Billy + Margot is fresh from its first exhibition at an international trade show, which was a resounding success.

The luxury dog food company was in Germany to launch its new Freezer deal for the ingenious iced dog treats, which shot to success on the back of a bid from Dragons Den investor Deborah Meaden in 2012.

The nutritious, human grade iced treats – which are 100% vegetarian and contain fruit, Aloe Vera and flaxseed oil as well as other vegetarian ingredients – come in three flavours: Strawberry & Apple, Apple, Banana & Carrot and Honey & Banana. 

Originally created because Billy + Margot’s founder, Marie Sawle, wanted to allow her dogs to enjoy ice cream as much as she did, but knew that they needed a dog friendly formula.

Marie said: “Interzoo was everything I had imagined and more. A huge show with an impressive collection of international pet businesses and enthusiasts who were very interested to learn about Billy + Margot and what we do. 

"Our stand worked really well and we took a record number of orders. Our new Freezer deal is proving very popular and we want to ensure that the UK trade know about it too.”

Why anyone who sells pet products should stock Billy + Margot Iced Treats

An independent survey conducted at the Discover Dog show concluded that over 95% of dog owners were prepared to travel well beyond their usual pet shop to find a distributor of the iced treats. 

They are the perfect addition to any pet shop, country store, farm shop or deli and give a unique opportunity to attract new customers and profits. 

The sturdy new Husky freezer looks great in store and comes with a two-year parts and labour warranty as well as illuminated light box displays giving maximum impact to the products. They are energy efficient and have an easy to slide, lockable lid.

The deal costs £350 and includes:                                                                      

• 1 x Husky Freezer (RRP £280)
• 96 Iced Treats – Strawberry & Apple, Apple, Banana & Carrot, Honey & Banana(RRP £287)
• Free POS Material – A3 Poster, A6 Postcards, plus 6 empty tubs & lids ideal for display purposes.                          

Price includes delivery (ground floor and level access, unpacking and positioning). Certain postcodes may be subject to extra charges.

• All prices exclude VAT.
• Payment terms, pro-forma.
• Stock delivered separately and within 7 days of freezer installation.

Proudly made in Britain, Billy + Margot products include only the finest ingredients. 

A pet shop in Finchley, North London, will close its doors for the final time on Saturday with online shopping being blamed for the store’s demise.

Over the years Dunlop Pet Shop on Long Lane has suffered many setbacks, including burglaries and a major fire, but owner Stephen Dunlop says he can no longer compete with the internet.

The 63-year-old started work in the shop 47 years ago to help out his parents while they went on holiday. It turned into a job for life and he even met his wife Gill in the store as she was a regular customer.

“I’ve seen a lot of changes down this street,” said Stephen. “There used to be three greengrocers, three butchers and four bakers but they’ve all gone now, killed off by the supermarkets and the internet.

“The fact that Barnet Council won’t give us 30 minutes free parking on the high street hasn’t helped either.”

Stephen is set to retire but his son Simon will continue to work in the fishkeeping industry. He runs a fish tank maintenance and installation business called Happy Tanks, which he built up at Dunlop Pet Shop.

Simon said: “This Saturday is going to be a very sad day. We have a loyal and decent customer base but the younger generation are not coming because they’re buying things like pet food and fish tanks on the interent.

“We used to see a hundred people coming in on a Saturday but now we’re lucky if we get 45 or 50.”

Luke Sherren, owner of Walton & Hersham Pet Store in Surrey, is the proud winner of a new ipad mini after winning GA’s Grain Free competition.

GA launched the competition at PATS Sandown in March with Partners ordering Grain Free Duck, Sweet Potato and Orange being entered into a prize draw.

Luke has been a Partner of GA’s for number of years and has a wide range of own branded product which he sells very succesfully.

He is a particular fan of the Grain Free Range and says: “Bailey’s dogs  woof it down – any dogs who don’t must be barking.”

Pictured: Ashley Pope (right), GA’s sales manager, presents Luke with his prize.

A 62-strong group of British pet care firms made up the largest ever contingent of exhibitors on the British pavilion at Interzoo 2016.

Commenting on the success of the show for the UK companies who launched numerous new and innovative products, PetQuip’s director general Amanda Sizer Barrett said: “The show organisers have announced that this year’s Interzoo was the largest in its history, with about 39,000 trade visitors from more than 90 countries. This represents a 5% increase on the previous year. 

"Once again, we found that many of the major international buyers were attracted to the UK stands. This was helped by the excellent location of the main British Pavilion, which was positioned near the entrance to the show. 

"The variety and quality of the British products proved popular with show visitors and, in addition to actual export orders received at the show, we are confident that the numerous leads received will be converted into actual sales.”

On the British pet industry information stand, organised and manned by PetQuip, the visiting buyers included many from the main European markets including several from Portugal and Spain, as well as some smaller markets such as Macedonia, Cyprus, Estonia, Lithuania and Slovakia. 

From further afield, distributors and retailers from markets such as Russia, Argentina, Colombia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, Kenya, Egypt, India and even the Seychelles were seen. 

There were also a number of buyers from the Middle East including several from Dubai, and also from markets such as Kuwait, Qatar and Jordan.  Several of the meetings that took place have already generated sales leads for PetQuip member companies as well as providing potential contacts for future ‘Meet the Buyers’ events to be held by PetQuip in the UK.

Details of some of the latest products to be launched and early reactions from the British exhibitors are as follows:

• Howler & Scratch made its Interzoo debut and received new orders from Malta, Germany and the UK, as well as 127 sales leads from all over the world.  Tracy Turczak, the international sales director for Howler & Scratch, a division of Phoenox Textiles said: “We’re thrilled with the response to our first visit here.  Phoenox Textiles has been manufacturing in the UK for 60 years and the new line of rugs for ‘soggy moggies and muddy puppies’, with its hard wearing, super absorbent soft pile that is washable at 30 degrees, has been an instant hit."

• Hing Designs exhibited itsnew display stands for both the Dome Bowl and Bone Bowl for the first time at Interzoo, and John Dixon, a director of Hing, Fressnapf confirmed its orders at the show.  “Being part of the British Pavilion attracted quality leads and we had a great show.  We met with leading pet retailers in the US and Europe and made some very good contacts in Eastern Europe,” said John.

• Benevo vegan pet foodwas featured in the local German press and this proved to be a draw for many of the German retailers. The company also received good enquiries from Spain and Croatia.

• Poo Guard exhibited at Interzoo for the first time, and Kevan Norton from the company was happy with the level of interest expressed by retailers worldwide in Poo Guard, which  kills viruses and bacteria left behind by dog poo. He stated that buyers from at least 20 different countries have been on the stand, illustrating how important this type of product is for the market.

• PetTime launched a new communication system for dogs that consists of a wireless hub comprising a camera, microphone and treat dispenser that enables the owner to see and speak with the pet when they are left at home alone. The tagline is ‘PetTime, anytime’.“We have had particularly good leads from Italy and Japan,” said Keith Wiggins.

• Oggie’s Oven unveiled TheTrikka, a two-in-one training clicker and treat dispenser that was hailed as an industry first by many who visited the stand.  Training clickers are a tried and tested method of training a dog.  A ‘click’ followed by an immediate treat after good behaviour means the dog associates the click with a reward.  The Trikka allows the handler to click and dispense a treat in one action.  The dual button system, red for a click, brown for a treat, allows both functions to be performed independently if needed.  The Trikka is supplied with 30g of chicken and sweet potato treats in a presentation box.

• Source Pet Health launched a new range of natural pet supplements that contain no artificial preservatives or flavourings.  The dosing is made simple by using a unique twist- off ampoule.  The product is suitable for both large and small dogs and helps joint mobility, the immune system and skin and coat.  Mike Dixon of Source Pet Health said:”The product has been a long time in planning and I feel very emotional about being able to launch these products; the whole project means a lot to me. The response has been tremendous."

• Pooch & Mutt also drew much attention from world buyers for its new 75% meat treats that are available in duck, chicken and salmon flavours.

• Barking Heads displayed brand new packaging for the Barking Heads and the AATU ranges, as well as a new range of treats. The range comprises new Bailey Bites with five titles including Love Hugs.  There are also handmade, oven baked and gluten free puppy treats, called Milkies.  The new AATU range includes five flavours of oven- baked single protein treats available in 150g handy pouches.

• Akela Wholeprey introduced complete wet foods for dogs.  Contained in handy tins, the products are grain-free, gluten-free, hypoallergenic and vet approved. Also new is Suffolk Duck, an 80/20 meat/vegetable product that has received a 5-star rating by the Which magazine.Akela also produces food for cats and ferrets.

• Symply, Canagan and Piccolo exhibited itspremium nutrition for cats and dogs, andcemented deals with several leading retailers across three continents.  Company owner Eddie Milbourne was understandably pleased with his four days at Interzoo and also complimented PetQuip on the organisation of the British Pavilion.  He said: “I wouldn’t know where to start when organising something like this.  Thank you for what you have done; we have had an excellent show."

“The potential for British exporters of pet products and accessories around the world is huge," Amanda Sizer Barrett confirms.

“More than 40 per cent of German households own a pet, which is why so many retailers flock to Interzoo and other such major trade events. 

"In addition, European households in general own more than 285 million pets with major markets being Russia, Italy and France. In fact, the overall European market grew by 1.6 per cent in 2015, with the global market for pet care rising to 92 billion euros in 2015. We will be pleased to help any UK pet product firm that wants to tap into this expanding export sector.”

The next major international petcare trade shows where PetQuip will be organising British pavilions of UK suppliers’ stands will be Global Pet Expo in Orlando from 22 to 24 March 2017 and then Zoomark in Bologna, Italy from 11 to 14 May 2017. 

Companies interested in learning more about the opportunities that these exhibitions offer to exporters, or the comprehensive range of export advice, market research, sales leads, international publicity for your products and practical export support available exclusively to member companies of PetQuip, should contact any of the PetQuip team on +44 (0) 1959 565995; e-mail: info@petquip.com  or visit  www.petquip.com

Pets Corner has opened an additional store in Crawley, creating four new jobs.

The store, which is located in the Squires Garden Centre on Horsham Road, opened its doors to the public for the first time on Saturday 28th May.

The company’s focus is on providing the best possible advice to help customers care for their much loved animal family members through knowledgeable and friendly classroom trained staff, great products that last and the best animal welfare in the industry.

The store will stock an extensive range of naturally sourced, quality items for a variety of furry, feathered and scaly companions including a small home farming range. Free parking is available, as well as a free health club providing nutritional advice for pets.

Every Saturday morning between 9.30am and 10.30am puppy owners will also benefit from the opportunity to socialise their pooches at the store’s Puppy Hour, which will include discounts and free doggy treats.

Ross Hall, Regional Manager at Pets Corner, said: “We are delighted to be adding to our existing portfolio of stores in the local area and providing our customers with an alternative location in which to purchase their favourite pet products.”

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Evolutionary dog and cat food brand AATU showcased two brand-new ranges of wet food at Interzoo.

Known for their ultra premium and high protein dry diets, the British brand decided to expand in to wet food after receiving an overwhelming amount of requests from trade & retail customers. 

Boasting an impressive 90% animal sourced ingredients, the new wet food for dogs will be available in a range of five interesting flavours including Wild boar & Pork, Beef & Buffalo, and Pasture Fed Lamb. These grain free recipes can be fed as either a complete meal or as a topper with the dry food.

The equally anticipated wet food for cats has been specifically designed to suit a feline’s carnivorous protein requirements by containing an even higher amount of animal ingredients, AATU for Cat pouches get to a staggering 97% meat content!

Available in portion controlled, easy-tear pouches, this exciting extension range also comes in five unique flavours, such as Chicken & Quail, Turkey & Goose, and Duck & Chickens Liver.

The process for making the wet foods is also very pure. The meat is ground, more finely for the cat food; the Super 8 is then added along with minerals and vitamins. 

The raw mince is mixed together; then can is filled then sealed and then gently steamed. No preservatives are required. 

Both of the brand-new lines from AATU also contain the familiar Super 8 which features in the dry food alternatives. A bespoke formula of 8 fruits, 8 vegetables, 8 herbs & botanicals provides a combination of vitamins and minerals along with incredible flavour.

The AATU for dogs wet food is the perfect partner for the award winning 5/5 stars AATU for dogs dry dog food range voted for by comparison website Allaboutdogfood.

AATU dog and cat wet will be available soon.

Email enquiries@petfoodukltd.com, call 01442 212 392, or vsiit www.AATU.co.uk

3P Enterprise Ltd has presented the Henry Wag brand for the first time at Interzoo.

3P created the Henry Wag brand to deliver exciting and innovative life enhancing products which exceed the demands of devoted pet parents, enhance their relationship and define their attitudes to pet care.

This move into overseas markets represents a significant step forward in the development of the 3P business.

Interzoo 2016 was their first overseas exhibition and marks the growth and development of their own brand products into new markets. By creating the Henry Wag Brand, 3P is able to fill gaps in its range and build a presence outside the UK, an option which has not previously been possible with other brands in the 3P catalogue such as  Petmate and Maelson.

"The response to the Henry Wag products at Interzoo was overwhelming. The feedback was really positive and we had lots of interest from buyers visiting the show from overseas markets," said Grant Rogers, Director at 3P. The company received enquiries from 20 international markets with the potential of securing distributor relationships in 12 new markets.

Grant Rogers continues, "There is a major change afoot in the pet industry with focus on promoting best practice in pet care and changing attitudes to improve a pet's health and well being. This is highlighted by current research from PDSA and translates into public awareness and education through popular television shows and social media.

"As a leading innovator and developer of pet accessories, Henry Wag strives to be at the absolute forefront of this cultural shift, driving the change for improvements in levels of pet care and offering products which influence how people care for their animals from day to day."

The products developed under the Henry Wag brand come as a result of the relationships 3P have built during 15 years of experience in the pet industry, listening to customer and consumer requirements and developing products to meet their needs and expectations. Henry Wag lifestyle products combine high quality and contemporary design which influence attitudes to pet care and encourage closer companionship between pets and their family in all areas of life.

At Interzoo, 3P Showed 5 products from Henry Wag. The Elevated Dog Bed brings great health benefits as it has a firm wooden base providing a comfortable sleeping position and much needed support for a dog's back and hips. The innovative elevated design allows the air to circulate which keeps dogs cool in summer and warm and snug during the winter. For owners, the design makes it easy to clean in and around the bed which improves hygiene and is a must for dogs or parents who suffer from allergies or skin complaints.

Also on Show from the Henry Wag Sleeps range was the Pet Cool Mat designed to keep dogs healthy and cool in warm weather. It is a simple idea and doesn't need any refrigeration before use as it contains a safe innovative gel which cools your dog down by gently drawing heat away from its body. It can also provide relief for more elderly pets who suffer from painful joint inflammation.

On display from the Henry Wag Travels range were the Lightweight Folding Dog Ramp, In-Car Pet Booster Seat and Boot and Bumper Protector. All these products are designed to make journeys with pets simpler and reduce any stress and anxiety for both pets and owners. It is hoped that by making travel a simple and pleasurable experience owners will be encouraged to include their pets in a healthier and more active lifestyle.

All the products exhibited at Interzoo can be seen on the Henry Wag website at www.henrywag.co.uk with the full 3P range visible at www.3penterprise.co.uk. For further information contact 3P at sales@3penterprise.co.uk or call 01594 810990.

For more information on Rally contact Sabine Kanzaria or for CSJ products check out www.csjk9.com

Pictured: A budding Rally handler with Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers.

Renowned equestrian sculptor and artist, Belinda Sillars, has launched a greeting cards collection featuring her beloved dogs.

The Naughty Dogs Collection is made up of six cards: Speed Trap, Eggstraction, Traption, Entraption, Distraction and That’s Another Fine Mess. All feature Belinda’s dogs: Trouble, Dobby, Humphrey and Roo.

“As anyone who’s met me knows, I adore my dogs,” said Belinda.

“So much so that my family of animals accompanies me wherever I go. If you’ve seen me at a show, you’ll have seen my dogs too. They are a constant source of inspiration and amusement and led me to write my book ‘In Trouble Again’, before capturing their antics on greetings cards.”

The collection features fun drawings by Belinda depicting her dogs and the mischief they get up to in the Suffolk countryside. All cards are A5 in size and are blank inside.

The Naughty Dogs Collection can be bought individually at a cost of £2.20 each, or six can be purchased for £12.

For more information or to buy, visit http://www.dorisandco.co.uk/index.php/country-cards.html