Velcourt

What Velcourt does

Velcourt Group Ltd is a privately held UK farm management and advisory company founded in 1967 by Robin Malim and three associates in the West Country, headquartered in Herefordshire. The firm directly manages more than 58,000 hectares across 99 UK farms and approximately 39,000 hectares internationally — spanning France, Russia, Ukraine, Sudan, Nigeria, and Eastern Europe — for landowners, institutional investors, working farmers, and tenant farmers under bespoke management agreements and contract farming arrangements. Its service portfolio comprises seven core divisions: arable farming, dairy and livestock, advisory, international, research and development, farm infrastructure, and environmental services, supplemented by two acquired specialist brands (Bronwin & Abbey for forestry and Oakbank Game & Conservation for regenerative agriculture and conservation seed supply).

Velcourt's operational backbone is its 56-strong team of farm managers and 8 specialist advisors, supported by the only in-house R&D department among UK farm management companies — running 70 crop trials, 3,159 trial plots, and 52 product tests per year across nine counties on behalf of agrochemical and fertiliser manufacturers, seed breeders, DEFRA, and AHDB. The firm has implemented the Omnia cloud-based farm management platform across 120 client farms managed by 46 farm managers, consolidating field records, financials, and precision farming tools in place of legacy software (Gatekeeper, spreadsheets, Soyl), and pairs this with a proprietary weekly costings and benchmarking system used across its dairy operations.

Revenue is generated through a mix of bespoke basic management fees, performance-based profit-share arrangements that align Velcourt's incentives with client outcomes, costed advisory proposals for arable and dairy clients not requiring full management, and procurement leverage from £27 million in annual input purchases across managed farms. Grain marketing is conducted exclusively through a joint venture (Velcourt Marketing Services) with Openfield, the UK's largest farmer-owned co-operative. Velcourt co-invests in client operations — £14 million of capital is presently deployed — and reports an average client association exceeding 15 years, with leadership led by Group CEO Nick Shorter and Executive Chairman James Townshend.

Name

Velcourt

Legal name

Velcourt Group Ltd

Website

https://velcourt.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Velcourt Group Ltd is a UK-based farm management and advisory company that directly manages over 58,000 hectares of UK farmland and 39,000 hectares internationally across France, Russia, Ukraine, Sudan, Nigeria, and Eastern Europe for landowners, institutional investors, and working farmers under co-investment and contract farming arrangements, supported by an in-house R&D department and the Omnia digital platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Farm Management Services

NAICS

Farm Management Services (115116), Support Activities for Animal Production (1152)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Supply Chain, Marketing & Contracting Advisory (Grain/Livestock Marketing) (AFACAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Soil Health & Regenerative Agronomy Consulting (AFACABAA), Asset, Fleet & Maintenance Management Advisory (Equipment/Facilities) (AFACAJAJ), Capital Projects & Farm Expansion Advisory (Feasibility, Site Planning, ROI) (AFACAJAN)

Keywords

• Farm management services
• Agricultural advisory
• Arable farming management
• Dairy livestock management
• Agricultural research trials

Headquarters

HQ city

Hereford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Farm Management Fees: Bespoke management fees tailored to client objectives and specific farm circumstances. Includes flexible basic fees and additional performance fees. Velcourt co-invests in clients' farming businesses, sharing risk and reward through long-term partnership arrangements.
2. Performance-Based / Profit Share: Profit share payments incentivising maximum returns for clients. Part of the co-investment and co-creation approach where Velcourt shares in business risk alongside landowners and farming clients.
3. Advisory Services: Costed proposals for advisory engagements covering dairy, livestock, and arable advisory. Includes whole-farm reviews and advice on diversification and renewable energy projects. Fee structure is fair and reflects the resource needed to deliver the service.
4. Input Procurement: Scale of managed farms enables competitive procurement of inputs, fuel, and machinery hire. Cost savings are passed directly to clients' farms. Input purchase expenditure is approximately £27 million per annum.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Velcourt is a UK-headquartered farm management and advisory company that takes on full operational responsibility for agricultural estates on behalf of landowners, institutional investors, family estates, and working farmers. It delivers bespoke arable, dairy, and livestock management under long-term co-investment agreements, alongside independent advisory, in-house R&D, environmental stewardship, farm infrastructure, and forestry (via Bronwin & Abbey) and regenerative agriculture (via Oakbank) services, covering over 90,000 hectares across the UK and overseas.

Product overview

Velcourt is a farming company that offers a comprehensive suite of farm management and advisory services. Its core offering consists of seven interconnected service divisions: Arable Farming Services, Dairy & Livestock Services, Advisory Services, International Services, Research & Development (the only UK farm management company with its own R&D team), Farm Infrastructure Services, and Environmental Services. The company also operates two acquired specialist brands—Bronwin & Abbey (forestry management) and Oakbank Game & Conservation (regenerative agriculture and conservation seeds)—which complement the core services. Supporting these services is an internal Velcourt Tools platform and a Management Training Scheme for developing future farm managers. The portfolio is unified by Velcourt's approach to co-investment partnerships, independent R&D, and competitive procurement at scale.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Arable Farming Services Comprehensive arable crop management for landowners and farmers covering combinable crops, root crops, top fruit, and biomass crops. Includes strategic planning, bespoke arrangements, competitive procurement, crop marketing, and regular physical and financial performance monitoring. Delivered by Velcourt farm managers across UK regional offices.
• Dairy & Livestock Services Expert dairy and livestock farm management delivering herd health monitoring, diet formulation, welfare prioritisation, business appraisals, three-year planning, weekly costings, and performance benchmarking across 23 UK dairy units and 7,630 dairy cattle producing 70 million litres of milk annually.
• Advisory Services R&D-led advisory for dairy, livestock, and arable clients delivered by industry experts. Includes practical management advice, strategic and financial planning, nutrition support, crop husbandry, whole-farm reviews, diversification, and renewable energy project consultation. Costed proposals following farm walks; covers 36,000 hectares of UK arable advisory and supports 50,000 hectares walked annually by the UK agronomy team.
• International Services Global farm management and consultancy covering arable and livestock operations across France, Russia, Ukraine, Sudan, Nigeria, and Eastern Europe. Services include full farm management, due diligence, investment appraisals, business planning, and technical and operational reviews for large-scale operations. 39,000 hectares managed overseas, 16 different crops, 5,430 hectares under irrigation.
• Research & Development The only UK farm management company with its own independent R&D team, conducting applied research on behalf of agrochemical and fertiliser manufacturers, seed breeders, DEFRA, AHDB, and public research initiatives. Trials across 9 counties, 3,159 crop trial plots, 70 crop trials, testing 52 products per year, with 3 current collaborative R&D projects.
• Farm Infrastructure Services Expert advice and project management for farm infrastructure builds including new dairy or cropping enterprise expansion, diversification into renewables, and ongoing management services for storage facilities and renewable energy sites.
• Environmental Services Expert environmental scheme management including agri-environmental schemes, biodiversity enhancement, soil health management, carbon accounting, natural capital assessment, and integrated farm planning, working with LEAF on benchmarking and accreditation.
• Bronwin & Abbey Forestry Management Chartered foresters and surveyors acquired by Velcourt Group, providing professional forestry and woodland management services including harvesting, marketing, woodland creation, contracting, forest certification, GIS digital mapping, and forestry valuations. Over 26 years of experience working with landowners in Wales and the Marches.
• Oakbank Game & Conservation Regenerative farming, habitat and woodland management consultancy and seed company (50% owned by Velcourt), specialising in Countryside Stewardship, woodland creation, habitat creation, regenerative agriculture, biodiversity net gain, and conservation seed supply. Holds Royal Warrant as Conservation Seed Supplier to Her Majesty the Queen. Founded in 2004 by Ian Gould and Tim Furbank; employs 17 staff.
• Management Training Scheme Intensive two-year programme in farm management combining practical on-farm instruction, formal classroom-based tuition, and residential courses with personal development focus, producing the next generation of farm management leaders. Recruits graduates into the industry.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99 UK farms managed and 23 UK dairy units under management
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bronwin & Abbey LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2022Velcourt Group Ltd acquired leading timber and forestry management firm Bronwin & Abbey Ltd, extending Velcourt's services to include specialist forestry management. Bronwin & Abbey has over 26 years of experience working with landowners in Wales and the Marches, offering woodland management, creation, carbon capture, and trading. James Townshend and David Teague joined the Bronwin & Abbey board from July 2022.
• Bedfordia GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBedfordia Group, a long-term privately owned family business with activities across farming, anaerobic digestion, property, and automotive dealerships, entered into a Contract Farming Agreement (CFA) with Velcourt Ltd. A newly appointed Velcourt Senior Farm Manager manages the day-to-day operations of the estate's arable land, overseen by Ian Smith as Velcourt Farms Director (Midlands), previously the MD of Bedfordia Farms. Bedfordia Farms' Milton Parc offices serve as a new regional hub for Velcourt.
• Oakbank Game & Conservation LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVelcourt Group Ltd invested in Oakbank Game & Conservation Ltd, owning 50% of the company. Founded in 2004 by Ian Gould and Tim Furbank, Oakbank is a regenerative farming, habitat and woodland management consultancy and seed company. The partnership brings natural capital and environmental skills complementary to Velcourt's farm management expertise. Oakbank employs 17 staff and holds a Royal Warrant as Conservation Seed Supplier to Her Majesty the Queen.
• Dyson Farming ResearchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDyson Farming Research secured Defra funding through the Innovate UK-managed ADOPT fund for the BioStim Review — a two-year research project testing biostimulant products across commercial wheat and potato sites. The project is conducted in partnership with Velcourt and supported by ARC agronomy services, aiming to bring transparency to the biostimulant market and support sustainable farming systems.
• Openfield (Joint Venture)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVelcourt's managed farm businesses market grain exclusively through Velcourt Marketing Services — a unique marketing vehicle set up through a joint venture with Openfield, the UK's largest farmer-owned co-operative. Clients receive daily market updates, monthly insightful market reports, and strategic marketing recommendations from a respected, independent source.
• LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVelcourt works closely with LEAF to ensure an integrated approach to farm management, producing food using the most sustainable approach. The Yattendon Estate (managed by Velcourt) uses the LEAF Sustainable Farming Review tool for benchmarking and road mapping, and seeks LEAF Marque accreditation to demonstrate delivery in soil health and biodiversity protection.
• Ilchester EstatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIlchester Estates is a large Dorset estate where the farming side of the business is managed by Velcourt. The enterprise covers 3,300 ha in hand, supporting a 750 kW biogas plant, 1,800 dairy cows, 1,300 youngstock, and 5,000 sheep. Velcourt has recruited a Farm/Biogas Maintenance Operative for the estate.
• ARC agronomy servicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerARC agronomy services supports the BioStim Review research project alongside Velcourt and Dyson Farming Research, bringing additional agronomic expertise to the biostimulant testing initiative.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bidwells: Cambridge-based UK property and land consultancy with a substantial rural and agricultural division advising landowners, farmers and institutional investors on farm management, agribusiness and rural estates — directly overlapping with Velcourt's full-service UK farm management offering.
• Brown & Co: East Anglia-headquartered firm providing farm business consultancy, management, sales and lettings services across rural property and agriculture in the UK — closely comparable to Velcourt's estate management and advisory work.
• The Andersons Centre: Independent UK farm business consultancy offering strategic, financial and technical advice to farmers and landowners — comparable to Velcourt's advisory services line and overlaps with its arable and dairy advisory clients.
• Ceres Rural: UK independent farm advisory business formed from the merger of several regional agronomy groups, providing agronomy, farm business and environmental advice to arable and livestock farmers — closely comparable to Velcourt's advisory and agronomy services.
• ADAS: Long-established UK agricultural and environmental consultancy (now part of RSK Group) providing agronomy, R&D and environmental advice to farmers, government and industry — directly comparable to Velcourt's advisory and R&D services.
• Promar International: UK-based agricultural consultancy (part of Genus plc) providing farm business analysis, benchmarking and advisory services to dairy, livestock and arable clients — closely comparable to Velcourt's dairy/livestock advisory and benchmarking capability.

Broad incumbents

• Savills (Rural & Agribusiness): Global real estate advisor with a sizeable UK rural and agribusiness division covering farm management, estate agency and consultancy — broader incumbent offering overlapping services but as part of a wider property portfolio.
• Knight Frank (Rural Consultancy): International property consultancy with a UK rural team advising on farms, estates and rural land — broader incumbent with overlapping farm management and advisory capabilities within a larger real estate franchise.

Emerging players

• Frontier Agriculture: UK's largest crop production and grain marketing business, offering agronomy advice, input supply and grain marketing to farmers — overlapping with Velcourt's procurement leverage and Openfield JV-style grain marketing model, though more input-supply-led than management-led.

Others

• Anglia Farmers: UK farmer-owned buying group aggregating input procurement for members — adjacent to Velcourt's £27m annual procurement spend and the supply-chain leverage element of its managed-farm offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/velcourt

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about Velcourt