Feedwell celebrating a 60 year dynasty of pet food excellence
The late Jimmy Clegg Founder of Feedwell.
Roger Clegg Chairman of Feedwell
Vicky Dobbin Finance Director
Jamie Clegg MD Feedwell
Photographs by Jim Masson – History by Jim Masson and Albert Titterington
F
ounder of the company and brand Jimmy Clegg was not only a far sighted entrepreneur but he was a 'character' with whom one could enjoy a bit of 'craic'. From his early days working in the pet food industry to founding his own company he built up a fairly unrivalled knowledge of pet nutrition within his commitment of delivering his customers a top quality food at the best possible price. As son Roger said and grandson Jamie endorsed “ My father’s primary objective, which remains mine today, was and is, to provide the finest possible feeding regime for dogs at the best possible price through the use of top quality ingredients blended with the most up to date formulation. I like to think our brand name clearly states what we deliver Feedwell feeds dogs ‘very well’. In 1962 he left his job as area sales manager for Scotland, North of England, NI and the Isle of Man to start his own company manufacturing and selling dog food. The Feedwell brand was born in an old train engine shed on the Belfast Road in Bangor based on a biscuit baking plant from the Ormeau Bakery where he and his old friend and workmate Frazer Duncan assembled the whole production line themselves. In 1972 there was a major disaster in the fortunes of Feedwell when the factory was 70
blown up but not deterred from his ambition to develop a top Irish dog food brand In 1975 he journeyed to USA and visited Anderson International who were one of the pioneers of manufacturing Pet Food using the extrusion process. Jimmy was convinced that this was the way forward and bought an extrusion plant. This was the first of its kind in Ireland and Feedwell was reborn in the old Mill in Annsborough. This historical building was originally the first wet Scotch linen mill in Ireland and was even used as a school once the mill closed down and for 50 years has been synonymous with the Feedwell brand. The planning and the construction of the plant so impressed the top brass of Anderson International, that it was seen as a showcase for others wishing to set up a small plant. Jimmy had wide sporting interests including shooting (he and his brother Moore had the gun shop in Newtownards), rugby, and motorcycle racing. He also had an interest in horses and greyhounds having success in the showing ring and the show jumping arena with his horses, and qualifying for many greyhound racing finals including the Greyhound Derby at The White City in 1972. He was a former chairman of the Northern Ireland Greyhound Breeders Association and was also on the committee of the Show Jumping Association of Ireland.
Spring 2022 Irish Country Sports and Country Life
In fact some of his first products the original ‘egg and wheaten’ biscuit meal and ‘Racewell’ brand are still remembered and talked about fondly by old greyhound owners and trainers. Jimmy was very proud when his son Roger, after a career in teaching and merchant banking joined him in 1979. But being Jimmy he required Roger to start at the bottom, "getting his hands dirty" maintaining the machinery and driving the delivery lorry around an increasing customer base while his father concentrated on sales and marketing. Roger also shared many of his father’s interests including playing rugby for Ireland and Ulster and of course shooting and gundogs. Under Roger’s direction the company continued to modernise and develop. Prior to him taking a back seat in the business Roger reflected that he was passing on the business to Jamie in good shape within a settled location, on a company owned site, with in-place preventive maintenance, excellent staff producing a highly regarded product range. As Roger said, “ I am delighted to have carried on and extended the traditions started by my father. To keep in personal contact with our customers and to put something back into
