BRM's History
Initial Land Purchases
Chan Ang began accumulating rice land in Kampong Thom province to operate an experimental test farm, leveraging over a century of his family's knowledge and expertise in the industry.
Founding of BRM
BRM was established, with foreign partners and new capital, to take over Chan Ang's existing land and continue acquisitions. The business model of BRM was conceived, for a combined plantation and milling operation, with smallholder farmer support.
Development Begins
Installation of berms, building of reservoirs, construction of first 13 km of roads and canals, investment in irrigation systems.
Seed Sales
First sale of seed to the Ministry of Agriculture - Angkor Malys - backed by JAICA.
Opening Mill
With annual capacity of 12,000 MT.
2023Grants
Received USAID grant to expand mill's dryer section.
Certifications
Received SMETA and EcoCert certifications for milling organic rice.
Mill Expansion
From 12,000 MT to 36,000 MT pa, via equity, organic cashflow, grants and technical fixes.
Further Grants
Received grant from CASA (TAF funded by FCDO and administered by Technoserve) for BRM's Regenerative Rice Project.
US Market Access
Received FDA approval to export to the USA.
Branding
Relaunch of White Elephant brand, debuted in 1885 by Chan Ang's family.
Vision & Mission
Vision & Mission
- To restore the rice value-chain that Cambodia lost to other countries in its recent history
- To lead the expansion of Cambodia's premium rice production and scale up its industrial processing
- To empower farmers and establish sustainable practices, while generating strong commercial returns
- To create a path for extending BRM's model to other crops
- To make BRM's rice venture the start of a transformation in Cambodia's agricultural destiny
Driving Change, Together
BRM's success is enhanced by strong partnerships with the Cambodian Government and leading development agencies. These collaborations enable the company to drive agricultural innovation, empower farmers and contribute to sustainable development.
Government
The new administration has made agriculture the top priority for its macro-economic policies. It strongly backs companies like BRM in developing the sector. As a result, BRM enjoys low-interest loans and reduced electricity tariffs. It is on track to become one of Cambodia's leading rice-seed providers. The Cambodian Government has announced a plan to establish a new food-processing industry in Kampong Thom, in the same area where BRM operates.
Development Agencies
These have recognized BRM as an impact player. USAID's "Market for System Preferences / Feed the Future Program" gave BRM a grant in 2023 to expand its drying capacity. USAID's Harvest III program, in collaboration with CarbonFarm, is working with BRM on a large-scale carbon credit programme. CASA Technical Assistance Facility, funded by the UK Government's Foreign, Commonweatlh & Development Office, and administered by TechnoServe, gave a grant for BRM's Regenerative Rice Project.
Executives & Team
Chan Ang
Co-Founder & CEO
Patrick Davenport
Co-Founder & Deputy CEO
Phuong Dhavy
OPERATIONS MANAGER
No Bony
Rice Mill Manager
Thong Sambath
FARM MANAGER & SEED SPECIALIST
