Established in the UK in 1983, Barenbrug UK is now known as one of the UK’s largest grass seed producers, distributing more than 4,000 tonnes of UK grown grass seed each year. We have teams of regional technical grass experts, as well as research and development, production, and warehouse sites across the UK; working together as a team to serve our customers wherever they need us.

We remain at the forefront of innovation, coupled with consistent investment in people, training through the next generation of grass seed specialists, and as part of the wider Barenbrug Group we share the collective knowledge and experience from the global network with our UK customers.

Michael Hales 

Managing Director

Welcome

Michael, originally from a sheep and beef farm in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, has over 20 years of experience in the agribusiness sector. Holding a Bachelor of Business Studies with majors in agribusiness and marketing from Massey University, Michael has worked across diverse farming environments in New Zealand, the UK, and the Middle East.

After graduating, Michael began his career at Northland Dairy Company, now part of Fonterra. He then served as a marketing manager at Rabobank, playing a key role in its rise as a major rural banking institution in New Zealand. Following this, he held senior roles at Syngenta, a global agri-chemical company, based in Sydney.

Michael joined Barenbrug in 2010 as a Marketing Manager, advancing to Managing Director in mid-2017. As of early 2025, he became Managing Director of Barenbrug UK. Beyond Barenbrug, Michael serves on the boards of the New Zealand Seed Authority, the New Zealand Plant Breeding and Research Association (NZPBRA), and the New Zealand Grain and Seed Trade Association (NZGSTA), having previously presided over both NZPBRA and NZGSTA.

In his free time, Michael enjoys staying fit and traveling, with a particular focus on exploring the UK to gain deeper insights related to his role.