Logistics Development Analyst superstar Annabelle Cole gives her advice to others who want to join Farmlands and tells us what she most enjoys about her role. 

What did you want to do career-wise when you left school?

I’ve always been very people driven. Leaving school I wanted to do something I was passionate about, that had meaning and also made me feel like I was making a difference. At University I studied Fashion Design. I was really interested in how globalisation and the reduction of import tariffs affected the New Zealand apparel industry. Seeing how industries adapted their supply chains with globalisation fascinated me. I knew leaving University that I wanted to join an organisation with a complex supply chain that was constantly adapting.

Tell us about your career to date.

Upon leaving university I joined Woolworths as their Supply Chain grad. I was with Woolworths for just under 5 years, moving to being a Systems and Inventory Specialist and then a Systems and Inventory Manager. I loved my time with Woolworths and certainly learnt a lot. They are a big business that moves fast and doesn’t rest. I specialised in the systems they use to optimise their warehouse sites and inventory management. Together with my team in Christchurch, we led safety initiatives installing push through netting behind all of our racks, undertook significant equipment upgrades and, most importantly, rolled out an entire new warehouse management system. We did this all whilst delivering our daily workflow and continuous improvements across our site.

After Woolworths, I joined Fliway, a 3PL that’s owned by New Zealand Post, as their Christchurch Operations Manager.

My current role is as our Logistics Development Analyst. It’s a pretty special role that draws on my passion for adaption and all of my skills from both Woolworths and Fliway. My work is primarily project based and is all about building our Supply Chain capability for both today and tomorrow. It’s pretty cool getting to work at a co-operative, especially one that’s so innovative and not afraid of change. Doing what’s best for our farmers, being driven by communities and just being surrounded by a whole lot of great guys and gals makes me happy everyday.

What led you to Farmlands? 

I came to Farmlands because of what it stands for. To me working at a place that aligns with my values is incredibly important. At Farmlands there is an appetite for change. There’s this feeling that the future of farming is here and yes it’s old school, she’ll be right, and salt of the earth at times, but it’s also innovative and passionate. It’s about doing good for our land and our people and keeping costs down. As someone who has always been passionate about Primary Industries getting to be a part of a community that gives back and strives to help real Kiwi farmers everyday is something I’m very proud of. I’ve found that wonderful balance supporting an industry I love and getting to undertake exciting, new, challenging work everyday.

How have you grown in your time with us at Farmlands? 

I am lucky to work as a team with my colleagues and we’ve been involved in some pretty big projects. From launching a WMS system to starting our 3PL partnership, the last six months has flown by.

At Farmlands there is an inherent trust. You get given a project or a piece of work and you get to run with it. Being empowered to deliver everyday with the freedom to drive things myself has certainly helped me grow. I’m able to make decisions, see them through, take the wins, and also quickly pivot when things go wrong. We’ve got an adaptive team and one that also values balance. Coming from the world of FMCG and 3PLs I don’t think I realised until joining us just how fast paced they were. Farmlands has given me space and the creativity to think. I get weekends, off, no out of office calls, and although we have a challenging agenda and ambitious goals I get the space I need to deliver my best work and to also be my best self in my own time.

What have been your key achievements / what are you most proud of at Farmlands? 

I’m excited everyday by the vision that Farmlands has. At our core we’re going in the right direction and getting to be a part of that is pretty special at times. There aren’t too many organisations where in six months the work you are doing is shaping both how our teams experience things today and what the future will look like. The drive and ambition to deliver something that makes real meaningful changes to our agri business is here and it’s certainly an exciting time to join. From just having a good team that’s always up for a yarn, to getting to deliver some big projects, stock flow planning, DILOs, WMS rollouts and 3PL implementation, we’ve done more in six months than most organisations would do in six years. We’re an ambitious bunch, but one that also knows how to have fun. From morning coffee, to lunchtime walks and my personal favourite of Thai Day Friday, we’re always out there doing big things and having a bit of fun.

What would your advice be for someone who's interested in a career in your area at Farmlands? 

At Farmlands we value people. We’re everyday rural people doing big things. We’re practical. We get stuff done and at the end of the day we have a good laugh. So get out there, get stuck in. Don’t be afraid to gain new experiences and try new things. You’ll learn a bunch and by gosh will it help you in the long term. I would never have thought that I would use everything from working in a crayfish factory, to a fashion design degree and warehouse system exposure in a day. But it’s all those experiences and the richness and diversity they bring that make me who I am. What are you waiting for, apply and join us today!

Interested in learning more about our Supply Chain team?

Check out our Supply Chain page for more details.

Interested in working with Annabelle in the Supply Chain Team?

Connect with us on our careers site and check out our current Vacancies, or get in touch via careers@farmlands.co.nz.