Farmlands Co-operative Appoints Rachel Aldikacti as Chief Sales Officer
Farmlands Co-operative has announced Rachel Aldikacti will be its new chief sales officer.
Construction has begun on Farmlands’ new Taranaki store.
The new store at 35 Hudson Road, Bell Block, is two kilometres from the current site and the new store opens September 2025.
Farmlands’ Taranaki team were at the site last month to celebrate the milestone in the traditional spade-wielding way.
Chief executive Tanya Houghton says the new store is all about delivering on Farmlands’ promise to better serve the region’s unique needs and provide a better customer experience for all customers.
With more parking, a dedicated delivery entry, a prime spot near the highway, and free recycling for HDPE plastic containers and small seed, feed and fertiliser bags in partnership with Agrecovery, the new site will be a significant upgrade on the current store.
“Taranaki’s mix of dairy, sheep, beef and regenerative farming deserves the best we can offer in tailored products and expertise,” Houghton says.
Construction updates will be going out to the local community in the coming months and a grand opening is planned for September 2025.
Farmlands is also opening a new bulk and retail store in Hastings in July, alongside its new Horticulture Hub. This is all part of Farmlands strategy to operate a regionally tailored service model, Houghton says.
“Ultimately everything we do is to provide our customers the best access to their essential rural supplies - through our retail network, our on-farm sales team, and digital tools the FarmlandsPRO app and Farmlands Card app.”
Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) has released its 2026 election manifesto, outlining priorities to support the sector’s growth, resilience, and contribution to New Zealand’s food security and export revenue.
Farmers have voted to continue the Milksolids Levy that funds DairyNZ.
Fonterra chief executive Miles Hurrell has resigned after eight years in the role.
Matt McRae, a farmer from Mokoreta in Southland who runs a sheep, beef and dairy support business alongside a sheep stud, has been elected to the Beef +Lamb NZ Board as a farmer director.
Ravensdown's next evolution in smart farming technology, HawkEye Pro, was awarded the Technology Section Award at the Southern Field Days Farm Innovation Awards in February 2026.
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