InDaily’s annual ranking of the state’s top 100 companies by market capitalisation and revenue covers the 2020/21 financial year and includes more volatility than usual, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The list, compiled for InDaily by Adelaide financial services firm Taylor Collison, is the state’s most definitive guide to our top companies (scroll to the bottom of the page for eligibility criteria).

The countdown began yesterday, with the companies ranked 100 to 81, and will continue all week – with the top 20 and full list revealed on Friday.

The winners of the individual awards – the”rising star” award for the company that has jumped furthest up the rankings, a revenue growth award, one recognising the best new entrant to the Index and a new award this year for the standout large employer will also be announced on Friday.

Food companies played a strong hand in the 80-61 section of the list with long-established SA brands Barossa Fine Foods, Haighs Chocolates and Clean Seas Seafood among those represented.

Edinburgh North company Knoll Consultants and Investments is headed by Franz Knoll and trades as Barossa Fine Foods. Its other brands include Angelakis Brothers and Standom Smallgoods.

Knoll entered the list at No.80 this year following its recent acquisitions.

Another food company, Beston Global Foods, fell 22 places on the list to No. 76 this year despite increasing its revenues by almost 10 per cent to $112 million.

The company employs almost 300 people and generates the bulk of its income from mozzarella cheese, which is produced near the banks of the Murray at Jervois.

Taylor Collison senior adviser Rob Rorrison said while cheese accounted for about 90 per cent of Beston’s $120 million in revenue in 2020-21, it also operated a factory in the Victorian town of Shepparton where non-core meat and other food products were manufactured.

“Beston’s recent instalment of state-of-the-art facilities in Jervois will see the business develop into a lactoferrin manufacturer, a unique dairy product with significant commercial and medicinal value,” he said.

Primary producer Duxton Broadacre Farms was among the bigger improvers in the section, up nine places to 72, behind Cowandilla-based logistics company Customs Agency Services, which was up 14 spots to 63.

8o. Knoll Consultants & Investments

Sector: Food and beverage | Revenue: Undisclosed | Last Year’s Ranking: Unranked

Knoll Consultants & Investments are a specialist food store business, primarily owning and operating Barossa Fine Foods and its brands, including The Cheesemonger, Angelakis Bros, Standom Smallgoods and Schulz Butchers.

79. Korvest

Sector: Infrastructure and Transportation | Revenue: $69.7m | Last Year’s Ranking: 76

Korvest is a supplier of cable and pipe supports, industrial access and safety systems, fastening solutions and galvanising services.

78. Buddy Technologies

Sector: Information technology and equipment | Revenue: $28.7m | Last Year’s Ranking: 43

Buddy Technologies Limited produces data aggregation, management and control platforms for the internet of things and connected devices.

77. Aerometrex .

Sector: Information technology and equipment | Revenue: $20.9m | Last Year’s Ranking: 50

Aerometrex provides high-resolution spacial data products and services using aerial mapping technology.

76. Beston Global Food Company

Sector: Agriculture | Revenue: $112.4m | Last Year’s Ranking: 54

Beston Global Food Company Limited exports a range of food products, focusing on dairy and meat.

75. Terramin Australia

Sector: Mining | Revenue: Not meaningful | Last Year’s Ranking: 59

 Terramin is a base and precious metal development company with advanced zinc and gold projects in South Australia and Algeria.

 74. A.E. Haigh (Haigh’s Chocolates)

Sector: Food and Beverage | Revenue: Undisclosed | Last Year’s Ranking: 71

Haigh’s Chocolates creates Australian-made chocolates in Adelaide.

73. Wallbridge Gilbert Aztec

Sector: Professional services | Revenue: Undisclosed| Last Year’s Ranking: 70

Wallbridge Gilbert Aztec is an engineering and project management firm offering consulting services, including structural, civil, maritime, mechanical, geotechnical, heavy lifting, temporary works, project management, electrical and pressure vessels.

72. Duxton Broadacre Farms

Sector: Agriculture | Revenue: $17.8m | Last Year’s Ranking: 81

Duxton Broadacre Farms offers investors a diversified portfolio of Australian farms.

71. Outside Ideas

Sector: Building and construction | Revenue: $74.5m | Last Year’s Ranking: 68

Outside Ideas is a large-scale landscaping works, civil construction, structural concreting, and maintenance provider.

70. Racing SA

Sector: Thoroughbred racing | Revenue: $83.5m | Last Year’s Ranking: unranked

Racing SA is the controlling body for horse racing in South Australia.

69. Weeks Group

Sector: Building and construction | Revenue: Undisclosed | Last Year’s Ranking: 65

Weeks Group is a residential builder in South Australia and Victoria.

68. Arrowcrest Group

Sector: Automotive | Revenue: $163.8m | Last Year’s Ranking: 64

Arrowcrest is the parent company of automotive and farming machinery companies ROH Wheels, John Shearer, Unicast, Tristar, NonFerral, Kockums Industries and Brownbuilt.

67. Leigh Creek Energy

Sector: Energy | Revenue: Not meaningful | Last Year’s Ranking: 66

Leigh Creek Energy Limited is developing a coal gasification project, the Leigh Creek Energy Project, located 550km north of Adelaide.

66. Maughan Thiem Automotive

Sector: Automotive | Revenue: $219.5m | Last Year’s Ranking: Unranked

Maughan Theim Automotive is an automotive motor vehicle company which runs a variety of dealerships in South Australia.

65. Clean Seas Seafood

Sector: Agriculture | Revenue: $48.5m | Last Year’s Ranking: 67

Clean Seas is a commercial producer of kingfish and a pioneer in the country’s emerging aquaculture industry.

64. Venross

Sector: Retail | Revenue: $96m | Last Year’s Ranking: Unranked

Venross operate as a retail and entertainment wholesaler, VR Distribution, selling merchandise including board and card games and collectibles.

63. Custom Agency Services

Sector: Infrastructure and transportation | Revenue: Undisclosed | Last Year’s Ranking: 77

Customs Agency Services is an international freight forwarding and customs brokerage organisation.

62. Independent Pub Group Holdings (GM Hotels)

Sector: Food and beverage | Revenue: $84m | Last Year’s Ranking: 62

Independent Pub Group Holdings operates licensed hotels and retail liquor outlets in South Australia.

61. Tic:Toc

Sector: Financial technology | Revenue: Undisclosed | Last Year’s Ranking: unranked

Tic:Toc is a finance technology company that launched in 2017 to provide cheaper home loans using proprietary technology.

Eligibility

Companies owned in part or whole by government, government agencies and organisations, and registered charities are not eligible.

While companies don’t have to nominate to be included in the list, which is based on market capitalisation, local businesses are encouraged to put their names forward.

To be eligible a company must be:

• A South Australian entity with an Adelaide ownership register, or a South Australian operated entity; or
• A company founded and majority-owned by South Australians.

Now in its seventh year, the Index has become a key source of data for those with a keen interest in the South Australian economy and business environment.