PEPE'S DUCKS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- QUALITY ASSURANCE MANAGER & CONSUMER and COMPETITOR COMPLIANCE OFFICER
"My role at Pepe's involves looking after the quality assurance manuals, from the hatchery through to the breeder farms and on to processing plant.
Since starting my career here at Pepe's in 2008, I've implemented the quality systems across the breeder farms and hatcheries, as well as working with the new standards that have come out. The processing plant keeps growing on a daily basis and there is still a lot of work for us to do.
The market is expanding and Pepe's needs to grow with that market. In order to do that we just need to keep expanding, building new hatcheries and processing plants and it will be my job to maintain the quality assurance aspect of these operations to ensure the quality isn't compromised as we grow.
I can see my role starting to expand in the field and on the farms. It's an exciting time for Pepe's and I love what I do here - there's never a dull day!"
"My role as Factory Manager for Pepe's Ducks involves managing the entire production procedure - from the time the duck arrives at the processing plant to the end product leaving the factory, as well as planning the collection of the ducks each day from our farms.
Every day, when we fill the orders, I feel such a great sense of achievement. Meeting such high numbers is a huge team effort. A team that consists of four supervisors, three trainers and between 60 and 70 workers all based in the processing plant.
When I started out at Pepe's in 2001, a big day for us would have been producing around 8,000 ducks in one day. Now we've doubled our production numbers to over 16,000. Something I'm extremely proud of that we have achieved.
I can only see Pepe's growing, and maintaining its position as the leading duck producer in Australia."
"Agriculture and the poultry industry has always been a passion of mine. I studied agricultural economics at university so when this role at Pepe's came up I jumped at the opportunity. It was a role where I could see my future; I could see a company with enormous growth potential.
The job is very diverse and no two days are the same. My role involves looking after all the finances of the group - from the account side to the HR and the payroll, a position I've been with in the company since 2001. My biggest achievement in that time has been condensing five subsystems into one main system, which has enabled better control and efficiency of the company.
"Seeing the growth of the business from when I started here makes me very proud to be a part of Pepe's and the future of Pepe's is only going to grow."
"I am hugely proud to say I have worked alongside Pepe since 1997, starting out as General Manager and working my way up to CEO.
It was an industry very much at its birth when I began and I saw a great opportunity to become a part of its future. Knowing Pepe's background, his focus on quality and his passion, I believed I was in the right company to foster this industry.
Since joining the business there have been many milestones. I've seen the business grow immensely - when I started we were producing about 28,000 ducks a week, now we're producing 80,000. That in itself is a great achievement. The demand for duck continues to increase, so the industry and the company have a huge future as we see duck migrate into many restaurants and family homes.
My role here at Pepe's as CEO is extremely varied. I've been very much focused on meeting growth in the market and growth of the operation sector. We have today, for a business of our size, probably one of the most modern plants in the world, which is incredible for a family company.
"My father has achieved so much since founding Pepe's Ducks all those years ago, and I am so happy to now be a part of that with him. I grew up on the farms, I went with my dad to see customers at the weekends and spent a lot of time with my brother Peter making boxes - that was one of my first jobs during my holidays.