Harvest Road Announces New Leadership Appointments, Targets Accelerated Growth Across Global Markets

Ben Dwyer and Mark Wiedermann have both been appointed to the Group’s expanded Leadership Team as the diversified agri-food company capitalises on increased global demand for high-quality and sustainable foods, including rising world demand for traditional and new sources of protein.

Mr Dwyer has been appointed Chief Operating Officer Pastoral, Backgrounding and Feeding Facility. He is a senior industry executive and joins Harvest Road from Australian Country Choice (ACC) where he served as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Australian Cattle & Beef Holdings, a joint venture company with ACC.

Mr Dwyer has extensive beef industry and pastoral experience, spending several years working for the Green family running Balmoral Stations Pty Ltd in the east Kimberley and Pilbara where he developed an in-depth understanding
of the cattle and beef supply chain potential in Western Australia.

Mr Wiedermann has been appointed as Chief Commercial Officer in a newly created position that encompasses the Group’s growing sales and marketing operations. He has more than 20 years of leadership experience in the fast moving consumer goods industry, including 10 years with Coca-Cola Amatil and The Coca-Cola Company in sales, marketing and strategy within their domestic and global businesses. He also has eight years’ executive experience with Suntory Group in marketing, commercial and innovation roles across Australia and New Zealand.

Tattarang CEO Andrew Hagger and Chief Investment Officer John Hartman welcomed Mark and Ben’s appointments, saying continued investment in industry leaders, innovative technology and agricultural practices across Harvest Road’s operations has created world-class integrated supply chain capabilities and a growing export network across more than 40 overseas markets.

“We are excited to welcome both Mark and Ben to our Harvest Road and Tattarang families. Together they bring decades’ long experience drawn from Australia’s agricultural, pastoral and consumer goods industries and they share our vision to continue to further entrench Harvest Road at the heart of Australia’s growing international food reputation,” Mr Hagger said.

“Harvest Road’s expanded leadership team will help accelerate the Group’s growth agenda as a market-leader and sustainable producer which champions Australian fine foods to the world and create points of difference through innovation, sustainability and a relentless focus on animal welfare,” Mr Hartman said.

Mr Dwyer said: “I am delighted to be back in WA working for Harvest Road across their pastoral, backgrounding and feeding operations and look forward to getting out across the state to meet our team and the wider beef industry. With a strong focus on animal welfare and sustainability, Harvest Road’s values align closely to mine and will be a core focus for me in my role.”

Mr Wiedermann said: “Harvest Road Group has an exciting opportunity to continue to grow its international market share and deepen and broaden Western Australia’s reputation as a globally-renowned provenance and world leader in sustainable and ethical food production that is home to some of the world’s best premium food products.”

A Company of Tattarang, Harvest Road is already one of Australia’s largest and most diverse agri-food businesses. The Group’s beef division – which includes the Harvey Beef brand – is the state’s largest beef processor and owns a state-of-the-art processing facility in Harvey. In August 2020, Harvest Road launched its new aquaculture brand – Leeuwin Coast – that includes rock oysters, Akoya and mussels across the most pristine sites on Western Australia’s coastline. Planning is currently underway to construct a new aquaculture base in Albany which would become one of the largest such facilities in the country.