Ferguson And Plarre Families Unite To Grab Bigger Slice

Melbourne Herald Sun:

For decades the Ferguson and Plarre families were friendly rivals who helped each other along the way and referred customers to each other.

But in 1980 the family bakeries merged to form Ferguson Plarre Bakehouses.

Nearly three decades down the track, Ralph Plarre said it was the logical thing to do.

“We were cross supplying each other for a while and then we amalgamated,” he said.

“It was really to make the business bigger and to be able to rationalise our business.”

Mr Plarre said the Ferguson and Plarre families seemed to naturally find their own niches, playing to their strengths.

The Plarre focus is on the bakery side of the business while the Fergusons concentrate on retail.

Mr Plarre and Ken Ferguson are joint chief executive officers of the company. Their children form the fifth generation of the families to work in the family firm.

Mr Plarre’s children, Michael, Steven and Lauren, work in the business and Mr Ferguson’s son, Anthony, and his wife, Pam, also work on the retail side. Read full story.