ROBERTS

ROBERTS is an Australian agricultural-services company whose operations are concentrated in Tasmania. The business traces its origins to 1865, when Henry Llewelyn Roberts, George Anthony Kemp and John William Abbott established Kemp, Roberts and Co as an auctioneering business at Conara. Its early activity was connected to rural commerce and livestock and agricultural markets, and the company later expanded through acquisitions and combinations involving wool merchandising, auctioneering and agricultural-equipment distribution. Over time, the business became known as Roberts, Stewart & Co after acquiring the Farmers' Co-Operative Auctioneers in 1957 and combining with Allan Stewart. It also acquired the local Massey Ferguson distribution business, broadening its role beyond auctioneering into agricultural machinery and rural supply. These developments helped establish ROBERTS as a diversified service provider for Tasmanian farmers and other rural customers. The company operated for many years as a publicly listed Australian business and was described as Australia's oldest publicly listed company until its ownership changed in 2006. In that year, an off-market takeover and reverse-takeover transaction resulted in Roberts becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Ruralco. Roberts shareholders held approximately 70 percent of the merged entity after the transaction, linking the Tasmanian business to Ruralco's wider rural-services group. ROBERTS's activities include livestock marketing and sales, rural merchandise and feed stores, insurance, irrigation, fertiliser, wool sales and rural real-estate services. The company operates Tasmania's only livestock sales yards and maintains 14 feed stores, giving it a substantial physical presence in the state's agricultural supply chain. Its offering is therefore service-led rather than a conventional packaged-goods consumer brand: the company connects producers with markets, supplies farm inputs and provides specialist rural services. The company has also invested in customer-facing retail and regional engagement. In 2014, country musician Lee Kernaghan performed at the opening of a new flagship store. In 2019, Ruralco shareholders approved the proposed acquisition of Ruralco by Nutrien, a Canadian agricultural company listed in Toronto and New York. Ruralco was subsequently delisted from the Australian Securities Exchange on 1 October 2019. The available reference material does not establish a separate change to ROBERTS's operating identity after that transaction. ROBERTS remains best understood as a Tasmanian agricultural-services business operating within the Ruralco corporate history, rather than as a food or beauty-products brand.

ROBERTS began in Tasmania in 1865 as Kemp, Roberts and Co, an auctioneer established by Henry Llewelyn Roberts, George Anthony Kemp and John William Abbott. The firm's first operations were at Conara. Its early development reflected the importance of auctioneering and agricultural trading to Tasmania's rural economy. The business expanded through acquisitions and corporate combinations. It acquired a Launceston wool merchant and later combined with Allan Stewart. In 1957, it purchased the Farmers' Co-Operative Auctioneers and adopted the name Roberts, Stewart & Co. The company also acquired the local Massey Ferguson distribution business, adding agricultural-equipment distribution to its rural-services activities. ROBERTS eventually became a publicly listed Australian company and retained that status for many years. It was described as Australia's oldest publicly listed company until 2006. That year, an off-market takeover and reverse-takeover transaction placed Roberts under Ruralco. Roberts shareholders owned approximately 70 percent of the merged entity, and Roberts became a wholly owned Ruralco subsidiary. The business continued operating in Tasmania with a broad agricultural-services model. Its activities include livestock sales, feed and rural merchandise, insurance, irrigation, fertiliser, wool sales and rural real estate. It operates the only livestock sales yards in Tasmania and has 14 feed stores. These operations position ROBERTS as an intermediary and supplier within the agricultural economy rather than as a consumer packaged-food manufacturer. In 2014, the company opened a new flagship store with a performance by country musician Lee Kernaghan. In 2019, Ruralco shareholders approved the proposed acquisition of Ruralco by Nutrien, a Canadian agricultural company listed in Toronto and New York. Ruralco was delisted from the Australian Securities Exchange on 1 October 2019. The supplied reference material does not provide further detail on ROBERTS's post-2019 corporate structure, management or operating changes.

• 2019

  Ruralco acquisition by Nutrien approved

  [1]Roberts (agriculture company)en.wikipedia.org

  Ruralco shareholders voted for the proposed acquisition by Nutrien.

• 2019

  Ruralco delisted

  [1]Roberts (agriculture company)en.wikipedia.org

  Ruralco was removed from the Australian Securities Exchange on 1 October 2019.

• 2014

  New flagship store opened

  [1]Roberts (agriculture company)en.wikipedia.org

  A new flagship store opened with a performance by Lee Kernaghan.

• 2006

  Ruralco takeover and merger

  [1]Roberts (agriculture company)en.wikipedia.org

  Roberts became a wholly owned Ruralco subsidiary after an off-market takeover and reverse-takeover transaction.

• 1957

  Farmers' Co-Operative Auctioneers acquired

  [1]Roberts (agriculture company)en.wikipedia.org

  The acquisition contributed to the company's transition to the Roberts, Stewart & Co name.

• 1865

  Kemp, Roberts and Co established

  [1]Roberts (agriculture company)en.wikipedia.org

  Henry Llewelyn Roberts, George Anthony Kemp and John William Abbott founded the auctioneer business that became ROBERTS.

A diversified Tasmanian rural-services provider supporting farmers through livestock markets, agricultural inputs, rural retail and specialist advisory services.

• Agricultural services

  Livestock sales and marketing

  ROBERTS provides livestock sales and marketing services for Tasmanian rural customers. Its infrastructure includes Tasmania's only livestock sales yards, making livestock auction activity a central part of the company's agricultural-market role.

• Rural retail

  Feed stores and rural merchandise

  The company operates 14 feed stores serving rural customers. These stores form part of its rural-merchandise offer, supplying feed and related agricultural goods through a physical retail network in Tasmania.

• Rural financial services

  Insurance services

  ROBERTS offers insurance services as part of its broader support for rural customers. The available reference material identifies insurance as a business activity but does not specify the particular policies, underwriting partners or customer segments.

• Farm inputs

  Irrigation and fertiliser services

  Irrigation and fertiliser are among ROBERTS's agricultural-input activities. These services complement its feed, rural merchandise and livestock businesses by addressing infrastructure and crop or pasture-input needs for rural customers.

• Agricultural marketing

  Wool sales

  Wool sales services connect rural producers with wool markets. The company's historical development included the acquisition of a Launceston wool merchant, while wool sales remain identified among its agricultural-services activities.

• Rural property services

  Rural real estate

  ROBERTS provides rural real-estate services as part of its diversified offering to agricultural customers. The supplied reference material does not detail the specific property services or geographic offices involved.

• 2014Flagship store opening

  Tasmania, Australia

  The opening of a new flagship store featured a performance by country musician Lee Kernaghan and served as a public-facing regional retail event.

  Source

• 2019

  Ruralco acquisition by NutrienM&A

  Background

  Ruralco shareholders considered a proposed acquisition by Nutrien, a Canadian agricultural company listed in Toronto and New York.

  Action taken

  Shareholders voted in favour of the proposed acquisition.

  Aftermath

  Ruralco was delisted from the Australian Securities Exchange on 1 October 2019.

  Source

• 2006

  Transfer of Roberts into Ruralco ownershipM&A

  Background

  Roberts had operated as a long-standing publicly listed agricultural-services company.

  Action taken

  An off-market takeover and reverse-takeover transaction made Roberts a wholly owned subsidiary of Ruralco. Roberts shareholders held approximately 70 percent of the merged entity.

  Aftermath

  ROBERTS continued as part of the Ruralco group.

  Source

1. 1Roberts (agriculture company)en.wikipedia.org