Print this PageThe History of Mole Valley Farmers
Mole Valley Farmers was started in 1960 by a small group of farmers around South Molton who were concerned by the discriminatory practices and the large margins being taken by many of their input suppliers.
Over the years, the company has made investment in:
- Nine "Branches" in the south west supplying a vast range of goods to farmers and the public alike. These range from farm requirements to clothing, footwear, garden supplies, pet food and accessories, domestic goods and power tools.
- Five feed mills for all animal feeds, producing compounds, blends, meals and mixes.
- A specialist feed supplement mineral plant.
- A quality farm building engineering division.
- A joint venture to blend and supply a wide range of conventional and new, technically advanced fertilisers alongside customised on-farm plant nutrition advise, particularly focused on the dairy farmer.
- Nineteen retail units under the "SCATS Countrystores" banner across the South and South-East of England, which supports our buying power which in-turn enables us to reduce farm in-puts whenever possible.
Recent Years
In recent years significant investment has taken place, particularly, within our agricultural business, to ensure we have a sustainable long-term business for the benefit of both current and future farming generations. In 2005 we purchased a company called Pye Bibby which was subsequently re-branded Southern Valley Feeds. For various, practical and logistical reasons we felt it was right to maintain points of differentiation between Mole Valley Farmers and Southern Valley Feeds. During the next two years, the emphasis was to progress towards integrating these two feed businesses into one combined enterprise.
We felt that the time was right to combine both brands into one, fully inclusive, feed company, Mole Valley Feed Solutions, offering an extensive range of products and services, including compounds, blends, meals, straights and minerals, combined with a range of technical support services – a total feed solution for the ruminant livestock producer.
Today
Everyone is welcome to shop at Mole Valley Farmers branches. We also offer the option of Membership which brings added benefits such as our monthly Newsletter. Find more information about the added benefits of Membership.
Under the guidance of the Board of Directors, all of whom derive their main source of income from farming, the day to day running of the company is the responsibility of a senior management team. The company continues to grow and flourish.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
| Dec 1960 | First Office, 106 East Street, South Molton |
| May 1961 | Move to Barclays Bank, Broad, Street, South Molton |
| Jan 1964 | Winkleigh collection point established |
| May 1964 | Move to 14 Barnstaple Street, South Molton |
| Feb 1965 | Stoneman Bros, Witheridge, established as collection point |
| Jan 1967 | Stoneman Bros Ltd established by a group of Mole Valley Farmers members |
| Aug 1967 | Royal Oak, Loxbeare collection point established |
| Apr 1969 | Mobile shop (Flossie) commenced operating at Bideford, Exeter, Holswothy & Taunton Markets |
| Sep 1969 | Brushford, Dulverton collection point established |
| Oct 1971 | Move to Mole Valley Farmers centre, Station Road, South Molton |
| Oct 1971 | Petton, Bampton collection point established |
| Feb 1972 | Lamb Hill Garage, Burlescombe collection point established |
| May 1972 | Willand branch opened |
| Jan 1973 | Holsworthy branch opened, Chapel Street |
| Jul 1973 | Market van discontinued |
| Oct 1976 | Devon Group Feedingstuffs est. Risdon Mill |
| Jul 1977 | Yeovil branch opened |
| Dec 1977 | Mole Valley Machinery Services take over Stoneman Bros, Witheridge |
| Jul 1980 | Bridgwater branch opened |
| Jan 1982 | Holsworthy branch moves to Underlane, Holsworthy |
| May 1982 | Devon Group Feedingstuffs purchased by Mole Valley Feeds (South West) Ltd |
| Jul 1982 | Frome branch opened |
| Sep 1982 | Croucheston Mill purchased by Mole Valley Feeds (Wessex) Ltd |
| Jun 1986 | St Columb branch opened |
| Oct 1987 | Newton Abbot branch opened |
| Aug 1989 | Blending plant at Woodsford, Dorset opened |
| Sep 1990 | Frome branch moves to Standerwick cattle market |
| Sep 1993 | Mole Valley Farmers absorbs all subsidiaries |
| Nov 1993 | Willand branch moves to Stoneyford, Cullompton |
| Dec 1993 | West Midland Farmers site purchased - Huntworth |
| Apr 1994 | South View Road, Willand sold to Mr Persey |
| Jul 1994 | Moleblend, North tawton closes moving all operations to Huntworth Mill |
| Jul 1994 | Extra land bought at Stoneyford, Cullompton |
| Sep 1994 | Moorswater Industrial Estate, Liskeard purchased |
| Nov 1994 | Former Jewell premises purchased |
| Mar 1995 | Liskeard branch opened |
| Sep 1995 | Yeovil shop refit |
| Oct 1995 | Bridgwater shop refit |
| Dec 1997 | Heathfield site, Newton Abbot purchased |
| Nov 2000 | MLI - Mole Livestock Initiative commenced |
| Sep 2001 | 59 Club building, head office purchased |
| Mar 2001 | Land at St Columb purchased |
| Sep 2002 | Acquisition of Southern Counties Agricultural Trading Society (SCATS) |
| Feb 2005 | Southern Valley Feeds (ex Pye Bibby) bought |
| Aug 2006 | Mole Valley Forage Services started (3rd) |
| Oct 2006 | Mole Valley Plus launched (previously oil and directs) |
| May 2007 | Launch of new Mole Valley Farmers ecommerce-enabled webite |
| Aug 2007 | Acquistion of D&I Bridgman |
| Jun 2008 | Consolidation of Mole Valley Feeds & Southern Valley Feeds into Mole Valley Feed Solutions |
| Oct 2009 | Acquisition of Three Counties Feeds |
| Nov 2009 | Launch of new improved Mole Valley Farmers website |
| July 2010 | Aquisition of CWG Ltd |
For website enquiries and online orders phone 
