Bartholomews About Us

Bartholomews are proud to be something of a one-off in the agri-food sector. The first thing you’ll notice about us is we’re not a faceless multinational. We’ve been a family-owned business for over a century, and we have every intention of staying that way.
That said, we’re no niche player. We provide our farming customers with a range of agricultural inputs and advice that’s the very definition of ‘full service’. Nor are we small fry: we’re one of the UK’s top 10 suppliers of seed, fertilizers and crop protection products. Yet what really sets us apart is that, unlike other providers of agricultural inputs, we’re also one of the UK’s biggest crop marketeers. This gives us far more than another string to our bow. It has enabled us to develop what we believe is a unique business model that can make a crucial difference to both farmers and primary processors of combinable crops.

Investing in the future – yours as well as ours
Everyone involved in farming knows the past few years have been tough. In the inputs sector, it sparked a wave of consolidations as smaller businesses sought safety in size.
Bartholomews, however, has followed a different strategy. We remain independent because we’re convinced that, in the new competitive agri-food environment, we have something unique to offer that will help you do more than merely weather the challenges of the future – it will help you prosper.
We are now reinforcing that strategy with an investment programme spanning all our activities. We’re recruiting new people. We’ve extended our fleet of 44 tonne bulk vehicles (so important at harvest time). We’ve invested in a new seed plant and a sophisticated new companywide computer system. We’re exploring the possibility of opening more regional depots to complement our existing Golden Cross depot in East Sussex. And we’ve launched a uniquely flexible new credit facility.
The new Bartholomews are now at your service. If you like the sound of dealing with a supplier both willing and able to work with you as a real business partner, give us a call on 01243 784 171.

A unique business model
The big advantage of our crop marketing is the way it gives us an intimate knowledge of what primary processors want to buy, and the price they’re prepared to pay. This means we have a unique ability to advise farmers on which crops will be most profitable to grow, and to the quality standard the market expects. Expert advice from our agronomists is then on hand to help them achieve the required quality levels. Finally, if the farmer wishes, we can undertake to buy their crop at a guaranteed price.

In the new subsidy environment, where the emphasis has shifted from maximising yield to maximising financial output, many farmers are already discovering how this approach can reduce their market risk and dramatically benefit their bottom line. But it’s not just farmers who benefit.

to grow them. This guarantees their supplies, at a pre-agreed price if desired, and they know the quality produced by Bartholomews’ growers will be more likely to meet their precise requirements.
This ‘virtuous circle’ approach to our business inevitably involves rather more than the conventional focus on simply maximising sales. It means building long term and close working relationships with farmers and primary processors. Fortunately, as a family-owned business, we’re ideally positioned to do both.

Partnership in action
Unlike bigger companies with their monolithic structures, we can be flexible in the way we work with you. And because we don’t have to answer to City shareholders, we can afford to take a longer view.