AgTalk S2E7 - The Story of the Roaring Forties Lamb with James Madden

It is my pleasure to welcome James Madden, CEO of Flinders + Co to the Marcus Oldham AgTalk Podcast. Flinders + Co is a premium food production and distribution company founded in 2010 by James father David Madden. As the name suggest it is based on Flinders Island which is situated in the Bass Strait just off the northeast coast of Tasmania. As started, James is the CEO which makes him responsible for the day to day operations of the company. He oversees brand design, marketing and sales strategy, and production and process improvements. He was responsible for the purchase, renovation, and initial production of the company’s abattoir on Flinders Island Flinders + Co started by using a direct distribution model into Victoria that has grown into a successful stand alone operation. James describes himself as a jack of many trades and a master of none. His childhood was spent on the farm, adolescence in the suburbs, and his early adulthood in the city. He first studied to be a pilot, and his first job was in a sheep skin salting shed. In 2018 James changed the identity of the company from Flinders Island Meat to Flinders + Co (the reason why we will be discussing).  He describes the business as a purpose driven organization with a vision he is proud of which is “To Cultivate a Better Food World”. Also on 1st Dec 2018, Flinders + Co became the first meat company in the world, to fully offset all carbon emissions from not only their business, but every kilogram of meat they sell. He said to me, "We’ve got no idea what we’re doing, but we are learning and trying to do our best at every step of the way" which makes him an ideal guest for the podcast. The discussions on this podcast are for general information and education use only. These discussions should not be taken as constituting professional advice from the either AgTalk, Marcus Oldham College or our guests. This episode was recorded in September 2021. Marcus Oldham College, AgTalk or our podcasts guests are not liable for any loss caused, whether due to negligence or otherwise arising from the use of, or reliance on, the information provided directly or indirectly, by listening to this podcast.