Originally posted by Cultura Technologies
John Roos is the General Manager of ExtendAg, a mission-critical SaaS solution for sourcing, management and visibility of raw fruit and vegetable crops that has been trusted by leading food processors for over 45 years. ExtendAg is part of the Cultura Technologies collaborative of companies.
It’s been about a year and a half since I joined ExtendAg and Cultura Technologies and I thought this would be a good time to reflect on my experience so far, the many benefits of being a business leader within Cultura Technologies and share my vision for what’s to come.
Culture of Collaboration
One of the most rewarding aspects of being part of Cultura is the collaborative environment. Every business within Cultura lives and breathes agriculture and food, and we’re all passionate about making a real difference. Our collaborative is unique because it’s both horizontally focused and vertically specialized across the agri-food supply chain. We share a common goal: to enhance the world’s most important industry. This shared mission creates a strong sense of camaraderie and purpose.
Onboarding and Ongoing Mentorship
When I joined ExtendAg in early 2023, I knew right away it was the perfect fit. Cultura’s onboarding process was incredibly thorough, giving me the time I needed to understand the team, our customers, and the industry landscape. One of the highlights of my onboarding was the mentorship from a fellow Cultura business leader, Mary Wilson. Her ongoing insights and guidance have been invaluable as I’ve been navigating my new role.
Vision and Strategy Alignment
Aligning ExtendAg/Cultura’s vision with my leadership style has been a natural process. I’ve always believed in transparency and collaboration, building on the successes of the past. ExtendAg has a rich history, serving the agriculture industry for over 45 years with a loyal customer base and significant market share. Our vision and strategic objectives are closely tied to continuing this legacy and expanding our offerings to provide even greater value to our industry.
Supported Autonomy
Each of the businesses within the Cultura portfolio operates with significant autonomy, yet is supported by a strong foundation of knowledge, expertise and best practices. At ExtendAg, we’ve evolved in many ways that are unique to our business and have always been supported by Cultura. For example:
– We’ve taken a fresh look at our strategic plan to ensure it aligned with our market focus. We know our target markets well, and we’ve mapped out a clear R&D roadmap to drive value creation and have invested in marketing to fuel growth.
– We’ve prioritized direct engagement with our customers. Understanding their needs and challenges firsthand is crucial. We’ve increased our onsite plant visits and participation in industry events, gathering valuable feedback. This proactive approach helps us address issues promptly and improve our customers’ experiences, positioning us as leaders in driving transformational change.
– We’ve implemented several initiatives to foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and employee engagement and have prioritized in-person events for strategic collaboration and team building.
Synergistic Approach
At ExtendAg, our focus is on adopting technologies that offer significant value to our customers and target markets. This includes forming partnerships within the industry and leveraging synergies with Cultura to quickly deploy solutions that benefit the entire agri-food sector. By tapping into Cultura’s resources and networks, we’ve launched several initiatives that drive mutual growth. This collaborative approach enhances our ability to serve the agri-food industry effectively, creating a win-win situation for all involved.
Looking Ahead
As I look to the future, my goal is to further establish ExtendAg as an industry leader and a household name in the food processing sector. We share Cultura’s passion for enhancing the world’s most important industry. Over the next five to 10 years, I see ExtendAg continuing to thrive within Cultura’s ecosystem, driven by an aggressive strategy and a passionate vision for the agri-food industry. This will open new opportunities for investment and partnerships, solidifying our position as a market leader.
My journey with ExtendAg and Cultura has been one of growth, collaboration, and innovation. I’m excited about what the future holds and confident that, as a portfolio, we’ll continue to make a significant impact on the agriculture industry.
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