AS FAR as business success stories go, Luv-a-Duck is a pretty incredible one.
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From a small family company with a handful of staff, to an enterprise with hundreds of employees and contractors – and products featured on five-star menus across the world – the Nhill business has continued to build every year.
The well-known duck processor is also the latest entrant to establish a proposed plant at Ballarat’s BWEZ industrial park.
Construction of the plant in Ballarat’s west is expected in the first quarter of next year after road infrastructure has been completed, according to the company’s CEO Daryl Bussel. It is likely to be operational by the last quarter of 2019.
Luv-a-Duck now has about 280 employees and 50 contractors across its Nhill processing plant, head office in Port Melbourne, hatchery, contract growers and breeder farms across the Wimmera, and other centres.
Among these employees are more than 50 Karen people, whom former Luv-a-Duck general manager John Millington helped to migrate to Nhill and find work.
More than 200 Karen people now call the town home.
Theresa Sfetkidis and Kim Shoppee-Lynch own Luv-a-Duck, which their late father Arthur Shoppee started five decades ago.
On Saturday, they will celebrate the business’s history alongside the people who have formed part of the Luv-a-Duck family over the years.
In the past six months, the sisters have interviewed about 40 people who were employed or involved with the business in its early years. They have used the information to create memory boards, which will be displayed at the 50-year celebrations.
Mrs Sfetkidis – who started working with her dad at age 10, collecting and washing eggs every Saturday and Sunday morning – said two things stood out from the discussions.
“The first was that our dad was such an achiever for the way he fought through the adversity and issues he faced,” she said. “In 1968, there was not a manual on how to start a duck farm. He had to learn it all.
“The second thing that stood out was the wonderful and supportive people he employed from day one. The people who have been through Luv-a-Duck have been so valuable to our success story.
“As a family, we appreciate and acknowledge them.”
LUV-A-DUCK TIMELINE
1968: Arthur Shoppee grows the first 20 ducks and establishes the company.
1970: Shoppee buys Gilmore's turkey farm on the outskirts of Nhill. It is now Luv-a-Duck's hatchery site.
Early 1970s: Shoppee buys ‘The Range’ farm to grow the ducks. The farm becomes Luv-a-Duck's processing plant site.
1978: Luv-a-Duck proceses 3000 ducks a week with 30 employees.
1982: The business is processing 8000 ducks a week.
1988: 80 staff are employed, and the business is producing 10,000 ducks a week.
1993: New processing plant is opened. The business is able to produce 35,000 ducks a week, and now employs 150 staff.
2009: Karen refugees move to Nhill and start working at Luv-a-Duck.
2010: Luv-a-Duck’s first television ad airs. The business is producing 100,000 ducks a week, and employs more than 200 staff.
2017: Luv-a-Duck is inducted into the Family Business Association Hall of Fame.
2018: The business announces it will expand into Ballarat, and celebrates its 50th birthday.
Mrs Sfetkidis said the interviews had offered some hilarious insights.
“There were many no-frills conversations. It’s really messy, dirty work running a duck farm, and this was pre- OHS and safety audit days and all the compliance we have now,” she said.
“But everyone told us these stories with a smile on their face, and spoke about the ‘good old days’.
“With all the stories, we’ve been able to create the Luv-a-Duck history through their eyes.”
Luv-a-Duck has collected numerous accolades in its history, and was inducted into the Family Business Association Hall of Fame last year.
The next step in the business’s growth was announced in July: expanding operations to Ballarat, part of a $20-million investment that will create 30 jobs.
Mrs Sfetkidis said the move would free up space at the Nhill plant and the business’s Port Melbourne centre.
“It means we can grow the base of the business better, because it frees up the Nhill site to concentrate even more on processing a good duck,” she said.
Mrs Sfetkidis said she could not wait for the weekend’s celebrations.
“We were born and bred in Nhill, and every opportunity we get we go back to Nhill to see our people. They are like extended family,” she said.
“We are so excited about Saturday – it’s all about our people.”
Michelle Robins has been employed with Luv-a-Duck for about 20 years.
“My role has changed over the years. I started off helping them set up a canteen to feed the staff,” she said.
“Then I went into some administration work.
“My husband works here too, and has for more than 25 years.
“He helped build the processing plant.”
Mrs Robins said she felt privileged to work for such a company.
“They are very generous people – they look after you,” she said.
“It’s been a fabulous company to work for, and I’m proud of what we do.
“Whenever we go away, we always ask if our product is on the menu, and if people know where it came from.
“We want to make sure our product is out there and we can support it.”
The 50-year celebrations will be at Nhill Racecourse, and are by invitation only.