MERGED rural service companies Ruralco and Landmark will have their agricultural retail businesses rebranded as Nutrien Ag Solutions, it was announced today.

The Nutrien Ag Solutions brand launch was revealed to 4,000-plus staff across Australia today by parent company Canadian fertiliser business Nutrien, following recent Ruralco shareholder approval and mid-year regulatory clearances for the $469 million acquisition.

Nutrien said with its ag retail operations in six other countries, the rebranding firmly positions the Australian business as part of a global agricultural powerhouse.

Managing director Rob Clayton said the new brand marked a new era for Australian ag retail.

“Nutrien Ag Solutions will become the partner of choice for growers across Australia.

“Those who are looking for the best product selection, the most innovative solutions and people who really understand their business and the challenges and opportunities they face, will come to Nutrien Ag Solutions,” he said.

“This new brand is a celebration.

“We are proud of our legacy businesses and will build on the trust and relationships that growers already have with our people across the country,” Mr Clayton said.

“As Nutrien Ag Solutions, we will support our customers to be sustainable and profitable businesses that feed the future.”

Nutrien Ltd, operating in Australia through its wholly owned subsidiary Landmark Operations Limited (Landmark), officially acquired Ruralco Holdings Limited (Ruralco) on 1 October 2019.

The combined operation has a network of 290 corporate-owned stores, over 300 independent rural supplies retailers, and a proud stable of joint ventures in partnership with local management and a suite of other businesses.

Nutrien Ag Solutions chief executive officer Mike Frank said the rebrand is a historic moment for Australian ag retail and the company as a whole.

“Rebranding the assets of both legacy companies to align with our brand internationally makes it clear that the new organisation we’re building is much more than the sum of its parts, and it sets the stage for the transformation we’re going to bring.

“The rebrand signals our intention to accelerate toward our long-term goal of becoming the ag retailer of the future in all our geographies,” Mr Frank said.

Mr Clayton said the full operational integration of the two legacy businesses will take some time to complete, as will the implementation of the Nutrien Ag Solutions brand.

All corporately owned business units will adopt the new brand and it will be rolled out across the business in a staged process over the coming 12 months.

“But we will be focused on creating a consistent brand experience that addresses the changing needs of our grower customers and builds the retail brand of the future, focusing on digital solutions and ecommerce that will support both the network and growers.”

Mr Clayton emphasized that during the transition to the new brand, it will be business as usual for customers across the country.

“Customers should be reassured that they will continue to deal with the same people, and largely the same brand in the short term. While some stores will have new signage go up before the end of the year, the entire network will take some time to complete, and during that period, customers will continue to receive statements for the legacy companies.

“We are focused on prioritising the customer in every decision, ensuring the service and support we provide to growers remains seamless.”

The Landmark-RuralCo merger has not been opposed by the Foreign Investment Review Board or the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

The ACCC approval was subject to an undertaking requiring Nutrien to divest three rural merchandise stores located in Broome, Western Australia; Alice Springs in the Northern Territory and Hughenden in Queensland, to a purchaser approved by the ACCC.