Like many CEOs I talk to on this topic, we are going through an ERP implementation as well. So that’s kind of the backbone in systems and processes of the company, helping to align and modernize how we operate. We have 23 different systems that we’re amalgamating into three, and we’re making it simple so that it’s one version of the truth with higher order language, we’ll call it, and capabilities that keep the system real-time versus some of our legacy systems that we utilize today. And I’d say the other piece of our growth plan is around that consumer-facing audience. How do we best support those selling our products? And more importantly, how do we understand what’s coming at us? We have to think about different generations and consumption habits, and how we participate and be relevant to all of our consumers across the board. And I think that there’s a ton of A, innovation, and B, things that we can do back on the farm to have a significant impact on that. It’s not about setting lofty, abstract goals or adding layers of complexity just for the sake of it. It’s really about being better at what we do every day and making sure that we meet the evolving needs of our consumers. What about technology and innovation? Are you guys at Christensen Farms leveraging efficiencies in tech advancements? Anything you’re excited about? I always remember Bob’s — for me, it’s a famous quote, it might not be for your viewers — but he always had this saying that, you know, it’s one thing to be on the leading edge, but the other side is the bleeding edge. And so it’s this cautiousness that is embedded within the culture of our organization. But we are branching out in terms of, we do try new technologies. We thoroughly vet them but we’re not creating the technologies today. Today we’re just maybe strategic early adopters at best, but we’re not on the farm tinkering and making things better for ourselves. And that’s an area that I think we will invest in in the future. But there’s all kinds of basic things to lean into in the tech and innovation space, in terms of feed, air, and water. There’s a wide range of technologies being developed to help producers become more consistent, repeatable, and proactive, whether it’s detecting health challenges early or identifying issues in something as specific as a roofline, let alone across an entire site. So we’re also looking at bin monitoring. Of course, we’ve got a lot of work that has gone into that, and that’s going to be a great technology to deploy. You know, we think of not
only what’s the return on the technology that you’re deploying, but we can justify it just on safety alone. As an example, if a technology can eliminate the need to climb bins and allow team members to stay safely on the ground, that alone makes it worthwhile. I think if we can have technologies that help us with the basics, which we’re actively engaged in today, and deploy them throughout the system, and then we’re able to harness some new data that we didn’t have in the past, which is very exciting for an engineering-background person like me. When we look at consumer trends, Greg, whether it’s demand for the product or whether it’s animal welfare, how is Christensen adapting to change in demands? I know we talked about sustainability before, but maybe more so on product quality? I think product quality is an up-and-coming trend. We’ve talked about it in the past, and as an industry now. And then we get into other topics that could be how we house our animals or, you know, whatever the “flavor of the day” is for the industry. And we’ve been very focused on leveraging our farm-to-fork model to be able to better understand what we are producing and at what quality levels we’re able to, for a very long time. And I think that’s very important and key to work with all stakeholders in terms of whether it’s genetics or feed or the environment in which the pigs are housed. And there’s also a huge impact in terms of how pigs are harvested, what that cold- chain management looks like, and that has an impact on the quality and eating experience for our products. We’ve been leaning into that and utilizing data so that we are repeatable in our practices for quality improvement, but there’s also a whole plethora of innovation. Just go to the grocery store and take a look at the shelves of different products that have emerged over the last several years to be able to take loins, and do something different. What about portion size? What about our product not just as the center of the plate, but as an ingredient that augments others? I think we’re playing in a lot of those spaces or trying to, but at Christensen Farms we focus on what are the signals from those that are in the field and experiencing and or innovating product, and then what can we do to actually make it better and yet be cost-competitive so that our offerings are affordable for the public at large?
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