Virginia Farm Produce is the quintessential example of a business that has evolved from humble beginnings and adapted to industry challenges to become one of the leading potato-growing companies in Australia.

New recruit Ryan Densley has been tasked with leading this South Australia business further into the future, taking up the role of Commercial Business Manager and working alongside Barry and Matthew Farmer as they look after the farming side of the operation.

Virginia Farm Produce has grown dramatically since it was founded by Jack Farmer in 1956 to now hold a diverse portfolio of potatoes, onions, almonds and livestock, and Ryan is responsible for taking the business forward through the construction of a state-of-the-art facility, spearheading new product development and expanding export markets.

Ryan brings with him a rich history in horticulture, growing up on a Victorian lettuce farm and then working in the wholesale markets in Melbourne and Brisbane. This eventually led to a five-year stint at Mulgowie Farming Company, where Ryan was heavily involved in developing its organic vegetable category and export program.

This experience has stood Ryan in good stead to help Virginia Farm Produce tackle the challenges of becoming an increasingly sophisticated business as well as a farming operation – from new product development ideas like flavoured microwaveable bags of potatoes to developing a 6,000 square metre purpose-built facility to wash, pack and store potatoes.

We interviewed Ryan for the October/November 2018 edition of Potatoes Australia magazine, which you can read online through the publications section of our website. To subscribe to receive hard copies of the magazine for free, fill out our online form!

This post appeared in the AUSVEG Weekly Update published 7 November 2018. Subscribe to the Update using our online form to receive the latest industry news in your inbox every week!