Masham family firm that's grown from Victorian corner shop to become major international exporter
A family-run Masham firm which was founded in a corner shop during the reign of Queen Victoria is celebrating 20 years of remarkable success in Australia.
Founded in 1900 in this North Yorkshire market town nine miles from Ripon, I’Anson Bros Ltd remains family owned and managed, despite employing more than 100 people and enjoying overall sales in excess of £78 million.
Acknowledged as one of the UK’s leading producers of animal feed, the company first developed its award-winning equine feed Speedi-Beet in 2006.
Two decades later, it is a true British export success story, selling in 48 countries around the world with plans to supply even more international markets in the pipeline.
One country in particular has become a key market for I’Anson’s – Australia where it is recognised as the number one soaked beet product for equines.
Overseeing the firm’s multi-million pound export programme is Hattie I’Anson, one of the fifth-generation members of the family involved in the management of the 126-year-old business.
A key factor in its success was Hattie’s decision to relocate to Australia to fully develop the market opportunity after many visits with father Will I’Anson making commercial contacts.
“It’s quite remarkable to be celebrating the 20th anniversary of Speedi-Beet being exported to Australia," she said.
"From the initial levels of modest tonnage and value, the country is now our largest single export market and we have developed a close and successful relationship with our in-country partners.”
Developed at the turn of the Millennium, Speedi-Beet uses a unique process to revolutionise the preparation of sugar beet-based feed for horses and ponies that cut the traditional 24-hour soaking time to 10 minutes.
It proved an immediate hit with owners and went on to win a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category.
Initial exports to Europe began in 2004 and two years later Speedi-Beet entered the Australian market.
Hattie I’Anson said: “This model of working with locally-based distributors means that we have partners familiar with their national regulatory requirements and with the existing customer networks and relationships that would be difficult to replicate from a standing start if we were doing it alone.”
Closer to home, last year saw I’Anson’s complete the development of Waterloo House at the Dalton Industrial Estate near Thirsk, one of the most technologically advanced animal feed mills in Europe with an investment of £20 million-plus, the largest in the company’s history.