Grown from a family of farmers
and matured through quality, innovation, and integrity.
GA did not begin as a pet food manufacturer. It began on a working farm in Lancashire, where a mindset of quality, care and doing things the right way shaped everything that followed.
Grown from a family of farmers
and matured through quality, innovation, and integrity.
GA did not begin as a pet food manufacturer. It began on a working farm in Lancashire, where a mindset of quality, care and doing things the right way shaped everything that followed.
The pull of the land
From farming roots to industry, and back again
John Bracewell
1836 – 1924
Farming roots in an industrial Lancashire
William Telemachus Bracewell
1871 – 1930
From mill machinery to the movement of goods
Long before GA Pet Food, the Bracewell family’s story was already tied to the land.
John Bracewell, Roger’s great-great-grandfather, was born into a family with farming roots, just as Lancashire was being reshaped by mills, machinery and industrial change.
As the county changed, the family adapted, carrying with them a practical understanding of hard work, production and self-reliance.
Yet that connection to the land was never lost.
Samuel Bracewell’s life reflected that balance. Born into a farming family, he built a working life through coal and haulage before returning to rural life at Whalley Nab, where family, land and hard work remained central.
Even in his eighties, he was still shaping the landscape around him, planting trees along the farm track as a lasting act of care.
That same practical spirit continued through Thomas Bracewell.
As a Chartered Surveyor and Land Agent specialising in farms and agricultural land, Thomas understood that land was not just something to be owned, but something to be cared for, managed and passed on. That belief led to the acquisition of Plocks Farm in 1972.
Samuel Bracewell
1895 – 1977
Industry, family and the pull of the land
Thomas Bracewell
1923 – 1993
Land, farming and careful stewardship
The pull of the land
From farming roots to industry, and back again
Long before GA Pet Food, the Bracewell family’s story was already tied to the land.
John Bracewell, Roger’s great-great-grandfather, was born into a family with farming roots, just as Lancashire was being reshaped by mills, machinery and industrial change.
As the county changed, the family adapted, carrying with them a practical understanding of hard work, production and self-reliance.
Yet that connection to the land was never lost.
Samuel Bracewell’s life reflected that balance. Born into a farming family, he built a working life through coal and haulage before returning to rural life at Whalley Nab, where family, land and hard work remained central.
Even in his eighties, he was still shaping the landscape around him, planting trees along the farm track as a lasting act of care.
That same practical spirit continued through Thomas Bracewell.
As a Chartered Surveyor and Land Agent specialising in farms and agricultural land, Thomas understood that land was not just something to be owned, but something to be cared for, managed and passed on. That belief led to the acquisition of Plocks Farm in 1972.
John Bracewell
1836 – 1924
Farming roots in an industrial Lancashire
William Telemachus Bracewell
1871 – 1930
From mill machinery to the movement of goods
Samuel Bracewell
1895 – 1977
Industry, family and the pull of the land
Thomas Bracewell
1923 – 1993
Land, farming and careful stewardship
1972
Rooted in farming and family
In 1972, Thomas Bracewell acquired Plocks Farm, a mixed arable farm in Lancashire, England.
From the beginning, the Bracewell family worked the land themselves, caring for the animals and crops they raised with a practical, hands-on approach.
Thomas was known for saying, “there’s no better fertiliser than the farmer’s boot”; a belief that hard work, attention, and staying close to the land produce the best results. That same thinking continues to shape GA today.
Roger, Thomas and Giles Bracewell with a hand-built sand yacht on Plocks Farm - 1974
Plocks Farm - 1992
1992
The true beginning
In 1992, an idea driven by curiosity changed the direction of the business. Using wheat grown on the farm, a small extruder powered by a tractor was used to produce the first pet food meal.
It was a practical next step, grounded in the same thinking that had shaped the farm for years. That moment marked the beginning of GA Pet Food.
1992 - 1999
Building momentum
Following those early steps, the business began to grow with purpose.
Operating as Golden Acres Pet Food, production expanded and investment in new extrusion technology and facilities supported that growth.
As quality and consistency became established, relationships with partners began to form, including brands that would go on to become widely recognised.
2000 - 2010
Growing the foundations
As the business grew, so did the commitment to reinvest in it.
New production and packing facilities supported an expanding partner base, while research and development became a greater focus. At the same time, investment in the handling and preparation of fresh ingredients laid the groundwork for what would come next.
This was a decade of building capability, not just for the business at that moment, but for the future it was working towards.
2011 - 2013
Expanding capability with precision
As GA continued to grow, investment focused on bringing greater control, efficiency, and consistency to every stage of the process.
Distribution operations were streamlined, fresh ingredient handling was expanded, and new extrusion technology enabled significantly higher levels of fresh meat to be incorporated into dry pet food.
Together, these developments strengthened the foundations for the next major step in GA’s journey.
2014
Freshtrusion® changes everything
In 2014, Freshtrusion® was developed, marking a defining moment in GA’s journey.
Built on years of investment, it brought together the sourcing, handling, and preparation of fresh ingredients into one carefully controlled process. From trusted farms and fisheries to production on-site, freshness was protected at every stage.
It was not simply a new manufacturing process, but a new way of thinking, allowing significantly higher levels of fresh ingredients to be used in dry pet food.
2015 - 2022
Investing in the future
In the years that followed, GA continued to invest in its site, its capabilities, and the way it supports Partners.
From improving production environments and increasing efficiency to major developments in ingredient preparation and automation, each step reflected the same long-term mindset that had shaped the business from the beginning.
By 2022, this investment had culminated in the opening of the Ingredients Kitchen, representing one of the most significant milestones in the company’s history and a major step forward in scale, innovation, and capability.
Roger, William and Harry Bracewell, three generations together on Plocks Farm
Today
Guided by the same values
From its beginnings on a working farm in Lancashire, GA Pet Food has grown into a global partner for pet food brands around the world.
At the centre of the site, the original farmhouse still stands, a reminder of where it all began, surrounded by everything that has been built since.
Still family-owned and family-run, GA continues to invest with the future in mind, building not just for today, but for the generations that follow.
The scale may have changed, but the principles remain the same: quality, care, and doing things the right way.