Burgess Pet Care is set to unveil major developments in their portfolio at PATS Harrogate following research conducted over the last 12 months.

The research aimed to gather market insights and focused on 3 major areas; the market, customers and pet owners. The results have culminated in a strategy for growth with strong investment plans for both the Burgess portfolio, and the trade.

So where will growth come from? Encouragingly, the market is starting to recover. 2014 feels more buoyant than 2013, but growth still needs support.  Pet ownership is flat year on year; however one area of strong growth is multi-pet households.  Research shows that nearly 40% of dog owners own another type of pet and 90% of small animal owners also have a dog, cat or another type of small animal.

When asked what support the market needs, the trade were very clear; new, fresh & innovative ideas, training, training and more training, effective deals, strong margins, in-store support and strong consumer awareness campaigns.

As for pet owners, we wanted to find out what they want from their pet food and indeed why they buy Burgess.  We spoke to 5,000 pet owners in focus groups and surveys, on & offline about what they want and what they think of us.  The results reaffirmed the strong features and benefits of the Burgess portfolio whilst highlighting some interesting opportunities.

Head of Sales and Marketing at Burgess Pet Care, Justin Heaton comments, “There have been tremendous changes in the market over the last 18-24 months and we are always striving to meet those changing demands. This research has guided us towards current strengths and new opportunities that our customers and consumers want us to focus on.

"It is an exciting time for Burgess as we believe we have a clear, simple plan to drive growth for our customers.  We hope to see you at PATS to share our exciting plans with you.”

Burgess Pet Care will be showcasing the results of the project, and the strategic plan for growth to the trade at PATS stand E9.  Come along and see how your business can benefit.