Company History
The original Grain and Seed Company which operated from the Ashburton premises now occupied by Cates Grain & Seed Ltd, was established in 1896 by Freidlander Bros. Over the years the business continued although the name changed, along with ownership to Murdoch Bruce Ltd and later Buchanans merchants Ltd. Peter Cates Ltd was established in 1973 and moved into the West Street, Ashburton grain and seed store which was vacated when Buchanans Merchants ceased trading.
The Companies headquarters have remained in Ashburton, the centre of New Zealand's grain and seed heartland, servicing farmer clients throughout Mid, Central and North Canterbury.
The acquisition in 1992, of the pulse seed business of Mair Seed provided Peter Cates Ltd with an opportunity to extend its customer base from the Aorangi region to the high producing Selwyn and North Canterbury districts.
At the same time, the company purchased the former Challenge Seeds complex at Rakaia, providing a second grain and seed cleaning / storage facility, complementing the company's Ashburton operation.
In an industry characterised by rapid rises and equally rapid falls, Cates Grain & Seed Ltd, has forged a reputation based on customer service and fair dealing. Entrusted with the livelihood of hundreds of Canterbury farming families, Cates Grain & Seed staff understand the value of working in partnership with clients to produce optimum yields of grain and small seeds, advising on weed and pest control, fertilizer requirements and harvesting, to ensure that crops are presented in the best possible condition.
Through understanding the needs of farmers combined with an equally professional approach to marketing on the domestic front and internationally, has earned Cates Grain & Seed Ltd an enviable reputation in the market place.
