News
Gowlett Grain and Wessex Grain form joint venture to market Malting Barley
12th May 2008
Somerset-based grain trader Wessex Grain has long been established as a major promoter of malting barley in Southern England. In recent years the company was the first to actively promote Tipple and the resultant excellent yields and quality achieved in 2006 confirmed this strategy. The company has worked hard to develop the export market for malting barley and in the last two years has exported over 30,000 tonnes from Poole and Southampton.
On the back of this sound base the company has looked to develop this market further and has now appointed Gowlett Grain to handle the marketing and selling of all its Malting Barley. Gowlett Grain is an independent malting barley specialist. They have very strong relationships with maltsters and brewers in the UK and Northern Europe and so are uniquely placed to match supply with demand. They are based in East Anglia and have more than 25 years experience. They have similar arrangements with both Camgrain and Fengrain (two farmer controlled central storage grain co-operatives in East Anglia, similar to Wessex Grain) and are one of the top three malting barley companies in the England.
The partnership between the two companies will enable the malting barley tonnage in the south of England to be further expanded by creating a sustainable and robust supply chain. Wessex’s farmers can have further confidence that they will be offered the very best prices and terms through this strong partnership giving direct access to major UK and European buyers. This agreement will ensure added value to all malting barley especially grain that goes through the Wessex store at Henstridge which can dress and condition barley to the appropriate required standard.
Simon Wilcox, Wessex Grain’s Managing Director, commented "we are very pleased to have formed this partnership with Gowlett Grain. They are known as the Malting Barley specialists and will enable us to offer a unique package to growers across the south of England. Like us they pride themselves on the fact that they are an independent flexible business that works closely with its supplier farmers and customers on a personal basis. We have already found we have a very similar approach and attitude to business based on trust and offering a full package that is better than the competitors. We are confident that we can significantly increase our malting barley tonnage through this agreement."
Gordon Gowlett, chairman of Gowlett Grain said "we are delighted to have secured an agreement with Wessex Grain. We were actively looking to expand our specialist business into the southern part of Britain and could think of no better partner than Wessex Grain who like us are a strong well established business with an excellent reputation."
"Southern England region is recognised, across Europe, as a major malting barley supplier™ said Roger Saych trading director at Gowlett Grain. "We are looking forward to extending our malting barley supply base to this region".