History of GP Feeds

In the late 1990’s whilst employed by a National Agricultural Company Gareth Perkins became very disillusioned in the way British Agriculture was heading. Lower prices for milk, eggs, pork, beef and lamb meant that the majority of farmers in this country were not getting a fair return for their investments. To produce quality products farmers need quality feed for their animals and Gareth felt that this, in the main, was not being given.

In March 1999 he resigned, after long and careful consideration for his future, and he decided to set up his own Company GP FEEDS LTD. With over 20 years selling and buying experience, his decision was made to move into the quality end of the feed market. Having negotiated with a local feed mill to manufacture quality ruminant feeds for him he set about the important business of building a solid staff foundation.

Joining him from the start was Gavin Cowan, a former work colleague, whose position was that of office manager in the recently acquired office at Byley, Middlewich, Cheshire. His brief was to operate the computers (in which a heavy investment has been made) and to oversee the successful and smooth running of the back up services behind the selling aspects. From the onset Gareth spent most of his time telephone selling but out on farm to assist in selling and nutritional work was Ken Warburton.

Ken had recently taken retirement after 40 years in the trade but had been persuaded by Gareth to work part time on an agency basis. For the first 12 months business was built up steadily being supported by Arfon Jones in North West Wales, who is successful in selling to Welsh farmers in their own language.

After a successful first 18 months, business had built to such a degree further office staff were required and in March 2001 Rachel Lowe joined us. She now runs all the accounting and computing systems very successfully along with brewing the tea and coffee! As trade has built up rapidly we now have several additions to the sales team. Vince Brady came to work the Cheshire area along with Nick Sharp. Nick and Vince also come to us with a nutritional background adding even more expertise to the considerable amount of knowledge and advice we can offer to the benefit of our customers. All these highly successful salesmen joined having previously worked for large feed compounders and they have brought with them many years of valuable experience.