Mole Valley Farmers
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| Agricultural cooperative | |
| Industry | Agriculture / Retail |
| Founded | 1960 |
| Headquarters | Devon, South West England |
Key people |
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Number of employees | 2100 +[2] |
| Website | molevalleyfarmers.com |
Mole Valley Farmers is a retail firm founded in 1960 by a small group of farmers in South Molton, Devon. The aim was to create an agricultural buying-group that would be able to offer agricultural items to farmers at lower prices by buying in bulk.[3] The company is operated as a cooperative with members each holding shares in the company. A key part of this is that the company operates on the smallest margin possible to allow continuity and growth. It is not a requirement to be a member of the company to shop there. Today, Mole Valley Farmers is one of the few agricultural cooperatives in the supply industry and one of the largest in the UK.
Mole Valley Farmers owns nine branches in South West England, their own feed mills (for animal feeds, at Calne Dorchester, Huntworth and Lifton), fertiliser blending plants (at Teignmouth), a specialist mineral plant (at Bridgwater), a farm building division (at Witheridge) and a commercial / informational website.[4] The range of goods supplied by Mole Valley Farmers has grown since the company's early beginnings and now includes lifestyle products such as clothing, footwear, garden supplies, pet food, white goods and power tools.
In 2002, Mole Valley Farmers acquired SCATS Countrystores, which has 19 stores across the south of England.
The company's closest competitors include ForFarmers, NWF Agriculture, the Wynnstay Group and Countrywide.
Confusion sometimes arises over any potential connection with Mole Valley, a district in Surrey in South East England.[5] Mole Valley Farmers takes its name from an area in North Devon, between the towns of North Molton and South Molton. The River Mole runs through this area but is again distinct from the River Mole that runs between Dorking and Leatherhead in Surrey.
Locations
Mole Valley Farmers has nine branches throughout South West England. These are:[3]
- South Molton - Opened 1960 (original location)
- Yeovil - Opened 1977
- Bridgwater - Opened 1980
- Holsworthy - Opened: 1982 (current location), 1973 (original location)
- St Columb Major - Opened 1986
- Newton Abbot - Opened 1987
- Frome - Opened: 1990 (current location), 1982 (original location)
- Cullompton - Opened 1993
- Liskeard - Opened 1995