What Simple System does

Simple System Horse Feeds is a UK-based natural horse nutrition company, privately held and headquartered at Symonds Farm in Risby, near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. Founded in 1996, the company manufactures and distributes forage-based horse feeds formulated without cereals, molasses, pulses, soya, preservatives, additives or genetically modified ingredients. The range comprises approximately 40 SKUs spanning forage balancers, chopped forages, pelleted forages, Brix blocks and complementary feeds, with unit prices typically ranging from £16.50 to £79.00. The portfolio carries multiple third-party accreditations, including BETA NOPS approval, UFAS accreditation, Vegan Society registration and Soil Association accreditation, and the company received BETA Awards nominations in 2023.

The business operates a hybrid B2B2C and direct-to-consumer model: products are sold through the company's own e-commerce site and through a UK-wide stockist network of more than 200 retailers, including the agricultural merchant Wynnstay. The commercial offering is reinforced by a free in-house Feed Line nutritional advisory service led by Director of Nutrition Jane van Lennep, plus content marketing through social channels and YouTube, sponsored rider partnerships (notably Team Lamy Wright since 2014), and event sponsorship including the Eastern Counties Area Connemara Show.

All revenue is generated from sales to individual horse owners via the two channels; there is no evidence of enterprise customers, international distribution or significant external funding. The company is approaching its 30th anniversary in 2025–2026, indicating three decades of continuous operation within a niche equestrian segment.

Name

Simple System

Legal name

Simple System Horse Feeds

Website

https://simplesystemhorsefeeds.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Simple System Horse Feeds is a UK-based natural horse nutrition company, founded in 1996, producing forage-based feeds free from cereals and additives. It serves individual horse owners through 200+ UK stockists and direct e-commerce, supported by in-house nutritional advisory services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Equine Feed and Nutrition

NAICS

Animal Food Manufacturing (31111), Animal Food Manufacturing (3111), Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42491)

SIC

Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro primary industry

Complete Equine Feeds (Pelleted/Extruded/Textured) (AFADAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Equine Concentrates & Balancers (Ration Balancers, Fortified Concentrates) (AFADAEAB), Equine Organic/Non-GMO/Natural Feeds (AFADAEAI), Equine Forage Products (Hay Cubes, Chaff, Alfalfa Pellets) (AFADAEAC), Equine Senior & Special-Needs Feeds (Easy-Keeper, Metabolic/Low-NSC) (AFADAEAE), Equine Performance & Conditioning Feeds (High-Energy/Sport Horse) (AFADAEAD), Organic Equine Feed (AFADAJAE), Equine Medicated & Functional Feeds (Gastrointestinal Support, Calming, Hoof/Coat Functional Claims) (AFADAEAJ), Bagged Retail Commodity Feeds (Small Pack Formats) (AFADAIAJ)

Keywords

• Natural horse feeds
• Forage-based nutrition
• Equine feeding advice
• Horse feed e-commerce
• Laminitis feeding advice

Headquarters

HQ city

Bury Saint Edmunds

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Horse Feed Product Sales: Direct product sales of natural horse feeds through e-commerce website and UK-wide stockist network. Products include forage balancers, chopped forages, pelleted forages, hay replacers, complementary feeds, and Brix (compressed forage blocks). Revenue generated through unit-based pricing with various package sizes.
2. Expert Feeding Advice Services: Free Feed Line advisory service providing personalized feeding plans. While the service itself is free, it supports product sales by helping customers select appropriate products from the range.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Simple System manufactures and sells a comprehensive range of natural, forage-based horse feeds—including forage balancers, chopped forages, pelleted forages, compressed forage blocks (Brix), hay replacers, and complementary feeds—formulated without cereals, molasses, pulses, soya, preservatives, additives, or GM ingredients. Distribution is via the company's own UK ecommerce website and a 200+ UK stockist retail network, supplemented by a free expert Feed Line advisory service and online feed-matching tool.

Product overview

Simple System is a natural horse feed company established in 1996 that offers a comprehensive portfolio of forage-based horse feeds and nutritional products. The product range includes various formats: forage balancers (MetaSlim, Veteran Balance+, FlexiBalance, Calm Balance+, Lunar Eclipse, Total Eclipse, Simple Balance+, Stud Balance+, Eclipse Recovery), chopped forages (Organic Lucie Stalks, Build & Shine, Timothy Chop, Perform & Shine, Sainfoin & Shine, Lucie Chop), pelleted forages (Lucie Fibre Cubes, Blue Bag Grass Pellets, Red Bag Grass Pellets, Meadow Forage Pellets, Lucie Nuts, Organic Lucie Pellets, Sainfoin Pellets, PuraBeet, HayCare), forage blocks/Brix (MeadowBrix, Sainfoin Brix, Lucie Brix), and complementary feeds (Salt Lick Tub, Traditional Brewers Yeast, Instant Linseed, Pure Organic Seaweed, Organic Cider Vinegar, EquiSodium, JustaMint, MalleMash, SimplyComplete, TopGain). The company also offers accessories like the Weigh Tape. All products are formulated without cereals, molasses, pulses, soya, preservatives, and additives, based on species-appropriate forage diets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MetaSlim Naturally low energy, low sugar, calorie-controlled feed balancer designed for good-doers and weight management; suitable for horses and ponies prone to weight gain.
• Organic Lucie Stalks Coarse stalk-style organic Lucerne chop with high fibre, suitable for respiratory-sensitive and laminitis-prone horses and ponies.
• Lucie Fibre Cubes High-fibre, low-starch cube form of Lucerne fibre for slow-release energy and weight gain without fizziness.
• Salt Lick Tub Natural salt lick in tub format supplying essential salt to replace what horses lose in work or heat.
• Veteran Balance + Nutritionally balanced pellet for older horses and ponies, supporting veteran health with vitamins, minerals, and joint support.
• FlexiBalance Premium forage balancer pellet providing balanced daily nutrition for horses on a forage-only diet.
• Joint Eclipse Liquid complementary feed formulated to support joint health and comfort in horses.
• Calm Balance + Magnesium- and herbal-based balancer pellet formulated to help support calm, focused behaviour in horses and ponies.
• Lunar Eclipse Complementary liquid supplement marketed to support mare comfort through seasonal cycles.
• Traditional Brewers Yeast Traditional brewers yeast nutritional supplement rich in B vitamins to support skin, coat, hoof, and digestive health.
• Build & Shine High-fibre Lucerne chop with added linseed oil and herbs for condition and shine without excitability.
• Organic Lucie Pellets Organic Lucerne in 6mm pellet form providing high fibre with a low sugar/starch profile.
• Instant Linseed Cooked, ready-to-feed linseed providing omega-3 fatty acids for coat condition and slow-release energy.
• MalleMash Soaked mash designed for older horses and recovery, fed warm to support hydration and palatability.
• Timothy Chop High-fibre Timothy grass chop suitable for horses and ponies needing low-sugar forage alternatives.
• MeadowBrix Compressed forage block made from meadow grasses, offering convenient, slow-eaten fibre supplementation.
• Eclipse Recovery Liquid complementary feed formulated to support recovery, rehydration, and electrolyte balance after exercise or stress.
• Meadow Forage Pellets Mixed-grass pellets providing palatable fibre for older horses or those needing extra forage variety.
• Sainfoin Brix Compressed Sainfoin fibre block offering slow-feeding high-protein fibre with natural tanins.
• Sainfoin Pellets Pelleted Sainfoin for horses, providing high-fibre, low-sugar nutrition suitable for laminitis-prone equines.
• Pure Organic Seaweed Certified organic seaweed supplement supplying natural trace minerals and vitamins for overall equine health.
• Organic Cider Vinegar Organic apple cider vinegar supplement traditionally used to support digestion and general health in horses.
• Total Eclipse Liquid complementary feed designed to provide broad-spectrum nutritional support to horses on forage-only diets.
• Simple Balance + Economy daily balancer pellet providing essential vitamins and minerals to horses fed predominantly forage.
• Blue Bag Grass Pellets High-fibre grass pellets providing quality forage in a convenient soaked form for horses with chewing issues.
• Perform & Shine Premium Lucerne chop with added oil for working horses and those needing condition and topline.
• EquiSodium Electrolyte supplement formulated to replace essential salts lost during exercise, travel, or hot weather.
• HayCare High-temperature dried grass forage providing a low-dust alternative to hay for respiratory-sensitive horses.
• JustaMint Herbal mint supplement designed to support appetite and digestive comfort in fussy eaters.
• Lucie Brix Compressed Lucerne Brix block offering a portable, controlled-rate fibre feed for stabled horses.
• Lucie Chop High-temperature dried Lucerne chop offering a controlled fibre feed with low sugar content.
• Lucie Nuts Alfalfa (Lucerne) nuts in a 16mm high-fibre, low-sugar cube convenient for soak-feeding or dry feeding.
• Red Bag Grass Pellets High-protein grass pellets formulated to support condition, recovery, and growth in performance horses.
• Sainfoin & Shine Premium Sainfoin chop with linseed oil for horses needing condition and shine on a low-starch diet.
• PuraBeet Unmolassed sugar beet pulp flakes for soaking, providing high-fibre conditioning feed with low sugar content.
• Stud Balance + Nutritionally balanced pellet for breeding stock, supporting in-foal and lactating mares, foals, and youngstock.
• SimplyComplete Complete high-fibre fibre feed for veterans, sensitive horses, or those needing a complete forage replacement.
• TopGain High-fibre, high-oil feed with herbs designed to support weight gain without using cereal-based hard feeds.

Quantifiable outcome

• Horses on forage-based diets show improved coat quality, hoof condition, and temperament according to customer testimonials

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• Eastern Counties Area Connemara ShowminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Equestrian event sponsorship at The Suffolk Equestrian Centre. Supreme Champion of the show was a Simple System customer, demonstrating successful use of the brand's products.
• Team Lamy WrightflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2014Brand ambassador program celebrating 10 years of official support in 2024. Supported riders who use Simple System products and represent the brand at competitions and events.
• Westover Large Animal Vets LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorfolk-based veterinary practice providing expert content collaboration on equine health topics. Senior Veterinary Surgeon Ann Kent contributed article on common winter ailments and prevention measures, providing veterinary authority to Simple System's educational content.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dengie Horse Feeds: UK manufacturer specializing in fibre-based and forage horse feeds including alfalfa and grass products, directly overlapping Simple System's lucerne, grass pellets, and chopped forage categories. Major competitor in the UK fibre/forage feed segment with similar commitment to natural feeding principles.
• TopSpec: UK equine nutrition company offering balancers, feeds, and supplements with strong focus on scientifically-formulated low-intake feeding. Direct competitor to Simple System's balancer range with comparable UK distribution and overlapping customer base of competition and leisure horse owners.
• Blue Chip Feed: UK equine feed and supplement company offering balancers and complete feeds with focus on natural ingredients and condition. Direct competitor in UK market with similar target customer segments and comparable scale as a privately-held specialist equine nutrition brand.
• Equilibrium Products: UK-based equine nutrition company offering balancers, vitamins, and targeted nutritional supplements. Direct competitor in balancer category with overlapping UK stockist distribution and shared focus on scientifically-formulated natural equine nutrition.
• Allen & Page: UK-based horse feed manufacturer specializing in natural, cereal-free, and high-fiber formulations including the well-known 'Healthy' range. Direct competitor with similar philosophy of natural ingredients, comparable UK stockist distribution, and overlapping target customer base in the forage-based/natural segment.
• Baileys Horse Feeds: UK equine feed manufacturer established 1982 offering broad range of feeds including low-starch formulations (Lo-Cal) for metabolic horses. Directly competes with Simple System in balancer and complete feed categories with similar UK equestrian retail distribution and shared focus on scientifically-formulated equine nutrition.
• NAF (Natural Animal Feeds): UK-based equine supplement and feed manufacturer (formerly Five Star) offering natural nutritional products. Directly competes in the natural equine nutrition segment with extensive UK and European distribution, overlapping target customers, and similar brand heritage in natural equine health.
• Dodson & Horrell: Established UK equine feed manufacturer founded 1939 offering comprehensive range of horse feeds, balancers, and supplements. Directly competes with Simple System across multiple customer segments in the UK with comparable distribution through equestrian retailers and similar focus on quality nutrition.

Broad incumbents

• Spillers (Mars Horsecare): Major UK equine feed brand owned by Mars, Incorporated, with comprehensive range of complete feeds, balancers, and supplements. While broader portfolio than Simple System, directly competes in metabolic, performance, and senior segments with significantly larger scale, marketing budget, and international distribution.

Regional players

• Hygain: Australian equine feed manufacturer specializing in natural, forage-based nutrition including lucerne, fibre, and oil-based feeds with similar philosophy to Simple System. Comparable product positioning and natural ingredient focus but operates in Australian/NZ market rather than competing directly in UK territory.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/simplesystemuk
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCpvtQSLBGpyJ3DZNBmMsHzQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/SimpleSystemHorseFeeds
• Instagraminstagram.com/simplesystemhorsefeeds

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Simple System