Red Mills is one of the 131 grain mills in the 1800s located in County Kilkenny, South-East Ireland. Michael Connolly returns from the Americas to Bagenalstown, County Carlow, to run the family bakery inherited in 1866.
The company operates as a sawmill and a grain mill during the First World War. Michael Connolly purchases the mill on the River Barrow in 1908, providing access to local farmers and millable flour. He rebrands the business to William Connolly & Sons Ltd on 15 October 1908, naming it after his youngest son, William.
The mill withstands the Second World War, doing so well that it employs up to 20 locals, while the store provides food and goods on credit to the local community.
Liam Connolly takes over the management of the mill from his father, William, during the boom of the technological era. The mill is connected to the national electrical grid, with new-age milling techniques employed to enable a high-tech, modern mill in the 1950s. Some notable modernisations include investing in the first pellet mill and high-temperature extrusion technology.
Flaking technology is installed, along with a new plant at the cost of £51,617 – a game-changer for animal feed manufacturing.
The first computerised payment system is installed; investments are made into the building and plant. State-of-the-art laboratory testing is implemented to ensure product quality.
The first animal feeds are exported to the United Kingdom.
Connolly’s RED MILLS acquires two agri businesses in Ireland, E Morrin & Sons Ltd, and Rothwell Grain & Seed Ltd.
Connolly’s RED MILLS secures licensing to export horse feed into mainland China, becoming the first feed company to do so. We now export to 7 Asian markets.
Connolly’s RED MILLS purchases the renowned Foran Healthcare brand, enabling us to produce pharmaceutical-grade animal supplements to further meet the performance requirements of our customers and their animals.
To service our customers’ country lifestyle and equine nutrition demands, the RED MILLS Store is launched in Cillin Hill Retail Park, County Kilkenny, South-East Ireland, as an investment into the local region.
Connolly’s RED MILLS purchases the world’s oldest horse care brand, Carr & Day & Martin. This solidifies the brand as a global powerhouse and our expert knowledge of animal feed, supplements, and care solutions, as part of our commitment to nourish, support, and care.
Connolly’s RED MILLS has grown from a humble local mill in South-East Ireland to a global animal feed brand exporting to more than 80 countries worldwide. Our solutions now include high-quality feeds for farm animals, horses, pets and camels, performance-driven supplements for farm animals, horses, and camels with the Foran Healthcare brand, and horse care products with our Carr & Day & Martin brand acquisition.
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