Simon Bowden joins Joice and Hill

Concentrating on our highly successful brown breeds, including the Bovans, Shaver and Warren, he will work alongside Penny Humphrey - Area Technical Sales Manager for Mid-West & Wales. During his time in Technical Service and Pullet Sales with pullet rearer and equipment supplier Potters Poultry Ltd, of Rugby, Simon’s previous role involved pullet sales, technical service, and aftercare.

Simon will bring a wealth of layer experience with him which, added to Penny’s extensive knowledge, will ensure customers across Wales and the Mid-West will have invaluable support to draw on.

"I am looking forward to working alongside Penny, who I have known for 10 years, and to learning from one of the most experienced and respected people in the sector," Simon says.

From the age of 12, Simon regularly worked after school for G&K Craddock & Son who were a contract rearer for Lloyds, on a farm just a couple of miles from his parent’s pig farm. After leaving school he went to Sparsholt College, near Winchester, gaining a degree in Aquaculture and Fishery Management. Immediately after graduating Simon worked as a freelance for his parents and for Craddocks, before travelling and working in Australia, New Zealand and the USA.

When he returned to the UK Simon went back to his farming and poultry roots, re-joining Craddocks, and eventually progressing to managing a 240,000-bird site, before leaving to join Potters. Whilst at Craddocks and Potters, Simon enjoyed “working with birds and producers, networking and working in collaboration with breed and feed reps."

Speaking about his new role and the prospect of leaving the rearing sector, he says, “Pullet rearing is an increasingly competitive business, so I am looking forward to a change, and to focussing on the highly successful Hendrix Genetics breeds, including Shaver, Bovans, Dekalb White and of course, the Warren, which has a great reputation amongst free range farmers and producers for its easy to manage nature, robustness and excellent feather cover.”

"The Hendrix Genetics portfolio of breeds means I will be able to advise producers on a choice of bird that best suits their objectives, and l am looking forward to working with a new team of contacts and developing a new set of relationships in order to support Joice and Hill customers."

Away from work, Simon focusses on family life. As he puts it, “It’s a good job I enjoy my job, as there isn’t much time for hobbies because I currently split time between work, and bringing up four young children, three daughters and our 15-month-old boy.”

Speaking about the latest addition to the national Joice and Hill technical sales force, Sales Director Peter Cumbers said, “We are all excited to welcome Simon. He already has a great working relationship with Penny, he is well known in the area, and he has been involved with poultry since childhood!”