Farmgate is the quintessential kiwi startup… of tomorrow. This Hamilton based outfit is using cutting edge technology to bring farm security into the future. Things might start at the farm gate, but at their core Farmgate is a tech company building IoT based systems with applications that reach far beyond the farm.
Number 8 wire meets Silicon Valley
The early British settlers didn’t have much, but they did have wire, and it was put to good use on the farm. Kiwis have been making stuff with whatever’s in the shed ever since. Although that ingenuity is in full swing at Farmgate, they had to look past the shed for the bits and pieces to build their ‘fence’ of the future.
Things got off to an interesting start with Farmgate. A payment had gone missing somewhere in China, and those funds needed to be found. While not exactly sourcing, we couldn’t turn down a kiwi business in need. Long story short, it turns out a sourcing agent makes an excellent sleuth and the mystery was solved in no time.
Having successfully completed this initial test (was it all just a test??) Farmgate enlisted our services to source the components for their farm security system. It started with a chat and from there we put together a procurement plan.
Simple solutions to complex problems
Farmgate opted for our Epic Suite package to take them through their sourcing journey. The Epic Suite combines our full suite of sourcing services in one tidy package, and we created it with growing businesses like Farmgate in mind.
Learn more about The Epic Suite here.
From there we created a detailed product list, lined up suitable suppliers and manufacturers, and briefed our team on the ground in China. Within 2 months, we’d helped Farmgate ship two containers with 71 unique products, including solar panels, high-quality battery packs, sensors and cameras. Our team in China was on hand to monitor production, conduct inspections, organise shipping, and navigate a few Chinese New Year obstacles.
“We found Epic Sourcing through a google search when we were in a bit of importing trouble and we have not been disappointed. They helped us with all aspects of sourcing, vetting, importing and transportation of our goods from China to NZ. Epic are experts at what they do, listen really well to their clients and aren't fazed by the most difficult of challenges. The team is fun to work with, responsive and very professional. They have a cost effective business model that makes working with them refreshing and a real win-win. Now we feel like part of the Epic family! Highly recommended.”
- Andrew Sing,
Managing Director, Farmgate, Hamilton NZ
The first fully operational prototype is set for installation in the coming months, and good luck to anyone trying to steal from that farm. Once full production kicks off Epic will be providing ongoing supply chain management services.
Helping innovative kiwi startups source smarter from Asia is what we’re all about at Epic, and it’s been a pleasure working with the team at Farmgate. We’re looking forward to watching this IoT company take their product across the country and around the world.
Epic.
