 Paul Bennett
CEO
Sakata Seed of America
USA
How
does your work in the seed industry benefit from what
you learned in your earlier professional life?
Most
of my professional life has been in the food industry -
production agriculture, produce, and processed foods.
That experience has helped me to understand the seed
industry better and identify many of the critical
success factors.
-
I
can see that the seed industry is an extension of
those prior experiences and intimately related to
all phases of agriculture.
-
It
is important for seed companies to work further down
the distribution
chain – beyond the distributor and the grower to the
shipper (in the case
of vegetables), the food processor, food service
providers and retailers, and where possible, with
the consumer. The flower industry has similar
needs.
-
The seed industry is typically not very ‘marketing’
oriented, lacking the sophistication to work
effectively down that distribution chain.
-
Seed breeder/producers typically understand key seed
production issues, but could improve the process by
understanding the importance of developing a ‘down
stream’ perspective – developing breeding objectives
that encompass the needs of the grower (both seed
and fresh market), the distribution of the final
product (i.e. shelf life), and traits desired by the
consumer.
-
I
greatly benefited from broad functional experience
before coming to Sakata – basic financial skills,
R&D management, production agriculture (including
production research), and marketing and sales. And,
most importantly, personnel management. All just as
important in the seed industry!
Conversely, do you believe that other industries could
benefit from some of the things you have learned as a
seed industry executive?
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The seed industry is the most complex business I
have been involved in.
It forced me (sometimes painfully) to learn the
nuances to be successful.
-
Ultimately, growth and success depend on identifying
and addressing the critical success factors that
drive any business.
-
The importance of good inventory and accounts
receivable management has never been clearer.
-
Consistently produce only what you can sell – the
ability to produce ‘marketable seed’ when needed and
at competitive costs is basic to sound inventory
management and successful sales.
-
It
‘starts with the seed’ – understand the importance
of the genetics and the properties embodied in the
seed and how it affects everything down stream.
Keep learning!
Paul Bennett
can be reached at
pbennett@sakata.com
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