Black Bull Biochar

What Black Bull Biochar does

Black Bull Biochar Ltd is a UK private company, founded in 2020 and spun out of consultancy dss+ in 2022, that produces tailored biochar products for agriculture and markets verified carbon removal credits. Operating from Manchester with 1–10 employees, the company uses high-temperature (>600°C) pyrolysis of biomass to generate a stable, carbon-rich material that persists in soil for hundreds to thousands of years, while the process's residual renewable heat is offered to hosting industrial sites as a fossil-fuel alternative. Its core product line comprises two application-specific formulations: PinChar, co-applied with slurry to improve nutrient retention at low dose rates under 1 tonne per hectare, and PelletChar, designed for livestock bedding and farmyard manure to reduce ammonia emissions and improve crop nutrient availability once applied to land. These products are backed by two years of independently-run field trials with SRUC and UKCEH showing measured yield improvements of up to 30% in arable and 18% in grassland systems.

Black Bull Biochar serves four primary customer segments: UK dairy farmers (primary), large-scale poultry producers (primary), arable farmers (secondary), and industrial sites (secondary), with the latter hosting pyrolysis units to decarbonise heat. The company's revenue model spans three commercial streams: sale of biochar products (PinChar, PelletChar, livestock bedding and soil amendment grades), recurring verified carbon removal credits sold to organisations and governments for net-zero targets, and transaction-based renewable heat supply to hosting industrial sites; a small direct-to-consumer merchandise line (£29.99 biochar-branded T-shirts) provides incidental revenue. Go-to-market is sales-led and B2B: a dedicated Commercial Manager targets agricultural and poultry partners, supported by website enquiry forms, a Spring 2025 farm waiting list, and a biochar-needs calculator, with industry events and PR-led media coverage feeding the top of funnel. Strategic customers include Avara Foods (flagship, 300 farms, 230m+ birds annually) for the River Wye poultry/phosphorus programme, with SRUC and UKCEH as core research collaborators underpinning the company's evidence-based differentiation.

Name

Black Bull Biochar

Legal name

Black Bull Biochar Ltd

Website

https://blackbullbiochar.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Black Bull Biochar produces tailored biochar products (PinChar, PelletChar) from biomass pyrolysis for UK dairy, poultry, and arable farmers, and sells verified carbon removal credits and renewable heat to industrial sites, backed by SRUC and UKCEH field-trial data.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biochar and Soil Amendments

akta.pro primary industry

Biochar Production & Soil/Material Applications (EUABAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biochar & Carbon-Based Soil Builders (AFABAKAG), Biochar & Carbon-Based Soil Conditioners (AFABADAD), Biochar Carbon Projects (Biomass to Biochar & Soil Application) (EUABABAH), Bio-based Carbon Products & Advanced Bioproducts (Biochar, activated carbon, carbon black alternatives) (EUAAAIAM)

Keywords

• Biochar production
• Carbon removal credits
• Soil amendment products
• Pyrolysis technology
• Agricultural sustainability solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Bermondsey

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Biochar Product Sales: Sale of biochar products (PinChar, PelletChar) to farmers for use in organic fertilisers, livestock bedding, and soil amendment. Products available for purchase with stock ready for 2026.
2. Carbon Removal Credits: Delivery of verified carbon removal credits. Every tonne of carbon removed meets highest standards of quality and traceability. Carbon credits sold to organisations and governments for Net-Zero targets.
3. Industrial Heat & Energy: Renewable heat generated through pyrolysis process is utilized by hosting industrial sites as alternative to fossil fuel-derived heat.
4. Merchandise: Sale of branded merchandise including biochar T-shirts at £29.99. Made-to-order production model.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Black Bull Biochar produces tailored biochar products (PinChar for slurry application, PelletChar for bedding and farmyard manure, and biochar soil amendments) through high-temperature pyrolysis of biomass. The company sells these biochar products to UK farmers and poultry producers, delivers verified carbon removal credits to organisations and governments, and supplies renewable industrial heat generated as a by-product of pyrolysis to hosting industrial sites.

Product overview

Black Bull Biochar offers a portfolio of tailored biochar products for agricultural use. The core product line includes PinChar (for slurry co-application) and PelletChar (for bedding and farmyard manure), which serve as soil additives that improve nutrient retention, soil health, and crop productivity. The company also sells biochar merchandise (t-shirts) and provides carbon removal credits. Products are backed by independently-run field trials with SRUC and UKCEH demonstrating yield improvements of up to 30% in arable systems and 18% in grassland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PinChar: Biochar product designed specifically for slurry application, used in dairy manure management systems to improve nutrient retention and crop yields.
• PelletChar

Products and services

• PinChar Tailored biochar product designed for co-application with slurry to improve nutrient retention, soil health, and crop productivity in dairy and arable farming systems.
• PelletChar Biochar product designed for use in livestock bedding and farmyard manure (FYM), retaining nutrients and making them available to crops once applied to land.
• Biochar for Livestock Bedding Biochar additive for animal bedding in cubicles and loose housing that provides improved nutrient retention, decreased ammonia emissions, improved foot health, and odour control for livestock farmers.
• Biochar for Organic Fertiliser Biochar additive for organic fertilisers including slurry and farmyard manure, improving nutrient value while decreasing carbon and nitrogen losses and reducing ammonia and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Biochar for Soil Amendment Biochar for direct soil application or application through manure to improve soil water properties, nutrient retention, and crop resilience to climate stressors.
• Verified Carbon Removal Credits Verified carbon removal credits sold to organisations and governments for Net-Zero targets. Each tonne of carbon removed meets highest standards of quality and traceability.
• Industrial Renewable Heat Renewable heat generated through the pyrolysis process and supplied to hosting industrial sites as an alternative to fossil fuel-derived heat.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30% yield increase in arable crop systems
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Avara FoodsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2025Collaboration on River Wye restoration project funded by Defra through Farming Innovation Programme's Nutrient Management competition (Innovate UK). Developing biochars for poultry housing ammonia reduction and phosphorus pollution mitigation. Avara operates 300 farms producing over 230 million birds annually.
• DESNZ (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024DESNZ selected Black Bull Biochar as one of 15 DAC and greenhouse gas removal projects to advance to Phase 2 of its pilot funding programme. Part of government R&D funding announced in 2020 to support UK's net zero by 2050 goal. Project budgets range from £2.8m to £4.99m per project.
• SRUC (Scotland's Rural College)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023SRUC collaborated with BBB on pioneering field trials using biochar as additive to organic fertilisers on dairy farms. Trials conducted at SRUC's Dairy Research and Innovation Centre in Crichton Royal Farm. SRUC provides scientific assessment and grassland/arable research expertise.
• UKCEH (UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology conducting long-term monitoring of biochar field trial impacts. Partnered on quantifying soil carbon, nitrogen, and greenhouse gas effects. Over 600 researchers tackling urgent environmental challenges.
• University of EdinburghcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership through co-founder Hamish Creber's PhD work. Collaboration on large-scale biochar field trials and long-term experimental plots. Co-founder's research involved woodland creation and nursery tree production life cycle analysis.
• Carbon TrustminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCarbon Trust partnership for carbon certification and verification standards. Supports credibility of carbon removal credits.
• PyregcoreTechnology or IntegrationPyreg provides pyrolysis technology and equipment for biochar production. Partner in the Biochar Network scaling carbon removal in UK by bringing together industry and agriculture.
• dss+minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlack Bull Biochar spun out from dss+ in 2022. Prior corporate relationship providing innovation and operational expertise.
• ArlaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDairy co-operative partner in the Biochar Network. Potential for biochar application on member farms.
• ShoosmithsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLegal services partner in the Biochar Network.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Novocarbo: German biochar CDR company operating pyrolysis units and selling certified CO2 removal credits. Closest European peer with similar pyrolysis-based CDR + agriculture model.
• Carbofex: Finnish biochar producer using pyrolysis technology for carbon removal and agricultural applications. Direct peer with comparable pyrolysis-based biochar + carbon credit offering.
• Wakefield Biochar: North American biochar producer serving agricultural and environmental markets. Direct peer with comparable biochar products for soil amendment and carbon sequestration.
• Pacific Biochar: US-based biochar producer focused on agricultural soil applications and carbon removal. Direct peer offering comparable biochar products and credit services.
• Carbon Gold: UK-based biochar producer selling soil amendment products to growers and farmers. Direct competitor in the UK biochar-for-agriculture market with overlapping customer segments in horticulture and commercial agriculture.
• Biochar Supreme: US-based biochar manufacturer producing biochar for agricultural soil amendment and carbon removal credits. Direct peer offering comparable biochar products with carbon credit monetisation.
• Exomad Green: Spanish biochar CDR company producing biochar from forestry residues and selling carbon removal credits. Direct peer in the European biochar CDR market with similar technology and credit monetisation model.

Broad incumbents

• Carbonfuture: Carbon removal marketplace and registry platform. Comparable as the channel through which biochar CDR credits (including those produced by BBB's competitors) are sold to corporate buyers.
• Puro.earth: Leading carbon removal registry and marketplace where biochar credits (among other CDR types) are issued and traded. Comparable because BBB sells CDR credits into the same buyer pool; however Puro is a platform/marketplace rather than a producer.

Others

• Pyreg: German pyrolysis technology and equipment provider, currently a Core technology partner to BBB. Comparable as the underlying technology platform for the biochar CDR industry, and therefore a key supplier/enabler for the subject company.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/black-bull-biochar-ltd

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Black Bull Biochar