British Alpaca Society

What British Alpaca Society does

British Alpaca Society (BAS) is the official UK breed society for alpacas, operating as a private, not-for-profit membership organisation headquartered in Exeter. The society maintains the national pedigree registry (45,000+ registered alpacas across 1,619 herds as of 2024) via the Grassroots Systems platform, sets the official UK Breed Standard, and runs the country's premier show circuit — over 25 regional halter and fleece shows annually plus the flagship BAS National Show held each March at Staffordshire County Showground, which attracts 500+ alpacas. BAS also operates a national welfare network with regional representatives, an emergency hotline, and a rehoming service, and coordinates with DEFRA on bovine TB testing and export health certification.

BAS monetises primarily through tiered annual memberships (Single £84, Joint £105, Platinum £500, Associate £25, plus Junior/Senior tiers) serving 1,500+ members across 15 UK regional groups. Secondary revenue streams include registry transaction fees (registration, transfer, import), training courses (BAS Affiliate 9-module courses, three-tier Alpaca Evaluation, two-stage Judge Training), show entry fees, branded merchandise, advertising in the quarterly Alpaca magazine and annual Yearbook, the BAS Pure and Blended Fibre Marques (free certification marks for qualifying members), and the Trusted Alpaca Seller Scheme with mystery-shopper verification. Marketing and engagement are driven by a community-led go-to-market: digital (website, Grassroots portal, fortnightly newsletter, social), print (Alpaca magazine, Yearbook), and in-person (regional groups, shows, conferences, training courses). Governance rests with 10 elected Directors plus CEO Duncan Pullar; Libby Henson manages the Grassroots Registry function.

Technology is built on the Grassroots Systems pedigree registry platform, which provides pedigree records, an in-breeding calculator, and Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) for fleece trait selection. Core proprietary assets include the registered BAS Pure and Blended Fibre Marques, the BAS logo usage rights for members, and the judge certification programme that calibrates show standards. Strategic partnerships include Grassroots Systems (core technology), DEFRA (regulatory), Farming Community Network (welfare), British Camelid Veterinary Society (veterinary referrals), and the Australian Alpaca Association (international judging).

Name

British Alpaca Society

Legal name

British Alpaca Society Ltd

Website

https://bas-uk.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

British Alpaca Society is the official UK breed society for alpacas, operating a not-for-profit membership organisation that maintains the national pedigree registry (45,000+ alpacas), runs 25+ annual shows, and provides training, welfare support, and fibre certification to 1,500+ breeder and lifestyle members across the UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Breed Society Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Animal Production (11521)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Camelid Farming (Alpaca & Llama) (AFAEAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Livestock Showing, Training & Performance Support Services (Non-veterinary) (AFAEALAM), Animal Welfare Certification Services (AFALAMAE), Wool & Fiber Production (Shearing, Sorting, On-Farm Grading) (AFAEAFAD)

Keywords

• Breed society services
• Pedigree registry
• Alpaca show circuit
• Livestock training courses
• Membership association

Headquarters

HQ city

Exeter

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Primary revenue stream from membership fees across multiple tiers (Single £84, Joint £105, Platinum £500, Associate £25, Junior/Senior). Fees include magazine subscription and VAT where applicable. Membership year runs April to March.
2. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including coat badges (£3.50), pin badges (£3.00), hoodies, padded gilets, and polo shirts via the online shop.
3. Training Courses: Revenue from BAS Affiliate courses, alpaca evaluation courses (Introduction, Intermediate, Advanced), Judge Training Stages 1 & 2, and webinars. Members receive special rates on all BAS training courses. Associate members get half-price on education courses.
4. Registry Fees: Fees for alpaca registration, transfer, and import registration. Platinum members receive 50% discount on registration, late registration, and late notification fees. Registry fees are listed in the annual fees PDF.
5. Advertising: Special discounts on advertising rates in Alpaca magazine, the Yearbook, and on the BAS website, offered to members.
6. Yearbook Sales: Annual Alpaca Yearbook available for purchase. Provided free to members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

British Alpaca Society is the official UK breed society for alpacas, providing membership services, maintaining the national pedigree registry (via Grassroots Systems), organizing a national show circuit of 25+ events, and offering welfare support, training courses, and judge certification. The society also issues BAS Fibre Marques (Pure and Blended) certifications and sells branded merchandise to its 1,500+ members and the wider alpaca community.

Product overview

British Alpaca Society operates a platform-based offering centered on breed society services for the UK alpaca community. The core platform comprises the BAS Pedigree Registry (maintained via Grassroots Systems), membership services, the quarterly Alpaca Magazine, and annual Yearbook. Supporting modules include the National Show and regional shows circuit, BAS Affiliate Training Courses (9 modules), Alpaca Evaluation Courses (3 levels), Judge Training Programme, and the Apprentice Shearing Scheme. Additional services include the Trusted Alpaca Seller Scheme, BAS Welfare Network with emergency hotline, BAS Fibre Logos (Pure and Blended Marques) for product certification, colour charts for fleece evaluation, Educational Webinars for members, and BAS Branded Merchandise. The portfolio serves alpaca owners, breeders, and enthusiasts through the full lifecycle of ownership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Services Multi-tier membership providing access to the pedigree registry, quarterly Alpaca Magazine, annual Yearbook, training discounts, member benefits from partner suppliers, and the right to use the BAS logo in marketing. Available to individuals and families across the UK.
• BAS Pedigree Registry

Quantifiable outcome

• Zero laboratory-confirmed bovine TB cases in UK camelids in 2024
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Grassroots Systems LtdcoreOthersGrassroots Systems Ltd provides the BAS pedigree registry platform (breeds.grassroots.co.uk/BAS), manages membership systems, and hosts the Grassroots Registry office for BAS registry enquiries. The society's address is c/o Grassroots Systems Ltd, PO Box 251, Exeter.
• Farming Community Network (FCN)supportingOthersFarming Community Network provides additional support and advice for alpaca owners, referenced as a welfare resource alongside the BAS emergency welfare hotline.
• British Camelid Veterinary SocietysupportingOthersThe British Camelid Veterinary Society site is referenced for finding alpaca vets near members. BAS directs members to their Find a Camelid Vet directory at camelidvets.org.
• AAA (Australian Alpaca Association)supportingOthersAAA judges (Jude Anderson and Natasha Clark) were invited to preside alongside BAS judges at the 2026 National Show. Barbara Hetherington retired from BAS March 2026 and is now registered with AAA.
• DEFRA (UK Government)coreOthersDEFRA publishes official bovine TB data for non-bovine species including camelids. UK export protocols require government verification of bTB testing before Export Health Certificates are issued. DEFRA added an extra layer of biosecurity for UK-to-EU alpaca exports.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• British Wool: UK sheep-wool marketing cooperative supporting fibre grading, training, and producer services. Comparable to BAS's fibre-processing and BAS Fibre Marque programmes serving a parallel fibre-producer base.
• The Kennel Club: The UK's premier canine breed society, operating a national pedigree registry, breed standards, conformation shows, and member training programmes — a structurally analogous model at much greater scale that demonstrates the long-term potential of breed-society business models.
• Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF): UK feline breed registry and member society overseeing pedigree registration, breed standards, and a national show circuit — a structurally direct analogue to BAS's pedigree-registry-plus-show model.
• British Horse Society: UK equestrian membership organisation offering registration, welfare, training, and accredited show/route systems. Mirrors BAS's combination of membership tiers, welfare network, training ladder, and event governance.
• Rare Breeds Survival Trust: UK charity focused on native and rare livestock breeds, running herd registries, watchlists, and welfare programmes. Comparable in its national-herd stewardship and welfare mandate for a defined breed population.

Direct peers

• Australian Alpaca Association (AAA): The national breed society and pedigree registry for alpacas in Australia, BAS's closest international counterpart. Operates a parallel registry, judging system, and national show circuit and is already engaged with BAS on cross-judging at the 2026 National Show.
• Alpaca Owners Association (AOA): The North American alpaca breed society and registry, operating the alpaca registry, shows, and fibre programmes in the US. Directly comparable peer in scope and function to BAS, reflecting alpaca breed governance outside the UK.

Others

• British Camelid Veterinary Society: UK veterinary association for camelids, referenced by BAS for finding alpaca vets. Functions as an adjacent ecosystem partner supporting member welfare and husbandry outcomes, rather than a competitor.
• Grassroots Systems Ltd: BAS's registry technology partner, providing pedigree registry platforms to multiple UK breed societies. Included as a key ecosystem enabler rather than a competitor — its services underpin BAS's data infrastructure and could be replicated by other societies.

Regional players

• British Goat Society: UK pedigree registry and breed society for goats, offering similar registration, showing, and member services. Although goats are a different species, the operating model — a small UK herd registry with shows and breed standards — is highly comparable to BAS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/societyalpaca
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheBritishAlpacaSociety
• Instagraminstagram.com/british_alpaca_society

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 British Alpaca Society