Retallick relishes salami future

Culum Retallick believes in the need for players to set up business opportunities while they are still playing.

One of the biggest issues facing professional rugby players is what to do after their careers are over.

Many players have found themselves with no idea what to do once the crowd's applause falls silent.

Bay of Plenty Steamers and Blues lock Culum Retallick is not in that category. The 29-year-old has made an astute investment in a local business that is rapidly making its mark on the smallgoods market.

Retallick was thinking about what business he could get into when he had a chance meeting after a Steamers match with Jeff Ryan and John Wolk from Mount Maunganui-based LASCo (Lean Artisan Smokehouse Company). The company produces salamis that are 90 per cent fat, gluten and dairy free, which appealed to Retallick as what he eats is a big part of maintaining his career as he gets older.

"Through the New Zealand Players' Association, I know that nearly 90 per cent of rugby players are unemployed for two years after they stop playing," Retallick said, "not through choice but because they can't find anything. Then when they do get a job it can be a bit scary to go back to earning a regular salary if they haven't sorted themselves out when they had disposable cash.

"I sat down with my manager, Mike Rogers from Inside Running Academy. I had bought a house and the next thing I was looking at was a business.

"I left school with nothing like most rugby players and I thought, 'I've got two young kids, what am I going to do when I finish footy'? We started looking around for something that fitted what I am about. I wanted to get involved in the company, not sit in the background.

"I was lucky enough to come across LASCo. They are pretty cool products and so far it has been pretty good. There is definitely a place in the market for healthy salami." Retallick's rugby contacts and personable nature certainly helped get the products into supermarkets initially.

"We have a good team at LASCo with Jeff, and Trudi Peat our marketing manager, but I know a few people who have got supermarkets that have put us down the right track with the right people to contact. It has been important to us having those people giving us good advice as we are just a young company trying to learn our way through it.

"JK (John Kirwan) at the Blues has put me on to some of his contacts up in Auckland who have been really good."

Retallick has plenty of years ahead of him as a top-class lock but he can sleep soundly knowing that he has taken steps to ensure he has a positive future to look forward to for his family after his career is over.