ARVUM ACQUIRES W.A Church (BURES) Ltd (Church of Bures) TO EXPAND SPECIALIST SEED CAPABILITY ACROSS THE UK AND IRELAND
Arvum today announced the acquisition of Church of Bures, the long-established UK specialist seed business headquartered on the Essex–Suffolk border.
Above: Robert Church (Managing Director of Church of Bures) & Paul Flanagan (Managing Director of Arvum Group)
Established in 1902, Church of Bures is a fourth-generation family business with a strong reputation for specialist seed expertise, bespoke seed solutions and long-standing customer relationships across the UK, Europe and international markets. The business specialises in peas, beans, forage crops and environmental mixtures, with extensive experience in seed processing and custom mixing for agricultural and land management applications.
The acquisition significantly strengthens Arvum’s specialist seed capability across the UK and Ireland, adding complementary expertise in niche crop varieties, bespoke seed processing and specialist agricultural markets. Church of Bures also brings more than 120 years of technical knowledge and an established international customer base.
Rooted in over 165 years of heritage and expertise, Arvum operates a diversified group of businesses spanning seed, animal nutrition and environmental services. Through its portfolio, including Seedtech, ProNutri, Specialist Nutrition Ireland & USA, Meadowmania, Connecting to Nature and its joint venture with DLF Ireland, the group supports customers across agriculture, land management and environmental stewardship.
The transaction reflects Arvum’s strategy of growing through partnership with businesses that share a strong commitment to technical excellence, customer service and long-term sustainable land management.
“Church of Bures is a highly respected business with deep technical expertise and a long heritage in specialist seed production,” said Paul Flanagan, Managing Director of Arvum. “Their capability in bespoke seed solutions and specialist crop varieties complements Arvum’s existing portfolio extremely well and strengthens our ability to support customers across agriculture, environmental stewardship and land management throughout the UK and Ireland.”
Church of Bures will continue to operate with continuity, maintaining its established team, customer relationships and service offering, while benefiting from the additional scale, technical expertise and broader capabilities of the Arvum group.
Robert Church, Managing Director of Church of Bures added, “After more than 120 years as an independent family business, finding the right home for Church of Bures was incredibly important to us. Arvum shares our commitment to quality, technical excellence and long-term customer relationships, giving us great confidence for the future. I’d like to sincerely thank our customers, suppliers and partners for their loyalty and support over the years. We’re excited to begin this next chapter together and look forward to continuing to serve you with the same dedication you’ve always known from Church of Bures.”
Together, the organisations will create enhanced opportunities for customers through expanded technical capability, deeper sector expertise and a shared commitment to supporting the future of sustainable agriculture and land use.
