Chris Stevenson
Collins Wholesale Meats – Queensland
Chris views his career in the Australian pork industry as a way of controlling his own destiny. Before taking on his current role as General Manager of Collins Wholesale Meats, Chris had a successful career as a pharmacist. But when the opportunity to become a partner in a pharmacy business arose, Chris realised that he would never have the same freedom to determine his own future as he would in the pork industry.
Chris has a family history with Australian pork. His father was involved in the industry in a number of ways including animal husbandry, nutrition, wholesale, exporting and manufacturing. Thanks to his father’s example Chris had always seen the diversity of roles offered in the industry.
After leaving his career as a pharmacist, the challenge of trying something new drew Chris to take a role in his father’s wholesale business. He hasn’t looked back since.
In the last three years, Chris has continued to build the business by introducing a production side of the business. The business’ farms currently produce 20 per cent of the pigs that go through the wholesale business. He’s even opened a restaurant in Ipswich, meaning that for the people who eat pork products in the restaurant he is responsible for all aspects of the supply chain from paddock to plate.