Hay Grains changes hands - Paul and Jenny Fellows pass the baton to ‘popcornologists’ Ian and James Kondarovskis

Hay Grains new owners (from left) Ian and James Kondarovski, with Jenny and Paul Fellows. Image: The Riverine Grazier / Krista Schade.

By Krista Schade

Hay Grains storage facility in east Hay has changed hands, after JEK Rural Investments purchased the depot.

Deniliquin-based Paul and Jenny Fellows have owned the business for the past seven years and say they have enjoyed their time as part of the business community.

“Jenny and I have enjoyed our time with Hay Grains and the relationships we’ve made and loyalty we have seen from customers,” Paul Fellows told The Riverine Grazier.

“We have had excellent service from local businesses such as Geoff Murphy Electrical and Crighton’s Engineering, and made many lovely friendships.

“Hay really is a great town and we wish the Kondarovskis family every success.”

JEK Rural Investments is a partnership of the Kondarovskis brothers, James and Ian, who, together with their father Janis and brother Eric, have a family history of innovation and expansion.

The two brothers have expanded into Hay, to increase the storage of popcorn, processed at either the Darlington Point mill, or the company’s founding plant in the Dandenong Ranges.

“We need to expand the Darlington Point storage capacity,” Ian explained.

“We need additional storage for our P1837 and 1756 varieties (of popcorn) and are keen to speak with farmers keen to grow.”

Store brand popcorn in major supermarkets is the work of the Kondarovskis family, as well as Movie Time branded hot buttered cinema popcorn. They also produce fairy floss and coloured, flavoured popcorn.

James and Ian’s grandfather immigrated from Latvia, and as a young man their father Janis travelled in a van selling ready-to-eat popcorn store to store. In the beginning every kernel was popped at home.

“We think he saw popcorn and thought ‘I can make that’ and so he did,” James said.

Janis quickly expanded into supplying cinemas with product and equipment, bringing that buttery aroma to movie goers across the country. He even purchased Hoyts’ own popcorn business, which was struggling to turn a profit, selling to themselves.

Passion for business obviously runs in the family. As the family in Australia expands into popcorn warehouses across the country and into New Zealand, brother Eric has established packaging manufacturing in Shanghai, Los Angeles and El Salvador.

The partnership between the Kondarovskis brothers and Hay’s Nutrien branch, to raise funds for CanAssist will continue.

Anyone needing weighbridge facilities can book in at Nutrien’s office on the Maude Road, with both businesses donating 100 per cent of fees to the Hay branch of CanAssist.

Mr Fellows confirmed that Fellows Transport operations would continue as usual.