Wynnstay, the agricultural supplies group, has announced that it has acquired the share capital of Humphrey Feeds & Pullets, a manufacturer and supplier of poultry feed.
Humphrey Feeds & Pullets, based in Hampshire, supplies poultry feed, and point-of-lay pullets to farmers, mainly in the South of England. The business manufacturers in the region of 110,000 tonnes of poultry feed annually from a facility in Twyford, Hampshire, as well as having an unused facility in Calne, Wiltshire.
Wynnstay said the acquisition would complement the group’s current growth strategy and would further develop Wynnstay’s presence in the South of England and within the poultry feed sector. Wynnstay said it intended to redevelop the Calne site into a modern c.185,000 metric tonne capacity mill, manufacturing both poultry and ruminant feed, in addition to organic certified feeds.
The business will continue to operate as Humphrey Feeds & Pullets, now as a subsidiary of Wynnstay Group, with Neil Richardson remaining as Managing Director and Martin Humphrey continuing in the role of Sales Director.
Gareth Davies, Chief Executive of Wynnstay Group, said: “We believe that this will be an excellent acquisition for Wynnstay. Humphrey is a long-established, family-owned business, with an 85-year history, which prides itself on ‘advancing poultry performance’. It makes a highly complementary addition to the Group and should be capable of being readily integrated.
“The acquisition will significantly extend our trading footprint in the South of England, enlarge our market share of poultry feed, a key target sector for us, increase our feed manufacturing capacity, and bring additional farmer customers.
“Looking further ahead, with the redevelopment of the Calne manufacturing facility into a ruminant as well as poultry mill, there is scope to drive additional significant long-term trading benefits.”
Neil Richardson, Managing Director of Humphrey Feeds & Pullets, said: “There will be no change in the day-to-day operation and management of the business, and customers will see no change in the excellent products and service they provide, it is very much ‘business as usual’.
“We will continue to operate out of Twyford in Hampshire, with the manufacturing of feed continuing until the Calne site is fully redeveloped, to a state-of-the-art facility, which is anticipated being fully commissioned in 2024.”
Martin Humphrey, Sales Director Humphrey Feeds & Pullets, said: “The poultry sector continues to consolidate with the increased demands of retailers and packers. Therefore, it is essential we continue to develop as a business, ensuring we invest in new technology, product development and operational efficiency, to achieve this we require a like-minded investor.
“As a subsidiary of Wynnstay Group, we will be able to capitalise on the strengths of both businesses and further strengthen our brand, ensuring that we remain a market leader for advanced poultry performance, for many years to come.”