B-W Feed and Supply continues expansion west of New Hamburg

Chad Bender and his father, Dave Bender, fill feed orders Monday at B-W Feed and Supply west of New Hamburg. Not shown are their wives, Cindy and Rebecca, who also share ownership in the family-run business. Gary West photo

By Gary West

One of the long-established agricultural businesses serving the New Hamburg area continues to grow as B-W Feed and Supply expands its operations at its modern mill west of the community.

The feed company, originally founded in 1966, has long supplied feed and agricultural products to livestock farmers across the region.

The business began when Earl Bender and Cecil Wagler, along with their wives, Fern and Reta, started producing and selling feed to meet the growing needs of the local agricultural community. The company name reflects the founders’ surnames.

For decades, B-W Feed operated from its downtown New Hamburg location before the company began constructing a new facility west of town in the early 2020s. Feed production at the new state-of-the-art mill began Dec. 14, 2021, with the company’s new front offices opening in 2022.

Today, the business remains firmly in the family. Dave Bender, the son of Earl Bender and nephew of Cecil Wagler, now owns and operates the company with his wife, Cindy. Their son, Chad, and daughter-in-law, Rebecca, are also part of the ownership and management team.

What started with a small labour force has grown significantly over the years. B-W Feed and Supply now employs 39 full- and part-time workers.

The company also operates a fleet of 10 farm delivery trucks and five heavy commodity trucks, helping deliver feed and supplies to farms throughout the region.

Owner Dave Bender said the modern mill has significantly increased the company’s production capacity.

“The new mill now can process 40 to 50 tonnes an hour, and sometimes that amount is very much required with the volume of business that keeps increasing,” Dave Bender said.

When asked about the company’s feed production by sector, Dave Bender said poultry accounts for the largest share of the business.

“About 65 per cent of our feed volume is from the feather business – laying hens, pullets, broiler and broiler breeder chickens and turkeys,” he said. “Another 30 per cent is dairy, including cows and goats, and the remaining five per cent is pigs, beef and sheep.”

Bender noted the growth of local farms has contributed to the company’s expansion.

“We’re no different than farmers in the area,” he said. “As the farms get bigger and involve more family members, so do the businesses that serve them.”

The company is currently adding new feed-storage bins at the mill. Once completed, the expansion will increase storage capacity by an additional 750 tonnes, on top of the 500 tonnes already available.

Dave Bender said the added capacity will help the business keep pace with demand.

“This increase in storage capacity will help alleviate any backups when making large quantities of feed,” he said.