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Globally
Rabobank has grown from origins as a rural credit co-operative
in the Netherlands to become the world's leading specialist
in food and agribusiness banking.
Rabobank began as a cooperative in the Netherlands in 1898,
when farmers united to overcome rural poverty by providing
finance to help build and support each other's businesses.
From these beginnings in the domestic Dutch market Rabobank
expanded internationally, continuing its core focus on food
and agribusiness banking.
Although it has developed into a major international financial
services group, Rabobank has remained a co-operative structure,
with its approximately 369 members - local independent Dutch
banks - continuing to be its shareholders.
True to its cooperative origins, the bank's primary focus
is providing the best service, value and expertise to its
clients and establishing mutually beneficial relationships
with customers and the communities in which they operate.
Locally
Rabobank entered the Australasian market in 1990, establishing
a representative office in Sydney.
In 1994, Rabobank was granted a license to trade as a merchant
bank in Australia through its corporate banking arm, Rabo
Australia Ltd.
Rabobank acquired Primary Industry Bank of Australia Limited
(PIBA) in 1994 and continued to operate the business under
the PIBA brand name for the next nine years.
In March 2003, PIBA's name was changed to Rabobank Australia
Limited.
In 1998 in New Zealand, Rabobank purchased Wrightson Farmers
Finance and renamed it Rabobank New Zealand Limited.
In 2007, Rabobank launched an online banking service in Australia
called RaboPlus,
following the successful launch of RaboPlus
in 2006, in New Zealand.
In addition to servicing the rural market, Rabobank services
the needs of the wider food and agribusiness market in Australia
and New Zealand through:
- Specialist financial solutions to middle-market businesses
operating beyond the farm gate in the beverage, food and
agribusiness sectors
- A comprehensive range of sophisticated financial products
and services to large co-operatives and corporations in
the food and agribusiness industries
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