For years, Harris Farm Markets ran like a classic family business, right down to boardroom debates over strawberry pricing and other tiny details. The intimacy is fading as the premium grocer exceeds $1 billion in sales and targets close to a dozen additional stores across Australia.
Harris Farm, now the country’s largest premium grocery chain, is bringing in external directors to match its growth trajectory and national ambitions. Coogee Capital’s co-founder, a former airline executive and investment banker, has been appointed to the board after previously circling the company as a buyer.
Coogee Capital tried to acquire a stake in Harris Farm in 2022 when the family considered external capital, but the business ultimately stayed private. That decision kept control in-house while opening the door to outside expertise.
Another independent director was already in place before the latest appointment. A former National Foods chief executive chairs Harris Farm’s advisory board and now acts as a full time board director, giving the grocer heavyweight fast moving consumer goods experience.
Recruitment is underway for a further independent director, which will deepen the board’s bench as it navigates store roll outs and operational complexity. The mix of family leadership and independent governance is now central to how the retailer plans its next growth phase.
