Robert purchased Top Shelf Feeds in 2003 from its founder, Stuart Armour. When Robert bought Top Shelf Feeds he had over 15 years of experience in corporate and commercial banking.  With commercial farming on the island declining in the following years and, despite losing the rail in 2014, Top Shelf, under his direction, has continued to support the island agricultural community and to enter the retail business, starting with the purchase of Willow Wind Feed and Tack store in 2008.  In 2010, the Duncan retail store was built beside the mill and since then we have added a store in Black Creek (recently sold), Powell River and Courtenay. Robert continues today to look to expand Top Shelf’s retail pet and feed stores across the island. He believes strongly in supporting local and giving back to the community that continues to support Top Shelf*. As a family-owned business, Robert is happy to have his daughter Sam become part of the team.

*(Top Shelf is a proud supporter of the CDH Foundation, 4H Club, Cowichan Green Community, Stuff a Truck, Cowichan Exhibition, and has also sponsored a number of community bursaries).

In this industry, it takes bright and resourceful people to be successful.  At Top Shelf, we are privileged to have over 30 years of Dennis Comeau’s experience.  Dennis joined our company in 1990 as a simple clean-up boy and quickly advanced through the mill learning all aspects of Top Shelf Feeds.  Dennis excels in the mill operations such as planning, production, and delivery.  Having a business mind, he is always on top of our budget for production taking into consideration maintenance and transport costs.  This knowledge of both sides of the industry makes a difference in the quality of service that we can offer our clients and gives them the confidence that they are in good hands.

There is always the person in the office who works behind the scenes to make the process and paperwork flow. With Lori’s 25 years of accounting and administration experience here at Top Shelf, she is constantly improving how the team works and helping each person in their department achieve their goals. Specializing in sales, grain purchasing, inventory, and retail management, Lori has gained invaluable industry experience. Her exceptional people skills make it easy for her to respond professionally in stressful situations. We can find Lori digging into tasks that become over and above her workload thriving in challenges is what makes her unique to the company.

Ken is born and raised in the Cowichan Valley.  Having been a farmer his whole life Top Shelf found him the perfect candidate for our “On-Farm Contact”.  You can find Ken going from farm to farm on a daily basis, as well as taking soil samples, feed samples delivering product, and a whole lot more.  You can ask Ken anything from seed, fertilizer, corn, or livestock.  If he doesn’t know the answer he knows someone who does.

15 years of administration in accounting and 5 years of management in faced paced setting you can find Laurie working front and center with our suppliers.  Applying “soft” and “hard skills” she manages to make the tasks involved a smooth process.  Laurie thrives on teamwork and challenges which makes her an important asset to our team.  Her experience in retail helps to make her position here at Top Shelf unique.