRury

Chief Executive

Coll has 42 years in the global food industry, specialising in bringing businesses to their full potential. Coll has an MBA (Hons), and Diplomas in Food Technology, Financial Accounting, and General Management qualifications from the University of New South Wales.

Bruce Ede

Company Secretary and Chief Financial Officer

Bruce is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (Australia and NZ).

Prior to joining WAMMCO, Bruce had 15 years experience in the supermarket/wholesaling industry.

Bruce has been a Director of the Meat Industry Employees’ Superannuation Fund since 2011.

Our Team

WAMMCO’s team located across Katanning, Goulburn and Perth are highly experienced and skilled, contributing to the company’s strong performance in the meat processing industry. The production teams specialise in livestock handling and advanced processing techniques and product development. Administration staff manage logistics and supply chain operations efficiently, while the marketing team manage interactions with customers to best meet market requirements. This collective expertise ensures high standards and effective operations across all locations.

Our Facility
Locations

Our Products

Through our extensive membership of more than 700 farmers-members and with access to a flock exceeding 12.5 million head from a production area of more than 2.5 million square kilometres, we produce and process the finest quality lamb and mutton products available to market.

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