Company History

The Story of Mahogany Creek Distributors

Around September 1986 Russell Sutherland found a little business processing and selling fresh chicken to Butcher shops from a beaut little farm in Mahogany Creek, where Chickens were processed and Geese bred. A nice little stream and an old style Orchard complimented the property.

 

The purchase price of this business and the farm was more than Russell anticipated so it was necessary to bring in some partners to top up the funding situation.

 

Peter Collins and Ian Cavanagh joined Russell in establishing Fundamental Pty Ltd trading as Mahogany Creek Poultry and the Company was incorporated in October 1986.

 

The first employee was Brian Duncombe who in those days processed the chickens and then got into his truck and delivered them ~ wouldn’t HACCP have loved those days.

 

Brian has since retired.

 

Key appointments followed with Terry Fawell joining the Company in November 1986 as a Director and Shareholder.

 

John Philp joined later also as a Director and Shareholder.

 

Terry the Chef and John the Butcher joined Russell Sutherland and Ian Cavanagh as the Management team ~ of necessity we were all very much hands on ~ more workers than Management.

 

Russell and Peter have moved on to other ventures and are no longer Shareholders, and John resigned to return to New Zealand but remained a Shareholder.

 

With Johns resignation Neil Keys was appointed as Operations Manager.

 

Only one of the original Shareholders is still involved.

 

The name Mahogany Creek Poultry was later changed to Mahogany Creek Distributors to reflect the change in our activities.

 

Wendon Game was purchased and this was our introduction into Game Birds, Game Meats and later Bush Tucker.

 

In June 1988 we bought the existing property in Malaga to be closer to our clients and to leave the processing of Chicken to others.

 

The Malaga property has been expanded to accommodate additional Stock holding and a commercial Kitchen for Smoking products, Sausages, Patties and Chutneys.

 

Over the years Mahogany Creek has of necessity needed to reinvent itself many times to improve our service and keep up with the requirements of the Hospitality Industry.

 

Some of the areas that were pursued and since discontinued were ~

 

The Bait Company               Supply of Chicken carcases in a ground form

The Chicken Factory            Supply of Frozen Chicken product from Osborne Park

Foodhall Meats                    Boutique Butcher Shop in Myers Basement in Perth

Marinaded Chicken              Introduced marinaded to Chicken to Perth.

 

We are conscious that we are suppling a Hospitality industry that is getting younger and more adventurous and requiring a level of service and that’s why we continue making changes to accommodate this movement in the Industry.

 

Current Directors and Shareholders are ~

 

Terry Fawell              Director and Shareholder
Guy Cavanagh          Director and Shareholder

Ian Cavanagh           Shareholder
John Philp                 Shareholder
Janette Philp             Shareholder
Lance Brookes          Shareholder
 

Going forward the challenges facing Mahogany Creek include monitoring growers and suppliers for quality, continuation of supply and price.

 

For those among us that have a green tinge we are quickly moving towards a paperless Administration process.