A young farmer in Powys has secured a six-figure finance package from HSBC UK to build a new, mobile free-range egg unit which can house up to 4,000 birds.

24-year-old Aled Jones, farmer at Penrhiw Farm in Llandinam, has grown up on the farm alongside his parents and has always had a passion for farming.

After conducting market research to identify ways of developing the farm, Aled and his partner Rachel diversified by starting up their own poultry unit in 2018.

[aoa id=”1″]The HSBC UK funding has been used to build the new mobile egg unit and install a Vencomatic Group system, making the farm more automated, poultry-friendly and modern. The system includes automatic feeders, nests for birds to lay their eggs in and automated egg conveyer belts to speed up the processes.[/aoa]

Aled Jones, farmer at Penrhiw Farm, said:

“I was looking for ways to add a new revenue stream to the farm I’ve grown up on and with the support of our relationship manager at HSBC UK, Angela Crowe, we’ve been able to realise that ambition. This is a very exciting time for the farm and we’re delighted to continue growing our offer to develop a sustainable farming business.”

Martin Lyons, HSBC UK’s Business Banking Area Director for North Wales, said:

“Aled is extremely passionate about his family farm, which he has managed to successfully diversify in the last year. We are delighted to have supported him in this new venture and look forward to seeing the business continue to flourish.”

The farm’s eggs, British Blacktail free range eggs, are sold in Waitrose and contracted with free-range and organic egg specialists, Stonegate. Pullets are sourced from Stonegate farmers and the feed is supplied by Wynnstay Group Plc. Both businesses are vital to the farm’s success.

When Aled is not tending to the chickens, he works as a self-employed farm worker on local farms and Rachel works as an agriculture lecturer at NPTC Group of Colleges in Newtown.