CHS Broadbent

What CHS Broadbent does

CHS Broadbent Pty Ltd is an Australian integrated grain supply chain company headquartered in Wendouree/Ballarat, Victoria, with operations across Victoria, Northern NSW, and Southern Queensland. Founded in 1952 by Ned Broadbent as a firewood freight business, it has grown over three generations into a multi-service grain originator, handler, marketer, and exporter. The company is owned 50% by the Broadbent family and 50% by CHS Inc., a Fortune 100 US farmer-owned cooperative, with the partnership formalized in October 2014 and the company rebranded as CHS Broadbent in 2017.

The company operates four grain receival and storage sites (Lakaput and Lake Bolac in Victoria, Moree in Northern NSW, and Jondaryan in Southern Queensland), two container packing plants (Toowoomba QLD and Ballarat VIC), a fleet of 54 trucks with 86 bulk trailers and 26 container trailers, and is developing a new 80,000 metric tonne bulk grain export terminal at Geelong, Victoria, with 1.5 million MT annual design capacity. Its technology stack includes warehouse management systems, GPS-tracked transport, a Salesforce-based Grower Portal with iOS/Android apps, and a separate Client Portal for domestic and export buyers. Differentiated service tools include Dynamic Binning (a quality-based on-the-spot upgrade system), Price It Later contracts (up to 60% advance with deferred pricing through 2026), Deferred Payment, and ex-farm pickup.

CHS Broadbent generates revenue through four primary streams: (1) trading margins on grain (wheat, barley, canola, sorghum, pulses, oats) bought from growers and sold to domestic consumers, container exporters, and bulk export channels; (2) storage and handling fees at its six receival/packing sites; (3) freight revenue from its own transport fleet covering Victoria, South Australia, NSW and Queensland; and (4) container packing and export services, with a new bulk export channel coming via Geelong. Customers are primarily Australian grain growers (SMB), with secondary segments in domestic end users (maltsters, feed mills, food processors) and international buyers across Asia, the Middle East, and the EU biodiesel industry. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with payment terms ranging from one business day (cash) to deferred payment options.

Name

CHS Broadbent

Legal name

CHS Broadbent Pty Ltd

Website

https://chsbroadbent.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

CHS Broadbent is an Australian integrated grain supply chain company providing marketing, storage, handling, logistics, and export services to grain growers across Victoria, NSW, and Queensland, jointly owned 50/50 by the Broadbent family and CHS Inc.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Grain Supply Chain Services

NAICS

Grain and Field Bean Merchant Wholesalers (424510), Farm Product Warehousing and Storage (493130)

SIC

Wholesale-Farm Product Raw Materials (5150)

akta.pro primary industry

Grain Merchandising & Origination Facilities (AFAOAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rail-Served Bulk Grain Terminals & Transload Warehouses (AFAOACAD), Inland River/Barge Grain Terminals & Warehousing (AFAOACAE), Bulk Terminal Services & Operations (Stevedoring, Sampling, Weighing, Blending) (TLAHABAO), Bulk Loadout Systems (Railcar/Truck/Vessel) (AFAOAAAH)

Keywords

• Grain marketing services
• Grain storage handling
• Bulk grain logistics
• Grain export packing
• Agricultural freight services

Headquarters

HQ city

Wendouree

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Grain Trading and Marketing: CHS Broadbent buys and sells grains including wheat, barley, canola, sorghum, pulses and oats. Revenue is generated through trading margins on buy/sell transactions with grain growers, domestic consumers and container exporters. The company offers multiple pricing mechanisms including cash, contract, delivered and ex-farm pricing.
2. Storage and Handling: Modern grain receival storage and handling facilities at Lakaput, Lake Bolac, Moree and Jondaryan. Revenue generated through storage fees, handling charges, and warehouse agreements for bulk storage of grains, pulses and oilseeds.
3. Logistics and Freight: Transportation of bulk commodities through their fleet of 54 trucks, 86 bulk trailers and 26 container trailers. Freight services cover Victoria, South Australia, NSW and Queensland with competitively priced freight, security and reassurance for grain delivery from end to end.
4. Container Packing and Export: State of the art grain container packing facilities in Toowoomba QLD and Ballarat VIC. Revenue from packing services including containerisation of grain, packing and delivery to port, connecting Australian farmers direct to consumers worldwide.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CHS Broadbent is an integrated Australian grain supply chain provider offering grain marketing, bulk storage and handling, freight logistics, container packing, and export services. The company buys and sells wheat, barley, canola, sorghum, pulses, and oats, while operating storage facilities, a fleet of trucks and trailers, and export packing plants that connect Australian grain growers with domestic and international markets.

Product overview

CHS Broadbent is an integrated grain supply chain company offering a unified platform of services spanning grain marketing, logistics, storage, handling, and export. The core offering consists of four main service pillars: Grain Marketing Services (cash, contract, delivered pricing for wheat, barley, canola, sorghum, pulses, oats), Logistics (freight fleet of 54 trucks with bulk and container trailers), Storage and Handling (facilities at Lakaput, Lake Bolac, Moree, and Jondaryan), and Export Services (container packing in Toowoomba and Ballarat). Supporting sub-products include Price It Later contracts, Deferred Payment options, Exfarm Grain Program, and Dynamic Binning quality upgrades. The company also provides digital platforms (Grower Portal and Client Portal) for account management. This is a single integrated supply chain rather than a modular platform architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Grain Marketing Services Comprehensive grain marketing service offering cash, contract, delivered and ex-farm pricing for wheat, barley, canola, sorghum, pulses and oats, with a focus on originating grain on an ex-farm basis from Australian grain growers.
• Logistics and Freight Services Freight and logistics services for end-to-end grain delivery with a fleet of 54 trucks, 86 bulk trailers and 26 container trailers covering Victoria, South Australia, NSW and Queensland.
• Storage and Handling Services Modern grain receival storage and handling facilities at Lakaput and Lake Bolac in Victoria, Jondaryan in Queensland, and Moree in NSW, providing reliable and customer-focused service for bulk storage of grains, pulses and oilseeds.
• Export and Container Packing Services Grain container packing facilities in Toowoomba QLD and Ballarat VIC that complete the supply chain by containerising grain and delivering to port, connecting Australian farmers to consumers worldwide via bulk and container export.
• Price It Later Contract Cashflow management contract enabling growers to receive up to 60% of commodity value upfront while deferring pricing of wheat and barley until a later date, with flat monthly management fees.
• Deferred Payment Program Cashflow management tool allowing growers to lock in current wheat, barley and canola prices with payment deferred to July 2025.
• Exfarm Grain Program Prompt harvest pickup service where CHS Broadbent collects grain from farm during harvest and manages grade spreads, available for wheat, barley, canola, oats, chickpeas, faba beans and durum.
• Dynamic Binning Service Quality-based grain upgrading service that tests incoming grain against the previous 500MT in the applicable stack; wheat and barley within tolerance zones meeting GTA standards are upgraded on the spot.
• Grower Portal Online platform and mobile application (iOS and Android) for growers to manage deliveries, contracts, warehoused grain, payments and ticket transfers.
• Client Portal Online portal for clients to manage cash purchases, warehoused grain, out-turn orders and transfers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80,000 metric tonne bulk grain export terminal with 1.5 million metric tonnes annual capacity
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Midway LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023Land sale agreement for five hectares of the Midway Limited site at North Shore, Geelong for development of a new 80,000 metric tonne bulk grain export terminal. Midway Limited is a leading Australian plantation and carbon management and woodfibre export company headquartered in Geelong.
• CHS Australia (CHS Inc.)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2014In October 2014, Broadbent Grain welcomed CHS Australia as a partner to extend growth within the Australian grain industry. CHS Australia is wholly owned by CHS Inc, North America's largest farmer-owned Cooperative. CHS Inc is a Fortune 100 global agribusiness owned by farmers, ranchers and cooperatives across the US. CHS Broadbent is 50% owned by the Broadbent family and 50% owned by CHS Inc. The partnership brought global grain market connections and further value-added services.
• Grain Trade AustraliaminorOthersIndustry association for grain trade in Australia. CHS Broadbent maintains membership and follows GTA trade rules for contracts.
• Grain Industry Association of Victoria (GIAV)minorOthersPeak industry body representing Victoria's grain industry. CHS Broadbent participates as a member.
• Bureau of MeteorologyminorOthersGovernment weather forecasting service. Referenced for agricultural production planning and market analysis.
• Southern Farming SystemsminorOthersAgricultural research organization supporting farming systems in southern Australia. CHS Broadbent partners with them for industry knowledge and best practices.
• Queensland Agricultural Merchants IncminorOthersIndustry association for agricultural merchants in Queensland.
• Queensland Trucking AssociationminorOthersIndustry body for trucking operators in Queensland. CHS Broadbent maintains membership for freight operations.
• Fiona Elsey Cancer Research InstitutecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration called 'Grain for Hope' - every tonne of grain donated raises funds for cancer research. Australia's only regional cancer research facility based in Ballarat. 100% of donated grain value goes to cancer research after levies are deducted.
• Central Office for Sustainable CanolacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHS Broadbent joined the Central Office in 2019 to ensure farmers delivering canola have access to EU biodiesel market. The Central Office (established by Australian Oilseed Federation) simplifies ISCC certification requirements for farmers to access sustainable canola markets.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• CBH Group: Australia's largest grain handler, farmer-owned cooperative operating ~100 receival sites and four bulk export terminals in Western Australia. Comparable as integrated grain origination, storage, handling and export operator, though primarily WA-focused.
• GrainCorp: ASX-listed Australian agribusiness operating grain receival, storage, handling, and bulk export terminals across eastern Australia. Directly comparable as a grain supply chain operator in the same east coast corridor (Victoria, NSW, Queensland) with port export infrastructure.
• Viterra (Bunge): Global grain network (now part of Bunge) with significant Australian operations including port terminals and storage. Direct competitor in Australian grain origination and export, with substantially larger parent balance sheet.
• ADM Australia: Australian arm of Archer Daniels Midland, global grain and oilseed trader. Operates origination and export activities in Australia, competing for grower grain and bulk export volumes alongside CHS Broadbent.
• Cargill Australia: Subsidiary of Cargill, one of the world's largest grain traders. Operates grain origination, storage, and export activities in Australia. Competes for Australian grower origination and export volumes with global trading capabilities.
• Bunge Australia: Australian subsidiary of Bunge, global agribusiness with grain origination, storage and export operations. Competes in eastern Australia for grain supply and bulk export markets, now combined with Viterra post-merger.
• Louis Dreyfus Company Australia: Australian arm of global commodity merchant Louis Dreyfus Company. Operates grain origination, cotton, and oilseed activities in Australia, competing with CHS Broadbent for grower origination and export volumes.

Direct peers

• Plum Grove: Western Australian grain accumulator and marketer focused on container and bulk export. Comparable mid-sized Australian grain trader competing in the same origination and export services market as CHS Broadbent.
• Emerald Grain: Australian grain marketer, storage and export company (owned by Sumitomo). Operates east coast receival sites and the Melbourne Port terminal. Direct competitor in grain origination and bulk/container export.
• Riordan Grains: Australian grain marketer and container packer operating across eastern Australia. Comparable direct peer in grain marketing, container packing and export services targeting similar grower customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/tr?id=877823113272254&ev=PageView&noscript=1
• Xx.com/CHSBroadbent

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CHS Broadbent