(Our family in 2013)
How it started
Almost 40 years ago, in 1988, in the city of Dublin, Georgia, Leonard Powell started Hi-Tek Rations, specializing in livestock feed before transitioning to pet food in 1996. Throughout his 30 years in business, he gained a reputation for having high-quality, award-winning pet food, formulated with integrity. But it wasn't just about the product. It was also about family. Leonard Powell was a father and a provider who valued his family above all else and had always intended to leave behind a legacy for his children and grandchildren. His wife (Sue), daughters (Connie and Carron), and son-in-law (Phillip) worked alongside him, and he taught his grandchildren (my brothers and I) as much as he could.
(Leonard talking to John-David at our plant)
However, Hi-Tek Rations would not last forever. In 2020, after a few long years of experiencing a hostile takeover of his company and dealing with the financial fallout that followed, our grandfather was forced to close his doors. He was no longer the same after that. The stress of trying to keep everything together and no longer being able to provide for his family took its toll on him--it took its toll on all of us. He lost his business, his home, and the farm we grew up on. But we didn't lose everything. While he is no longer with us--having passed away in May 2025-- he passed on his many years of experience in animal nutrition to his children and grandchildren. We now carry his torch and his legacy.
Who We Are Today
In 2020, we moved to Chattanooga with nothing but a push from God and hopeful for a new start after so much loss. We never expected to be back in the pet food industry. We believed that chapter in our lives was over. And if we're being honest, the wounds were still too fresh. But God had different plans--which is often the case, we've come to learn.
Connie Scott (our mother and Co-CEO with her sister, Carron Powell) was given a dream and a desire to see us back in the pet food space. Initially, the plan was to simply locate a manufacturer that could produce the products that we had always known. But, during 2020, Covid reaked havoc with supply chains. There were no manufacturers in the USA with the capacity to make our products. What seemed like a dead end would open the door to a new brand. Refusing defeat, The Bearded Monkey was born.
In 2021, in our tiny, 3-bedroom apartment--housing anywhere between 6 and 9 people at a time--we baked our first batch of The Bearded Monkey pet treats. When our grandparents would visit, they would pitch in, our grandfather excited and proud of our new venture. In 2022, we attended our first-ever market with only two flavors of treats: Pumpkin and Peanut Butter. We could never have imagined that these treats would help pets and pet owners as much as they have. To hear from customers that their dog's allergies are better or that they no longer need surgery for their arthritis is nothing short of a miracle from God.
(Leonard helping Dylan with a formulation)
We now have a company named Legacy Family Farms in honor of our late grandfather, and a brand of pet products named The Bearded Monkey in honor of our dog Willy Bear, who passed away in 2021. But our story is not a story of loss. It's a story of restoration and providence.
Where We're Going
(Dylan at Noogapaws)
We're not stopping at pet treats. As some of you may have seen from the last few markets last year (2025), we have released a brand new dog food, paw butters, and ear washes. And we won't stop there. Lord willing, we will continue to bring you products to improve your pet's health, bring back formulas from Hi-Tek Rations, and even introduce cat products. There is more to come, and we will continue to grow and learn for the sake of healthier, happier pets.
We will be forever thankful for having Leonard Powell, our Father and Grandfather, in our lives and everything he taught us. He is missed dearly, but we know we will see him again.
(Leonard and Sue Powell at one of our first markets.)
Publish 2/27