From a "hair-brained idea" that was an "unmitigated disaster" in its first year to a company that sells biological fertilisers right across the globe, Neutrog has never shied away from a challenge and its latest expansion is no exception.
The SA-based company is investing $3.5 million in a state-of-the-art research and education facility at its Kanmantoo site in the Adelaide Hills.
Neutrog currently employs three full-time microbiologists that conduct research and development on microbes that encourage plant growth and nutrient uptake, and inhibit soil and plant diseases.
The microbes are incorporated into fertilisers that service the broadacre, horticulture, viticulture, turf and home garden sectors and offer an alternative to chemical-based products.
Neutrog continues to grow its reach across Australia and overseas, with annual revenue expected to hit $22 million this financial year.
The company employs more than 70 staff at its Kanmantoo site and invests more than $1m a year into R&D.
The $3.5m spend will allow the company to grow its research area four-fold and add several scientists to its team.
"Research and development is an integral part of our company's DNA," Neutrog Australia managing director Angus Irwin said.
"We have outgrown our existing laboratory and with the increasing demand we are experiencing from our customers and partners we need to position for the future.
"It is widely recognised that over the next 20 years, food production needs to increase by 70 to 100 per cent from diminishing areas of arable land just to feed the world's growing population.
"Biologicals are increasingly seen as playing a significant role in achieving this goal."
The new research centre will include a biosecurity containment level 2 approved laboratory, allowing Neutrog to receive and process soils sourced from overseas.
An 80-seat education centre has been designed to meet growing interest from schools, tertiary, industry and community groups, while an existing carpark is being transformed into a greenscape with sensory spaces for additional hands-on learning for primary school groups.
"We already get a lot of visitors who are fascinated by microbes and what we do," Mr Irwin said.
"When we went down this biological avenue we realised we had to take a leadership role in the education of farmers and growers, so this is a natural extension of that."
Construction of the research centre and education hub is expected to begin later this year and completion is expected by mid-2025.
FROM LITTLE THINGS, BIG THINGS GROW
Hailing from a family farm at Keith, Angus Irwin is one of Neutrog's three founders.
As a second-born son, Mr Irwin was looking for a way to remain in the agricultural industry when he and two partners founded Neutrog in 1988.
"My dad was silly enough to guarantee a $1 million loan," he chuckled.
"We started up here and turned over $68,000 in our first year and had an interest bill of $180,000.
"It was an unmitigated disaster. But in the third year we made a profit which was quite remarkable given how we'd started."
Starting out as an organic fertiliser pellet producer, Neutrog started delving into the nature of their fertilisers from a biological viewpoint.
They put composted chicken manure into beer brewing kits with the idea of brewing 'super composting' bacteria.
They eventually propagated the good bacteria found in the compost, which opened up "a whole new world of possibilities" and led to the development of products like GOGO Juice, Seamungus and Gyganic.
As the company has progressed, they've formed various partnerships to develop plant specific fertilisers like Bush Tucker, Gyganic for Veggies, Fruit and Citrus, Kahoona, Sudden Impact for Roses, Strike Back for Orchids, Sudden Impact for Lawns and Upsurge.
Mr Irwin said performance had always been at the heart of what the company does.
He said the differentiation between biological and organic from his point of view was that a "degree of performance" was required for a biological product to make it to market.
The company's approach to its products is mirrored in its research, with senior research assistant Juhee Hada saying "what we do at Neutrog is not research for research's sake".
"We work closely alongside farmers and growers so we get to see the real life impact of our R&D," she said.
"I'm excited by the difference our team is making in agriculture and horticulture and what that means for the future of food production."
Neutrog's R&D team is led by world-renowned microbiologist Dr Uwe Stroeher.
The program also receives input from a Biological Advisory Board led by Professor Paul Manning.
