The Budgerigar Society - Know Your Seed Merchant?
What do most of us know about our seed suppliers and the steps that they take to ensure on-going quality? How many of us have a regular supplier? When they hear the word 'Buckton's, what does it mean? For that matter, how many of us have used any of the seeds/products provided by other BS Sponsors, including Trill ?
Quite frankly, my partner and I came to this relatively late: although we had known about the Trill scheme and products for some years, we were never tempted to leave our other suppliers - mainly, perhaps, on grounds of costs. Over a considerable period of time, after having been Haith's customers for a great number of years, and looked for alternative supplies, particularly in the light of new research which told us that we should be offering smaller seeds. For many years, we looked for such but were largely driven by cost and skipped from one supplier to another. These suppliers in turn became increasingly unreliable and ,I still maintain, the general vigour of our stock suffered.
We took a little convincing before we would consider Buckton's seed, as hitherto the reports that we had received about their normal product had not been encouraging. We were eventually won over to the Buckton's range within a short while of the product being made available as a BS product, and largely because we were impressed by the information we were given at the Buckton's stand at the BS Club Show. It was a fairly major commitment to make, as we were looking for a supply that we would not wish to change for the foreseeable future. From that decision, it was only a short step to my partner deciding that, as he felt that he could recommend it, he would become a Buckton's stockist - and I stress that this was his responsibility, and not part of our partnership.
It therefore came as something of a surprise to me to receive, in January of this year, an invitation to visit the new, Driffield, premises of Cranswick Pet Products (still known to most of us as Buckton's, the firm which Cranswick acquired in April of 1995). John having been a Buckton's/BS stockist for a few years now had received his invitation a week or so previously, but I was not expecting to join the party. I was however delighted when I received my invitation.
We duly congregated at 11am on Saturday 11th. February, and I was pleased to note that there was a good mix of familiar and not-so-familiar faces amongst the gathering. Our Chairman Grant Findlay and Secretary Dave Whittaker were both there – a fact that added a certain gravitas to the tour, and after an informal session of introductions and a very welcoming coffee, we were invited into the board room, where we were given a brief, but very professional, presentation on the development of the company by its Marketing Director, after I had been given the opportunity of taking one or two photographs giving an almost "birds-eye" view of the layout of the factory floor.
Following the presentation, we were duly equipped with safety dress – hard hats and high-visibility jackets, and the tour began. It was, perhaps, a little disappointing that the 'shop floor' was not in full production at the time of our visit, but we were told that had it been so, we would not have been able to hear any commentary, and thus ended up little the wiser! In the event, the tour was fascinating and we were shown how the various products progress through the site in the various stages of their preparation, from the point at which they are extracted from the vehicles which bring them in, to the final 'bagging' process. We were told that the firm even has very stringent controls on the types of lorries used to bring the raw materials in. They do not accept supplies from any open-sided, sheeted lorries, but insist on hard-sided vehicles.
Two main points are very largely stressed here. The first is security, which is overed by a whole raft of measures which result in the premises being as free of vermin as can possibly be assured. Part of this process is in monthly visits by a Pest control firm which keeps the situation under on-going review. The other series of processes which really impresses me is the number of stages through which the seed goes to ensure that it is as clean as it can be made. This series includes various different methods including sieving, gravity flow separation, and extraction by suction, which are introduced at various points, including after the final blending process has been completed. All stages are designed to ensure that there is no danger of cross-contamination.
This, state of the art, factory was officially commissioned on 15th October 2004, and the distribution of the product from the site was begun a short time afterwards. The company acknowledges that there were considerable teething troubles during the first year of production. In hindsight, they feel that this fact could have been revealed earlier but they had hoped that the troubles they had would be of only very short duration. One of the stockists expressed concern, having lost customers since the changeover and asked what the firm will do to try to get such customers back. They are pleased that they are now largely through their problems, many of which actually stemmed from the fact that the machinery and equipment that they had installed are so sophisticated that they are still learning the full fine-tuning procedures on many of the processes -- but it is all really coming together now.
During the tour, we had the chance to discuss the various packaging methods that the firm has used. Comment was made that their other bird seed products are supplied in 20kg bags, which are manufactured from plastic. While the prospect of a smaller bag was welcomed, some concern was expressed as to whether plastic sacks would stack properly, or prove too slippy to do so, but we were told that a non-stick film is applied to negate this tendency. Stockists were relieved to hear that, additionally, the reduced quantities could be supplied at prices which remain competitive. This is something on which the BS will enter discussions with Cranswick in the near future.
On this point, comparison was made between the price of the BS product and the other budgerigar seeds in the Cranswick Pet Products range. Many fanciers prefer to rely on commercial suppliers of the letter for their staple seeds, especially in view of the lesser price charged. We were told that it is well worth pointing out that the BS range of seeds is of our own bespoke formulae and represent good value as such. This is one aspect which I, not being a stockist, can vouch for. As purely a user of the product, I remain delighted with the quality and consistency of the various mixes, and feel that I can heartily recommend it.
Thus, the BS can continue to recommend its own, bespoke range of quality budgerigar seeds, the quality of which is fully expected to continue to improve. This will continue to give the benefits that our birds are afforded by an unchanging, clean, high-quality staple diet and has the knock-on advantage of commission earned for the Budgerigar Society and Area societies on each bag of seed sold by the stockists. This is in addition to the other excellent benefits that the Cranswick sponsorship brings to the society and fancy.
An extremely enjoyable visit ended in further discussion in the board room on a number of issues, culminating in an excellent buffet lunch. Thanks, Cranswick for an informative and enjoyable day!
The above was written in 2006 and the society’s happy association with Cranswick continues. The seed is now packaged in 20kg sacks, which have lately been of clear plastic, but have recently been replaced by paper sacks, as the plastic has been splitting.
DH November 2010