Proud Dacker with the support of OnDeck helps keep its customers afloat
There have been many fabulous stories of SMEs pivoting into new opportunities and supporting each other through COVID. Then there is dairy and frozen food wholesaler Dacker Pty Limited.
Primarily a distributor of dairy products such as milk, creams, cheeses, and custards, the wholesaler services a broad range of clients from corner stores, to cafes and restaurants, as well as supermarkets and international fast-food chains.
In 2019, new owners Kerry and David Crowe branched into small goods and frozen foods and increased turnover by 20% within eight months. “Then COVID struck,” Kerry lamented.
Responding to COVID
The Warwick-based wholesaler first applied for a loan from OnDeck in early 2020. Dacker mostly used the finance to help prop up some of its clientele such as pubs, cafes, and restaurants that were hit hard during the lockdown’s darkest days.
“COVID hit many of our clients, so with the help of OnDeck, we were able to help them through some challenging times. Cafes and pubs took a massive hit to their cashflows during lockdowns,” Kerry said.
“So rather than hound them to pay their accounts we decided to get a loan from OnDeck. This money enabled us to extend our payment terms to ensure our clients didn’t have to pay up faster than they could financially manage.
“We are just so pleased that we have been able to do our bit to help some of our customers keep their doors open. We live in a regional area and want to help fellow SMEs.”
Furthermore, Kerry and David Crowe’s generosity is remarkable considering the couple only took over the wholesaling business literally months before the pandemic struck and were just getting the hang of their new SME.
Working with OnDeck
Apart from supporting Dacker’s altruism, Kerry said OnDeck has been a delight to work with from day one. “We have always found OnDeck to be excellent, helpful and friendly. A loan application is all done and dusted with one phone call. There are not 52 steps you must go through to make it happen.
Moreover, getting finance fast from OnDeck is terrific. When COVID hit, some clients closed overnight, which meant a lot of stock loss. Dairy products only have a short shelf life.”
She continued, “I’d recommend OnDeck to any other SME seeking cashflow financing.”
The appeal of small business ownership
Despite the challenges of 2020, Kerry said she loves being a business owner. “David and I wanted to work together. We work exceptionally well together, which makes us enormously proud.
We also wanted our own business as it gives us the freedom to work around our family. If there are events on at school, for example, we want to be able to get to those.”
Get in touch today to find out about funding options to help finance your business’s recovery planning which may be available to you.
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