About Our Company
Elgin Co-op
Built in the mid 1940's on the southwest corner of John and Beech Street and on the north side of the CNR rail line, Elgin Co-op was established as a cooperative to serve the growing needs of the local farmers. Operating out of a small 1100sq ft store and office, business mainly consisted of local farmers buying memberships and using them to buy and sell grain, feed, and ingredients for their own use.
Topnotch Feeds & Elgin Feeds Ltd.
As the Aylmer area continued to grow, so did the local feed mill. The business soon grew enough to have eight employees and one feed delivery truck. A 1500, and later a 2800 sq ft addition were built to serve the increased needs of farmers and to stock a wider variety of animal health, pet food, as well as some farm hardware. In 1990, Elgin Co-op was sold to Topnotch Feeds. Wilf Saarloos, the manager of the Dorchester branch was hired as the new manager. Only 4 years later, Wilf bought the feed mill from Topnotch, as well as the grain elevator and the fuel station and renamed it Elgin Feeds.
Elgin Feeds Ltd & Shur Gain
The new Elgin Feeds began to buy feed and ingredients from Shur Gain as well as buying grain from local farmers. Shur Gain is a division of Nutreco, a company which sells directly to large-scale farms and dealer companies like Elgin Feeds. The reasons Shur Gain was chosen as the primary feed dealer are:
- Shur Gain is the only company in Canada that has a research farm to test their products- Shur Gain works hard to promote their feed program, as well as Elgin Feeds
- Shur Gain sells animal health products as well as their own line of pet foods
- Shur Gain has the highest market share in Ontario and is a well respected feed company
Mad Cow Disease (BSE) and Country Depot
Due to market conditions after the outbreak of Mad Cow Disease in 2003, many smaller dairy producers exited the dairy business. Because of this, Elgin Feeds decided to diversify their business by expanding its range of product to serve more people. A greenhouse and outdoor garden centre was built, as well as a re-branding of the store front. Elgin Feeds adopted the name of its main store product supplier, Country Depot. A fuel card lock was built to provide customers with 24 hour access to fuel. The project was completed in 2005.
Elgin Feeds Ltd. Country Store
Elgin Feeds has undergone several updates since its establishment in the 40's, and most recently, the conversion to Elgin Feeds Ltd. Country Store. Today, many years later, Elgin Feeds has many more employees, three feed delivery trucks, and continues to grow.
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Website Updated and Edited by Jarrad Saarloos
