Holmes Laboratory
Holmes Laboratory is a family-owned independent analytical lab in Millersburg, Ohio, founded in 1978, that runs wet chemistry and NIR testing of water, soil, feed, forage, compost, manure, and mycotoxins for farmers, produce growers, home gardeners, and animal owners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1978
- HeadquartersMillersburg, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Holmes Laboratory does
Holmes Laboratory, Inc. (also doing business as Edenridge Laboratory, Ltd.) is an independent, family-owned analytical testing laboratory located in Millersburg, Ohio, in the heart of Holmes County's Amish farming community. Founded on July 1, 1978 by Jr. Swartzentruber, a former dairy and beef farmer, the lab has operated continuously under 2nd and 3rd generation family ownership. The lab serves farmers, produce growers, home gardeners, and animal owners, providing per-sample analytical testing for water, soil, forages, feedstuffs, plant tissue, compost, manure, mycotoxins, and air.
The lab's core technology is wet chemistry testing procedures, which the company characterizes as the most accurate comprehensive method, supplemented by Near-Infrared Reflectance (NIR) spectroscopy for rapid forage and feed analysis, and Ohio EPA-certified methodology for drinking water bacteria. Testing services span water suitability (drinking, irrigation, fish pond), soil analysis (standard and diagnostic, Mehlich 3 extraction), feed and forage energy equations for ruminants and equines, manure and compost nutrient profiles, mycotoxin panels, heavy metals, and specialty tests (PFAS, glyphosate, VOCs, iron/sulfate bacteria, mold air sampling). Ohio EPA certification makes results regulatory-grade for public/private water systems and FSMA produce-safety compliance.
The business model is direct-to-consumer: customers mail or walk in samples (USPS, UPS, FedEx, or in-person drop box) and pay in full before testing begins, with free sample bags and email/fax result delivery at no charge. Pricing is unit-based with volume discounts (e.g., standard soil tests $20-$50 per sample; ruminant energy $110-$140; PFAS $700). GTM is sales-led through phone, walk-in carry-ins, and a self-serve online ordering platform. Revenue is one-time/transactional with no subscription component, drawn across a fragmented base of small farms, individual growers, hobby gardeners, and niche animal owners across Ohio and surrounding states.
Holmes Laboratory firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Holmes Laboratory
- Legal name
- Holmes Laboratory, Inc.
- Website
- https://holmeslab.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1978
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Holmes Laboratory is a family-owned independent analytical lab in Millersburg, Ohio, founded in 1978, that runs wet chemistry and NIR testing of water, soil, feed, forage, compost, manure, and mycotoxins for farmers, produce growers, home gardeners, and animal owners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Holmes Laboratory industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agricultural Analytical Testing Services
- NAICS
- Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)
- SIC
- Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Food Testing Laboratories (Microbiological, Chemical, Allergen) (AFALAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Forage & Feed Testing Services (Silage, Hay, Pasture) (AFACAKAM), Laboratory Testing & Analytical Services (in-house/contract labs; microbiology, metals, organics) (EUANAJAB), Water, Ice & Process Utility Testing for Food Operations (AFALAAAJ), Mycotoxin Testing & Screening (Aflatoxin, DON, OTA, etc.) (AFAOAJAB)
Keywords
Where Holmes Laboratory is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Millersburg
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Holmes Laboratory business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Analytical Testing Services: The company generates revenue through per-sample analytical testing fees across multiple matrices: water, soil, feedstuffs, forage, compost, manure, plant tissue, and mycotoxin testing. Pricing is tiered by volume (more samples = lower per-sample price). Payment is required in full before testing begins. This is a transactional, one-time revenue model with no subscription component.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Soil Test — $20–$50 per sample depending on volume (1 sample: $50; 2–5: $40; 6–10: $30; 11–20: $25; 21+: $20) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Diagnostic Soil Nutrient Test — $50–$80 per sample depending on volume |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Water Suitability Analysis — $65–$85 per sample depending on volume |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Irrigation Water Suitability Analysis — $95 per sample |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Ohio EPA Certified Water Bacteria Analysis — $55 per sample |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Water Bacteria Analysis for Produce Growers — $50 per sample |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Manure Test Package — $90–$110 per sample depending on volume |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Compost Test Package — $85–$105 per sample depending on volume |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Ruminant Energy Equation — $110–$140 per sample depending on volume |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Horse Electrolyte & Energy Equation — $120–$160 per sample depending on volume |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Comprehensive Nutrition NIR — $68 per sample |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | TMRs by NIR with NRC 2001 Calculations — $48 per sample |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mycotoxin Analysis (with forage/feed test) — $55 per toxin |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mold Air Sampling — $70 per sample plus travel and labor |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Heavy Metals Testing — $55 per metal element |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Fish Pond Water Suitability Analysis — $100 per sample |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Particle Size Analysis — $35 per sample |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Optional Soil Add-on Tests — $8–$15 per sample depending on volume |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Comprehensive Commodities NIR — $65 per sample |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) — $200 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Glyphosate (Soil and Water) — $300 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | PFAS (Soil and Water) — $700 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mare's Milk Nutrient Composition Analysis — $60 per sample |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Holmes Laboratory product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Holmes Laboratory is an independent analytical laboratory that performs per-sample testing of water, soil, forages, feedstuffs, plant tissue, compost, manure, and mycotoxins using wet chemistry and NIR (Near-Infrared Reflectance) methods. Customers mail, ship, or walk in samples to the Millersburg, Ohio lab, which delivers Ohio EPA-certified bacteria analysis, FSMA-compliant produce grower water testing, specialized equine/alpaca nutritional equations, and actionable fertilizer/lime recommendations.
Product overview
Holmes Laboratory (also known as Edenridge Laboratory, Ltd.) is an independent analytical laboratory offering a comprehensive portfolio of testing services for agriculture, water, and environmental analysis. The company provides water bacteria testing (EPA certified), soil analysis (standard and diagnostic), forage and feedstuff testing via both wet chemistry and NIR methods, compost and manure analysis, mycotoxin and mold air sampling, heavy metals testing, and specialty testing for produce growers, aquaculture, alpacas, and equine animals. Testing is performed using wet chemistry procedures that the company states are the most accurate methods available, with results delivered via email or fax. The laboratory has been operating since 1978 and is located in Millersburg, Ohio.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Water Bacteria Testing
Quantifiable outcome
- Ohio EPA-certified results accepted for both public and private water systems, meeting FSMA requirements for produce growers
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Holmes Laboratory
Customer profileSegments9 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Holmes Laboratory technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Holmes Laboratory partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Dr. Norm Evans, D.V.M.minorDr. Norm Evans, D.V.M. is a veterinarian who recommends Holmes Laboratory's alpaca feed, water, and soil analysis services. His recommendation is featured on the alpaca analysis page. This is an endorsement/referral relationship rather than a formal commercial partnership.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Holmes Laboratory competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- SGS Agricultural Services: Global inspection, verification, and testing company with U.S. agricultural and environmental testing services — broad incumbent offering similar test categories at scale, typically competing for larger commercial accounts.
- Eurofins US Agricultural Testing: Global testing giant with significant U.S. agricultural, food, and environmental testing operations including soil, water, feed, and contaminant analysis — broad incumbent with overlapping capabilities but serving larger commercial accounts.
Direct peers
- Brookside Laboratories: New Bremen, Ohio agricultural testing laboratory providing soil, plant tissue, water, and manure analysis with agronomy recommendations — direct regional peer with comparable service portfolio.
- Spectrum Analytic: Ohio-based agricultural testing laboratory (Washington Court House) serving farmers with soil, plant tissue, feed, and water analysis — direct competitor in the same state with overlapping customer base and test menu.
- AGSource Laboratories: Wisconsin-based agricultural testing laboratory offering soil, forage, manure, and water analysis with cooperative/extension ties — comparable regional ag-testing peer in the Upper Midwest.
- Waters Agricultural Laboratories: Independent agricultural testing lab in Camilla, Georgia offering soil, water, plant tissue, feed, and manure analysis with similar wet chemistry methodology and farmer-direct service model — a near-perfect functional analog in a different region.
- Midwest Laboratories: Omaha, Nebraska-based independent analytical laboratory offering soil, feed, water, and manure testing with similar wet chemistry capabilities and farmer-direct ordering — comparable Midwest ag-testing peer.
- A&L Great Lakes Laboratories: Fort Wayne, Indiana agricultural testing lab serving Midwest farmers with soil, plant tissue, water, feed, and compost analysis — comparable size, scope, and customer profile to Holmes Laboratory.
Emerging players
- Waypoint Analytical: Memphis-based agricultural and environmental testing platform that has grown through acquisitions of regional labs — represents the consolidation trajectory that Holmes could either resist or be acquired into.
Regional players
- Penn State Agricultural Analytical Services Laboratory: University-operated agricultural testing lab serving Pennsylvania and Mid-Atlantic farmers with soil, manure, and water analysis — extension-service regional peer providing subsidized competition in its geography.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Holmes Laboratory social profiles
Digital presenceHolmes Laboratory compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Holmes Laboratory financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Holmes Laboratory leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Holmes Laboratory funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Holmes Laboratory M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Holmes Laboratory
What does Holmes Laboratory do?
Holmes Laboratory is an independent analytical laboratory that performs per-sample testing of water, soil, forages, feedstuffs, plant tissue, compost, manure, and mycotoxins using wet chemistry and NIR (Near-Infrared Reflectance) methods. Customers mail, ship, or walk in samples to the Millersburg, Ohio lab, which delivers Ohio EPA-certified bacteria analysis, FSMA-compliant produce grower water testing, specialized equine/alpaca nutritional equations, and actionable fertilizer/lime recommendations.
Is Holmes Laboratory a public or private company?
Holmes Laboratory is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Holmes Laboratory founded?
Holmes Laboratory was founded in 1978. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Holmes Laboratory based?
Holmes Laboratory is headquartered in Millersburg, United States, in the North America region.
How does Holmes Laboratory make money?
One revenue line is on record: analytical Testing Services.
Who are Holmes Laboratory's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are SGS Agricultural Services and Eurofins US Agricultural Testing. Direct peers are Brookside Laboratories, Spectrum Analytic, AGSource Laboratories, Waters Agricultural Laboratories, Midwest Laboratories and A&L Great Lakes Laboratories. Waypoint Analytical is listed as an emerging player. Penn State Agricultural Analytical Services Laboratory is listed as a regional player.
Does Holmes Laboratory have an API?
No public API is recorded for Holmes Laboratory.
What industry is Holmes Laboratory in?
Holmes Laboratory's product category is Agricultural Analytical Testing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFALAAAA, Food Testing Laboratories (Microbiological, Chemical, Allergen), with a secondary code of AFACAKAM, Forage & Feed Testing Services (Silage, Hay, Pasture). Its NAICS code is 541380 and its SIC code is 8734.