Devon-based The Ark Pet Stores has been named UK Pet Retailer of the Year in the prestigious PetQuip Industry Awards 2022. Director Emma Smith reveals the secrets of her company’s success...
Devon-based The Ark Pet Stores has been named UK Pet Retailer of the Year in the prestigious PetQuip Industry Awards 2022. Director Emma Smith reveals the secrets of her company’s success.
What does this award mean to you and your team?
It’s clear that our stores are loved for their atmosphere and the way they are presented. To be recognised in this way gives our hard-working team a real boost. Whilst we praise and reward, when it comes from an outside source it has a real positive impact on morale.
Who works in the business?
I am a director along with my colleague Sarah Passmore. My daughter Lilly Burgess is head of sales, and she looks after all of our team members, especially their training and well-being. We have a company ethos of ‘Our Stores, Our Pets and Our People’, and following a recent restructure we now have four senior managers covering these principles – Karl Howells and Kim Fortune Hill for the stores, Luke Elliott for the pets, and Lilly for the people.
Do you hold special events and initiatives?
We have instore pets across our group and hold birthday parties for them – Charlie, our resident micro pig, is the most popular by far! We attend local fairs and schools where possible and hold awareness events to help and advise customers on specific issues.
What makes your store so special?
I believe we offer an experience rather than just being a standard store. We are big advocates for animal welfare and our stores have received 5-stars in recent licencing inspections.
We are always striving to ‘do better’ and this is reflected in sales and feedback from our customers. We have a specific ‘parrot room’ for our hand reared birds with a walk-in aviary for the larger birds such as Macaws and Cockatoos which is also used for enriching. We have a consultation room for customers wishing to buy a parrot so they can really consider the purchase. This enables us to discuss their lifestyle etc to ensure they are matched with the right bird.
It is important to us that our animals are in their homes for their lifetime entirety. If a customer doesn't buy the full set up from us, we ask for photos of the enclosure they have at home so we can be sure the environment they're moving to is right.
We are an ethical company and believe we are responsible for every animal we sell; therefore, we offer a return service which enables the customer to return any animal to us during its lifetime if they can no longer care for it. Sometimes they are rehomed to other customers, team members or they become shop pets and live in one of our stores. This means we are not burdening rehoming centres who (in our area specifically) already have very negative views of ‘pet shops.
All of our animal food prep is done on the shop floor in a kitchen-style area, complete with microwave, blender and an array of fresh fruit and vegetables. We have displayed menus so our customers can see the thought and work that goes into looking after our animals before they are sold. Saturday mornings is porridge and Sundays are roast days! All of this encourages our customers to try things to enrich their own animals with things they haven't tried before.
We offer education to our younger customers in the way of our very popular kid's club dog wash – they come in with their dogs and with a team member will learn what to look for when washing their pets. We are very passionate about instilling the importance of being kind to animals at a very young age. We offer a school support service where we go out to schools, check enclosures, equipment (UV/Filters if they have reptiles and aquatics) and do a broad health check on the animals and advise as necessary.
Our self-serve and service wash dog wash is very popular, hosting four baths including a floor-based one for extra-large dogs or customers who have mobility issues so they can wash their dogs with ease.
Do you offer a delivery service?
We try to make our stores accessible for everyone but for those who can't visit, we go to them, seven days a week with four local vans on the road covering Exeter, Torbay, Plymouth and the surrounding areas. Online, we have a live chat so customers can speak to us and get advice before making a purchase if needed.
What training do you give your staff?
Our team members are trained to a very high standard to be able to offer the very best service to our customers and are encouraged to progress and learn more wherever they can. PIF courses are readily available and many of our team members have completed these, along with external courses such as Reptile Diplomas, Parrot Studies & Behaviour Diplomas, SQPs, Dog/Cat nutrition - I could go on!
Our people are the backbone of our business, and it is important to us that they are happy not only at work but at home too so we offer a full employee assistance programme so they can get support for free if they are having personal struggles.
All of our managers are trained in aspects of mental health to support them if needed or they are guided to the EAP if not. We are a very diverse team and have an age range of employees from 16-79 and this means we can relate to all of our customers regardless of age.
My colleagues Sarah and Lilly and myself are in stores regularly to ensure our policies of a ‘safe place’ environment is always at the forefront of everyone’s minds so every team member and customer can be themselves in our stores without fear of judgement or discrimination.
What sets you apart from the rest?
All of the above is what makes our stores so special. We’re so much more than just a pet shop – I think we are traditional (still selling pets) but with a modern twist!
How do you keep your regulars coming back for more?
By ensuring we stay on trend, changing displays and stock seasonally and offering a service that they wouldn't get anywhere else. Knowing our customers, their pets and their needs is fundamental and so they keep visiting. They know we genuinely care.
Tailor-Grace, Podium Pet Products, Butcher's Pet Care, Mutneys Professional Pet Care, Pedigree Wholesale, Bruce's Doggy Day Care, Furr Boost and Watermans were among the Gold winners at the prestigious PetQuip Awards held at Telford International Centre on Sunday.
The UK pet industry celebrated in style during the announcement of the PetQuip Awards 2022 on Sunday (25th September) when companies were honoured for their outstanding performance during the past year.
A packed gathering of retailers and suppliers attended the awards presentations which were held after the first day of PATS Telford.
The event, presented by Pat Flynn, PetQuip trade association manager, and Amanda Sizer Barrett MBE, director general of the PetQuip association, included 12 gold and 10 silver awards, plus six highly commended awards and a special Lifetime Achievement Award for PATS organiser Gordon Thomas.
Two new categories – ‘Celebrating Green & Organic’ and ‘Sustainability Award’– were introduced this year to reflect on how an increasing number of businesses have embraced ‘eco’ initiatives.
At the close of the event, Amanda Sizer Barrett said: “The enjoyment evident on the faces of so many people from the industry at our event has made it all worthwhile. The association is proud to recognise all the hard work, innovation and teamwork demonstrated by our industry.
“In addition to seeing so many happy winners, it was really rewarding to witness everyone enjoying the fruits of their labours and the positive networking that took place between suppliers and buyers during the evening.”
Here is a full list of the award winners:
Exporter of the Year (Theresa Swann Trophy)
Gold Award: Tailor-Grace
Silver Award: Podium Pet Products
Highly Commended: Little Big Paw
The judges praised Tailor-Grace for providing strong back-up support to its overseas distributors, and with the incentives it offered, including percentage rebates on each sale.
Celebrating Green & Organic
Gold Award: Podium Pet Products
Silver Award: Tailor-Grace
Highly Commended: Doggy Doggy Yum Yum
The judges loved the idea that the inspiration for Podium’s natural care range came from an old family recipe book for farmhouse animal husbandry, using hedgerow and nature’s harvest ingredients. Packaging of the products is limited to as little as possible and is completely recyclable.
Supplier of the Year
Joint Gold Award – Butcher’s Pet Care and Mutneys Professional Pet Care
Silver Award: Pet Trade Innovations
The judges agreed there should be joint gold winners in this category, celebrating service from a small company trading under £1m in turnover, to a larger one trading over £1m. Both provide exemplary service and customer satisfaction.
Business Service of the Year
Joint Gold Award: Pedigree Wholesale and Bruce’s Doggy Day Care
Silver Award: Tuft App
Highly Commended: Shropshire Canine
The judges felt that the joint gold winners were passionately driven businesses, based on old family principles and delivered by experienced personnel.
Sustainability Award
Gold Award: Butcher’s Pet Care
Silver Award: Rawgeous Pet Food Co
Highly Commended: The Green Poop Bag
The judges described the gold winner as a family business doing things its way and getting it right. The company specialises in no-waste farming to bring naturally nourishing dog food to the market. It uses natural ingredients, British and Irish in origin, to reduce the carbon footprint, and all packaging is recyclable.
Product of the Year – Accessories/Technical
Gold Award: Concept Research – Pest Controller
Silver Award: Pedigree Wholesale – AI Flashing Bandana
The judges awarded gold to a UK-manufactured product which deters mice in a humane way. It’s a cost effective and excellent alternative to poisons.
Product of the Year – Food/Treats
Gold Award: Furr Boost – Smoothie Drinks
Silver Award: Tailor-Grace – Oggi’s Bake at Home Dog Treat Mix for healthy dogs
Highly Commended: Akela Pet Foods – Free Range Chicken Complete Working Dog/Puppy Dry Food
The judges felt the gold award winner deserved recognition with an idea based upon a dog which had bladder problems, refusing to drink enough water in the summer months. Through research and product development a totally new idea has been brought to market, not seen before – smoothies for dogs.
Product of the Year – Healthcare/Grooming
Gold Award: Watermans – PH balanced formulated pet wash
Silver Award: For All Dogkind – Range of Calming Spray, Breath Freshner and Leave-In Conditioner
Highly Commended: GWF Nutrition – Raw Aid for cats and dogs
In the words of the judges, the gold award winner has formulated a product that looks different and smells amazing.
International Retailer, Wholesaler or Distributor of the Year
Gold Award: Eye4Pets, The Netherlands
Silver Award: Wanimo, France
The judges were impressed by the fact this Dutch business is always on the look-out for equipment and accessories that are truly different and of excellent quality. The company likes to work with family businesses that understand it takes time to establish a brand in a new market.
UK Retailer of the Year
Gold Award: The Ark, Devon
Silver Award: Trusty Pet Supplies, Derbyshire
The gold award winner was praised for its fantastic and colourful displays, friendly and knowledgeable staff, the efficiency of service plus excellent and innovative new ideas such as its Kids Club Dog Wash.
Lifetime Achievement
Gordon Thomas, Organiser of PATS Telford/Sandown, AQUA and BETA International
The judges felt Gordon deserved this high accolade for his outstanding service to the pet industry, organising the successful PATS and AQUA exhibitions. After an illustrious career of working on international exhibitions like Glee, Gordon launched his own business, Impact Exhibitions & Events, with friend and colleague Annie Foord. The first PATS show took place at Sandown Park in 2009 and was swiftly followed by a second event in Harrogate the same year. The move from Harrogate to Telford came in 2015. Gordon and his team also launched the biennial AQUA show in association with OATA, and this year took on the organisation of BETA International equestrian exhibition. Described as being hard-working, incredibly fair and a fun person to be with, Gordon is a worthy recipient of the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.
The 2022 PetQuip Awards were supported by APPA (American Pet Products Association), Global Pet Expo, Zoomark International, Pedigree Wholesale, Petface, Canagan, Group55, James & Steel, pbwnews and PATS Telford.
Zoomark International presented Katy Rehm, of the Pawfume Shop, with the special prize of a trip to Italy in time for the show on 15-17 May 2023, including air fare and hotel accommodation.
At the awards dinner following the presentations, the following guests won a digital edition of the Pet Owners Survey produced by APPA: John James of James & Steel, Julie Butcher from Group 55, and Martin Hodson, of ChickenGuard. Gemma Connolly, of Scoff Paper, won a bottle of champagne, also from APPA.
Gordon Thomas, show director of PATS Telford, was presented with a prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2022 PetQuip Industry Awards on Sunday. He received the award from Steve Brown, Chief Executive Officer of Pedigree Wholesale, who gave a glowing account of Gordon’s distinguished career in event management.
Gordon Thomas, show director of PATS Telford, was presented with a prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2022 PetQuip Industry Awards on Sunday.
He received the award from Steve Brown, Chief Executive Officer of Pedigree Wholesale, who gave a glowing account of Gordon’s distinguished career in event management.
Steve said that Gordon deserved this high accolade for his outstanding service to the pet industry, organising the successful PATS and AQUA exhibitions.
After an illustrious career of working on international exhibitions like Glee, Gordon launched his own business, Impact Exhibitions & Events, with friend and colleague Annie Foord. The first PATS show took place at Sandown Park in 2009 and was swiftly followed by a second event in Harrogate the same year. The move from Harrogate to Telford came in 2015.
Gordon and his team also launched the biennial AQUA show in association with OATA, and this year took on the organisation of BETA International equestrian exhibition.
Described as being hard-working, incredibly fair and a fun person to be with, Steve added that Gordon was a worthy recipient of the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.
Quality – and quantity – were the themes of the bumper PATS Telford 2022 show, with exhibitors and visitors alike commenting on the amount of great business being done across the two days...
Quality – and quantity – were the themes of the bumper PATS Telford 2022 show, with exhibitors and visitors alike commenting on the amount of great business being done across the two days.
The second day started off as busy as the first with pet retailers and industry professionals flooding through the doors eager to see the array of innovations coming to market.
With more than 240 companies and brands showcasing hundreds of new products in all three halls of Telford International Centre for the first time, it proved to be a record-breaker.
Exhibitors found they were busy from the start with a steady stream of inquiries. Tropiclean, which was represented by Pedigree Wholesale, experienced lots of interest in its New Product Award-winning product range. The company’s Paul Mercer said: “We’ve had a fantastic time. It’s great to see so much support for the show and I’ve been particularly impressed with the quality of buyers.”
First-time exhibitor Pawsome Paws Boutique was thrilled with its decision to take a stand with managing director Jason Chesman saying: “The professionalism of the exhibition has really stood out, and everyone has been extremely helpful. As well as raising the profile of our products, we’ve been able to network with so many people within the industry.”
Other first-time exhibitors have also been impressed. Matt Terrell of The Stately Hound said: “It’s been fantastic, generating a good number of leads, including some big retailers. We’ve been mainly an online business until now so it’s great to be able to show people the quality of our UK-made product and get such positive feedback.”
And Maxime Courant, Export Manager at Milk & Pepper, said: “It’s so much more intimate than exhibiting at the big International Shows in Europe. It has been perfect for reaching the English market, with its groomers, independent and boutique shops.”
The show also got the thumbs-up from visitors, who flocked to the show on both days.
PATS Telford welcomed international visitors Mireia Sabate, a pet store owner from Spain, and her distribution company Petwork Marketing, which she jointly runs with her British partner Rob James. The couple travelled 1,000 miles from their base in Barcelona, and Mireia said: “Attending PATS proved vitally important and super-helpful to our business. The show was so really well laid out, organised and delivered.”
While pet store owners Nate Garton and Mary Ann Ferry, of DNA Pet Supplies in West Yorkshire, did not have quite so far to travel they were equally as impressed with the show. Nate said: “We come looking for specific products for our customers and we always know we will find something perfect. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the show to other retailers.”
Award-winning pet retail group Just for Pets agreed that PATS is a must-visit for pet stores. Senior merchandiser Leanne Blunn said: “It’s a great place to see everything that’s new to the market, and encouraging to witness so many new brands entering the scene.”
With an increasing number of pet retailers introducing grooming salons into their stores, the PATS programme of seminars and demos, in association with Peanut & Pickle, provided invaluable insights into this side of the business.
On both days of the show expert groomers gave demonstrations of specialist grooming techniques, including Asian-style Grooming, Creative Grooming, Pet Trim and Traditional Trim, as well as advice on how to grow your grooming business.
Kara Boyd, who appeared in the BBC One hit series Pooch Perfect, said: “It was great to be able to share the knowledge I have gained over the years, and exchange tips and advice with other groomers. It is such a valuable occasion, being able to learn more about our pet industry, and meet new people.”
Dates for the diary:
PATS Sandown 2023 – Sandown Park, 26-27 March 2023
PATS Telford 2023 – Telford International Centre, 1-2 October 2023
There was so much to see and do over the two days of PATS Telford exhibition. If you weren't lucky enough to make it, here's a picture round-up from Telford International Centre...
There was so much to see and do over the two days of PATS Telford exhibition. If you weren't lucky enough to make it, here's a picture round-up from Telford International Centre...
Yorkshire-based Private Equity House, Traditum, has this week announced a £1.75m investment in Halifax-based Sniffers Pet Care...
Yorkshire-based Private Equity House, Traditum, has this week announced a £1.75m investment in Halifax-based Sniffers Pet Care.
The funding will allow Sniffers to build on its established relationships, support the rollout of new brands and product ranges and will enable them to invest in new manufacturing and distribution roles at its Halifax (Elland) site.
Sniffers is an award-winning family-owned business with over 40 years of experience in the pet industry across retail and distribution. Specialising in natural pet treats and supplying the likes of Pets at Home, Jollyes and hundreds of independent retailers with its brands including Walter Smith, Buffalo Natural Dog and Monster Chocs.
Simon Brown, (pictured) Sniffer’s Pet Care CEO, said: “We have transformed our business over the past three years, focusing on new, high-quality product lines which cater for dog owners looking for a more natural product for their pet.
“I’m hugely proud of the business my family and team have built, and it’s been exhilarating to see such a rapid increase in sales with household name retailers.”
“The investment from Traditum will allow us to roll out a new brand proposition and continue our growth in an increasingly fast-moving sector. The team brings in-depth knowledge of managing scaling businesses, and I look forward to working with them to build on our success.”
Iain Marlow, Head of Investments at Traditum, said: “The UK is a nation of pet lovers who care about the quality of what they feed their pets. Simon and his team have established Sniffers as one of the leading suppliers of natural pet food in the highly competitive UK market.”
“Their dedication to quality, innovation and reliability has enabled them to secure relationships with some of the largest retailers in the UK. Our investment will enable the business to build on its established position, expand operational capabilities and deliver new brand and product propositions.”
In 2022 the UK pet food industry is worth £3.3bn*, with dog ownership in the UK growing significantly during the pandemic. According to recent figures from the PDSA*, the dog population in the UK is estimated at 10.2 million, with 27% of adults owning one or more dogs.
Traditum was supported with legal advice from Paul Johnson and Nina Latham of law firm Mills and Reeve.
Richard Wilson of RSM provided tax advice to Traditum. Nigel Hoyle from Blacks provided legal advice to the vendors, and Sara Whitton from My Management Accountant provided financial support to Sniffers.
Jollyes has made a donation of £500 to Guide Dogs for the Blind as a thank you to football legend Harry Redknapp, who opened its new store in Poole, Dorset...
Jollyes has made a donation of £500 to Guide Dogs for the Blind as a thank you to football legend Harry Redknapp, who opened its new store in Poole, Dorset.
The new store, at Wessex Gate East Retail Park, Poole, enjoyed a “paw-some” opening on Saturday 20 August when customers turned out in force.
The highlight was the official opening and ribbon cutting performed by Poole resident Harry Redknapp who was there with his wife Sandra and their bulldog Barney.At Harry’s request, Jollyes agreed to make a donation to Guide Dogs to support their work in helping people with sight loss.
This week, Jollyes Poole store manager Tom Amos and Jollyes southern area manager Sam Wells handed over the £500 cheque to local Guide Dogs volunteers Debbie Booth and Sue Bossom and puppy raiser Sylvia McIntyre.
Sue Bossom, who has been volunteering with Guide Dogs for 10 years, said: “We know that Harry Redknapp is a supporter and it’s absolutely wonderful of him to think of us and for Jollyes to make this donation which will go towards training dogs and other services.”Sam Wells said: “Harry Redknapp helped to make our opening day a memorable occasion for all our colleagues and the pet parents who came along, so we’re delighted to make the donation to Guide Dogs who do such fantastic work, here in Poole and around the country.”
Guide Dogs’ Gemma Spencer, Community Fundraising Manager, said: “We’d like to say a big thank you to Jollyes and Harry Redknapp for this donation. Every day in the UK, 250 people start to lose their sight and all the money raised for us can make a big difference to the people we support.”
The 5,000 square feet Poole store employs 10 colleagues and is the first Jollyes store in Dorset, complementing Jollyes outlets in neighbouring counties of Hampshire, Somerset, Devon and Wiltshire, including Bridgwater, Chippenham, Congresbury, Plymouth, Portsmouth and Waterlooville.
Accapi Group, the exclusive European distributor of Ruffwear, has made further investment in supply chain and service level operations by opening a new European warehouse based in Germany...
Accapi Group, the exclusive European distributor of Ruffwear, has made further investment in supply chain and service level operations by opening a new European warehouse based in Germany.
The new third-party logistics facility based in Münster will service all wholesale distribution across 30 European countries from Thursday 29 September.
Andrew Geere, CEO of Accapi, said: “The new distribution centre will support our growth across Europe and provide shorter order fulfilment times. This investment comes at the right time for our business as the number of retailers stocking Ruffwear continues to grow and it ensures we can continue to offer Ruffwear customers world-class service and the best performance dog products.”
Retail partners do not need to make any changes in the ordering process and all UK retail accounts and consumer orders will still be serviced from Accapi’s existing UK-based operation.
iPET Network has launched a gold standard qualification for employers to help them prepare for a potential doggy deluge...
iPET Network has launched a gold standard qualification for employers to help them prepare for a potential doggy deluge.
Since the pandemic puppy boom, the return to the office has brought with it challenges for many staff members, not least a new pet which may be suffering from separation anxiety at home.
There are also a number of benefits to bringing a pet to the workplace, and studies have found that increased productivity and work satisfaction was a result of welcoming a furry friend.
A University of Lincoln study found that employees who often took their dog to work reported 22% higher satisfaction with working conditions.
It also discovered that employees who took their dog to work reported increased absorption in their work by a significant 33.4% and in their dedication to work by 16.5% – an overall increase in work engagement of 14.4%.
But there are challenges to overcome, and the new Ofqual regulated qualification, which is aimed at managers and HR leaders, provides policy templates and training, so that workplaces can not only be dog friendly, but safe for everyone too.
Sarah Mackay and Fern Gresty, directors of the iPET Network, said: "With more dogs than ever in the UK, and people now back at work after a lengthy working from home period, we saw a real need for this kind of qualification.
"Having dogs at work is a wonderful thing, but managers and HR leaders need to have a policy in place, to ensure that everyone in the workplace, including the pets, are safe, healthy and happy.
"This qualification gives workplaces everything that they need to introduce dogs in a way that really is the gold standard."
Workplaces who take part in the course are given special insignia to display on the premises, and policy templates are provided in a number of key areas.
Sarah and Fern added: "We would encourage any workplace that already welcomes dogs to do the course, as there is probably something that workplace is missing.
"At the centre of all we do are the rights and welfare of animals, but there are considerations for humans too in policy making, and the course explains how to deal with that."
Here iPET Network's canine first aid expert Rachel Bean gives her key considerations when thinking about allowing dogs into work:
Not everyone likes dogs. Consider putting a diplomatic policy in place which creates a safe space for the dog phobic.
Toilet time: When fido needs to go it is important that your workplace has an outside space. Also, do you have a dog bin to dispose of waste?
Safety first: Put in a place a policy around dog-proofing any spaces with wires, or equipment. These could prove a hazard for a visiting dog.
Rota up: Many people might want to take the opportunity to bring their dog to work. Consider implementing a rota system.
Behaviour: All dogs are different, so consider putting in place an assessment for regularly visiting dogs. Does the dog get on well with other dogs? Do they bark or chew? It's always a good idea to know these things.
Nestlé Purina has unveiled six new commitments, dedicated to improving the life and wellbeing of pets, people and the health of our planet..
Nestlé Purina has unveiled six new commitments, dedicated to improving the life and wellbeing of pets, people and the health of our planet.
Purina recognises that more impactful and ambitious measures are needed to respond to today’s societal and environmental challenges.
The 6 commitments have been developed using a formal materiality assessment and reviewed to ensure that the company operates within the planetary boundaries in which humanity can continue to develop and thrive for generations to come. They have also been designed to address key social impact areas outlined in the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This process has enabled Purina to define the commitments and set key targets.
The new commitments build on Purina’s core strength in providing high-quality nutrition for pets, whilst tackling wider societal and environmental issues. This includes improving the health of people in vulnerable situations through the power of the pet-human bond and accelerating the transition towards Net Zero and regenerative food systems.
Purina will also be working to help advance the regeneration of soil and ocean ecosystems by shifting to restorative, circular systems to help regenerate both the ocean and land. This includes decreasing the excess nitrogen and phosphorus from use of fertilisers, supporting seagrass and seaweed restoration projects to absorb carbon emissions and chemical run-off, promoting greater biodiversity and deacidification of the oceans.
The announcement took place during a virtual event today – The BetterWithPets Forum 2022 (BWP Forum) – broadcasted live from Purina’s studio in Barcelona. It brings together more than 330 stakeholders from 20 different countries.
BetterWithPets Prize 2022
The substantive and mutual benefits of the pet-human bond are well-documented, including its ability to increase happiness, promote wellbeing and encourage feelings of security and social inclusion.
As mental and physical health are key priorities for the UN SDG’s, Purina assessed their ability to positively impact this area through the power of the pet-human bond, with the inclusion of its first people focused commitment. The introduction of a social dimension builds on Purina’s belief that when people and pets bond, life becomes richer, especially for the most vulnerable of society. As such, Purina aims to support 1,000,000 people in vulnerable situations by improving their health and wellbeing through the power of the pet-human bond.
To help scale the impact of this commitment, Purina announced yesterday the launch and evolution of its BetterWithPets Prize 2022, an award for impactful organisations who leverage the power of the pet human bond to improve the lives of people in vulnerable situations. The sourcing of official applications will start in January 2023.
Jeff Hamilton, CEO, Nestlé Purina PetCare Europe said: “Every single day we work to create richer lives for pets and the people who love them. Nutrition has always been at the heart of what we do, but we want to go further and do more of what matters for pets, the people who love them and the planet we inhabit.
"We recognise that we are at a defining moment. And that requires us to step up to restore a healthy planet, support a more equitable society and improve the lives of our pets. That’s why we at Purina Europe have set these bold and ambitious commitments.
"To reach Net Zero and support the halt of biodiversity loss, we must accelerate our regeneration journey in pet food and advance positive change through collaboration with those working alongside us in our supply chain.
As a pet owner myself, I know first-hand how important the pet-human bond can be, and I am proud that we are able to support people in vulnerable situations through this unique relationship between people and pets.”
Pet trade trailblazer Tracey Voss, founder of manufacturer Tailor-Grace, Huskaloo cat litter and Oggi’s World home-bake mixes for dogs, was “super proud” after being honored three times at the PetQuip Awards...
Pet trade trailblazer Tracey Voss, founder of manufacturer Tailor-Grace, Huskaloo cat litter and Oggi’s World home-bake mixes for dogs, was “super proud” after being honored three times at the PetQuip Awards.
As she celebrated 25 years in the pet trade, Tracey was named winner of the prestigious Theresa Swann Exporter of the Year 2022 Award.
PetQuip Director General Amanda Sizer Barrett MBE praised Tailor-Grace and founder Tracey for providing “strong backup” for their international team.
“The Gold award goes to a small team whose Founder believes in prioritising strong backup and support to overseas distributors and including incentives such as offering a percentage rebate on every sale, funds which can then be used to support their marketing activities, thereby giving a ‘win-win’ for both distributor and manufacturer,” she said.
“We are privileged to have worked with this firm for a long time too and so I am proud to announce that our Gold winner is Tailor-Grace.”
At Telford, Tracey Voss was joined by her distributor from Spain, Rob James and her French distributor Claude Marechal, who both travelled from Europe to Telford to attend PATS. Another key member of the Tailor-Grace export team, Overseas Development Manager Steve Williams, was unable to attend.
After collecting her Exporter award, Tracey said: “I am so proud to win the Gold, which is amazing. It means such a lot because it represents everybody’s efforts, not just mine and the product. I feel very proud for everybody.
“Theresa Swann was a beautiful, wonderful lady who was taken too soon and we all miss her. It makes this personal for me. This award will be gold dust for the export team, as it will open many more doors, particularly in the States.”
Spanish distributor Rob James, MD of Barcelona-based Petwork Marketing, said: “The support we have received from Tailor-Grace is second to none. Nobody comes close. They have a great understanding of what distributors need.”
French distributor Claude Marechal, Commercial Director of Lyon-based DIFAC, who work with 50 suppliers in 20 countries, added: “Tailor-Grace give us all the help we need. They are one of the most helpful and supportive companies we work with.”
To complete their hat-trick, Tailor-Grace and Tracey also won two Silver Awards, the first for Product of the Year Food and Treats for the Oggi’s World Birthday Gift Box. The second was in the Celebrating Green and Organic category for Huskaloo.
“We are super-proud to win this,” Tracey added. “It just goes to show how strong a product Huskaloo is. Huskaloo represents the very best in terms of eco cat litter. It is green and organic and it simply is the only true eco cat litter. It's great to be acknowledged as such.”
Pet industry entrepreneur Katy Rehm will get a chance to enjoy ‘la dolce vita’ having won a trip to Italy to attend Zoomark International 2023 in Bologna next May...
Pet industry entrepreneur Katy Rehm will get a chance to enjoy ‘la dolce vita’ having won a trip to Italy to attend Zoomark International 2023 in Bologna next May. The prize includes flights, accommodation and attendance at the show.
The founder of The Pawfume Shop won the competition which was drawn from a group of attendees at the PetQuip Awards held at Telford International Centre.
The former veterinary nurse, who also runs a successful dog grooming business, Groomers, in Formby, near Liverpool, was astonished when her name was called out to be presented with the prize by Zoomark’s Pascale Sonvico.
“I was completely shocked. I wasn’t aware of the competition prior to attending the event and did a complete double take when they called out my name. Of course, I am delighted. It will provide me with a great opportunity to further develop export opportunities and meet distributors across Europe for The Pawfume Shop range.”
The Pawfume Shop has developed a growing reputation since it was founded in 2015. Initially created as an offshoot to Katy’s grooming business, it has become hugely successful in its own right – selling its products to both trade and dog owners. It currently boasts 20 fragrances which give a nod to their human designer perfume namesakes along with shampoos and conditioners.
The business grabbed national headlines earlier this year when it’s most recent addition to the range ‘Savage Doig’ flew off the shelves at Crufts. Since then, Katy has added a ‘Savage’ shampoo to support the ‘layering’ effect of the products – keeping dogs smelling sweeter for longer.
Pascale Sonvico said she was thrilled to offer the prize and to be working again with PetQuip, which hosts the British Pavilion at Zoomark International.
“We look forward to welcoming Katy to Zoomark 2023 and involving her in the show. We hope that she enjoys everything it has to offer and will support The Pawfume Shop as a supplier to European customers.”
From origins steadfastly rooted in the British countryside, Podium Pet Product’s new range of powerful and plant-based pet wellness and lifestyle products scoop top industry awards...
From origins steadfastly rooted in the British countryside, Podium Pet Product’s new range of powerful and plant-based pet wellness and lifestyle products scoop top industry awards.
Podium Pet Products won Gold in the Celebrating Green & Organic category of the PetQip Awards with its Be:Loved range, and Silver in the Exporter of the Year section.
Carina Evans, CEO of Podium Pet Products, said: “We are over the moon, this is an huge team effort and my sincere thanks go Petquip. Huge shout out to all our retailers that voted for us with their feet and who are so knowledgeable about their (and our) end consumer, our ace wholesaler network and most importantly the team at home.
“They totally punch above their weight and are faced by operational challenges on a daily basis in these uncertain times. I am in awe of them and we are blessed to be able to operate as we do, stay sane and have fun along the way. This award is a testament to their skill, ingenuity, and vision.”
Suitable for the gift, gardening, pet and vet markets as consumable and giftable products, the Be:Loved range of wellness and lifestyle grooming products for pets and their parents are beautifully designed and 100% hand crafted with love.
They are innovative, green, sustainable and have great margins to boot. The products are made from the finest ingredients and real essential oils.
The Be:Loved range was inspired by an old farming family heirloom, a recipe book full of farmhouse remedies. Carina’s family created cures for their stock using hedgerows and nature’s harvest. This treasure chest of recipes is almost entirely natural and include candles, soaps and shampoo bars, balms, calming, soothing, cleansing and bug deterrent sprays.
Carina talks more about the Be:Loved range in the video below...
Furr Boost, a pet treat start-up business based in Shropshire, has reached the lofty heights of winning Best Pet Product of the Year at the PetQuip Awards with its range of smoothie drinks...
Furr Boost, a pet treat start-up business based in Shropshire, has reached the lofty heights of winning Best Pet Product of the Year at the PetQuip Awards with its range of smoothie drinks.
The products were created by a former technical manager to the food industry with over 20 years’ experience, Louise Toal, and the success of the brand also meant the brand was a finalist in three other categories – Green and Organic, Sustainability and Supplier of the Year.
“Our ultimate aim is to be a global business and a household brand that people can trust," said Louise.
"Using Furr Boost as part of a dog’s daily nutrition and diet can help to keep the vets bills down for unnecessary health issues associated with food and lack of hydration, which was exactly where I started with my first dog.
"We haven’t come down from cloud nine since winning the Gold PetQuip Award and we are delighted to be recognised by the pet trade."
Rising energy bills have been blamed for the closure of a pet shop in Worcester...
Rising energy bills have been blamed for the closure of a pet shop in Worcester.
Aquatics and Reptiles is closing after 14 years in the city with owner Clive Longstaff telling Worcester News: “We had our electricity bill go up from £883 a month to £2,190 a month in April. There’s also been a 30% drop in sales as people don’t have the money in their pocket to go out and shop.”
Clive added the cost of heating aquariums and vivariums was also hitting pet owners hard.
Having worked in the pet industry for 37 years, Clive will be offering pond and aquarium maintenence services from his home in Malvern.
You can read the whole story on the Worcester News website. Click here to view
Supreme Petfoods has added a new guinea pig food to its award-winning Science Selective brand...
Supreme Petfoods has added a new guinea pig food to its award-winning Science Selective brand.
Launched to coincide with Guinea Pig Awareness Week 2022, Science Selective Junior Guinea Pig expands Supreme’s existing range of life stage diets reflecting consumer demand for high quality species-specific nutrition throughout life.
The new product is tailored to meet the nutritional requirements of guinea pigs up to the age of 20 weeks and with the Junior Rabbit diet performing well with 31 percent year-on-year growth, Junior Guinea Pig looks set to build on this success.
Science Selective Junior Guinea Pig combines tasty dandelion and fennel for a naturally delicious diet. With a protein content and a vitamin-mineral profile formulated to sustain growth, the new product ensures that the nutritional needs of young guinea pigs are perfectly met. As with all Supreme’s guinea pig diets, the Junior diet is fortified with stabilised vitamin C reflecting the specific requirements of these small pets.
Even though Junior products are only fed for a short time, they represent a significant point of market entry and recommending a premium brand that is only available from specialist retailers can help ensure pet owners remain loyal customers. Claire Hamblion, Marketing Director at Supreme explains, “Supreme’s Science Selective range has particularly strong brand loyalty, with 80 percent of Junior food shoppers remaining brand loyal when switching to adult food. Recommending a Junior diet ensures young guinea pigs get the best start in life, while also laying the foundations for long term shopping habits and repeat store visits.”
To boost brand awareness around its Science Selective range, Supreme has launched an innovative new Food For Life marketing campaign. With significant financial investment behind it, the campaign features a Food For Life commercial targeted across multiple digital channels including You Tube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Pinterest. With versions in English, Dutch, French and German, this global marketing campaign will reach a worldwide audience across the European, US and Australasian markets.
Closer to home, the success of the Science Selective brand is in no small part down to the relationship that Supreme has with retailers. Based on a firm foundation of high-quality nutrition, Supreme fosters this connection with a proven track record of providing effective retailer support. POS material can make a real difference in boosting sales and building customer loyalty and retailers can benefit from a raft of material to promote their products and encourage repeat purchases, from traditional POS material such as barkers and wobblers to care guides, free samples, and loyalty cards. Claire says, “Free samples are always a winner in specialist pet retail, with owners keen to try before they buy. They are particularly successful with brands which perform well on taste tests, such as Science Selective.” With this in mind, Supreme now offers free samples of all life stage diets, starting pets on a lifelong journey of optimum nutrition.
Available in a 1.5kg pack with the packaging designed to sit alongside Science Selective Adult Guinea Pig, Science Selective Junior Guinea Pig has an RRP of £6.90. It is available now from all good pet product wholesalers.
Nutravet has announced the launch of its next generation, fast acting joint supplement for dogs and cats into its VetSelect range which is available exclusively across the UK and Ireland...
Nutravet has announced the launch of its next generation, fast acting joint supplement for dogs and cats into its VetSelect range which is available exclusively across the UK and Ireland.
Nutravet has been leading the way in joint care for Veterinary Practices since 2008 when it launched its Nutraquin range which quickly became the number one choice for thousands of vets.
Now Nutraflex offers Veterinary Practices an opportunity to recommend the next level in joint care to their clients by providing a fast-acting solution for pets with joint stiffness.
It is anticipated that 80% of dogs over 8 years old in the UK suffer with joint stiffness which is why Vets need the best high strength products to help support, soothe and maintain a pet’s mobility so they can enjoy a happy active and healthy life as much as possible.
Nutraflex has been scientifically formulated and proven in the market using ethically and sustainably sourced ingredients that aid long-term joint health in dogs and cats.
The unique combination of Turmeric Curcumin Complex and Boswellia Extract within Nutraflex work synergistically to support the natural systems that control inflammation. Whilst the inclusion of high purity Glucosamine provides an important building block for cartilage with Chondroitin Sulphate helping maintain synovial fluid viscosity.
The benefits of Nutraflex include:
Fast acting (4-7 days on average)
Soothes stiff joints
Aids long-term mobility, flexibility & joint structure
Helps maintain optimum joint health
Supports the natural systems that control inflammation
Includes highly bioavailable Turmeric
Chris Jones, Director at Nutravet comments: ““We’re delighted to be adding Nutraflex to our market-leading range of natural health products for pets. We’re always looking at ways of improving our products and Nutraflex provides our authorised stockists with a high strength veterinary exclusive joint support, supported by independent trial data, which works quickly to ultimately help pets that are suffering with joint stiffness.”
Nutraflex is available to order exclusively to authorised veterinary practices.
For further information about Nutraflex, to place an order or become an authorised stockist, please contact Nutravet on 0845 604 1688, email info@nutravet.co.uk or visit www.nutravet.com.
Two up-and-coming challenger brands – Mr Bug and Tiana – have earned top commendations at the annual Nourish awards...
Success comes in many guises, so it’s important to report that two up and coming challenger brands (Mr Bug and Tiana) within the increasingly dynamic pet food arena recently earned top commendations at the annual Nourish awards, which celebrates the nutritional prowess and ingredient integrity of up & coming food and drinks brands for humans.
As we know only too well, the wellbeing/healthier living movement enjoyed real growth during Lockdown as significant numbers of consumers reviewed their eating habits and embraced better-balanced diets to bolster their bodily defences. At the same time, ever growing numbers of concerned ‘pet parents’ revisited their dogs and cats old-school eating habits and dug a little deeper into the traditional ingredient decks and health claims of their traditional pet food suppliers.
Mr Bug is an ambitious Devon-based project that celebrates not only the well-rounded ‘superfood’ prowess of the humble mealworm but the manifold sustainable benefits of an entovegan lifestyle. Insect protein has already made significant headway within the fast-moving pet food arena, however it is a space historically dominated by the bitter-tasting black soldier fly, a high saturated fat mainstay of cattle feed.
Tiana Halal cat food meanwhile has identified the void in halal-friendly cat food, which has historically prompted large numbers of Muslim cat owners to spend inordinate amounts of time producing homemade alternatives, which for all their good intentions may be unwittingly light of essential feline-essential nutrients. Pankaj and his team offer an array of mix of freeze-dried & wet recipes made with human-grade ingredients that meet the distinct needs of this small yet significant market niche.
“The pet food industry is certainly at an exciting crossroads,” said Mr Bug founder Conal Cunningham, “with growing numbers of specialist pet food providers identifying and accommodating a variety of key ‘food minority’ pet owner concerns that mainstream pet food manufacturers have neither the time, tools or inclination to accommodate. Being recognized by an esteemed awards body like Nourish provides brands like Mr Bug & Tiana with invaluable credence and acceptance at pivotal moments in their unique brand journeys.”
Jollyes is putting the finishing touches to its new store in Glenrothes in Fife which is set to be the first pet store in the UK to be opened by a unicorn...
Jollyes is putting the finishing touches to its new store in Glenrothes in Fife which is set to be the first pet store in the UK to be opened by a unicorn.
The nationwide pet retailer’s latest store – it’s fourth in Scotland - will open at Saltire Retail Park in Glenrothes on Saturday 8 October at 10.00am.
A fun-packed line-up of events is planned for the day, including what is believed to be the first pet store opening by a unicorn, the national animal of Scotland.
While Jollyes in Glenrothes has no plans to sell unicorns, it has turned to the expertise of Scotland’s Unicorn Experience.
Princess, one of their famous unicorns (who masquerades as an adorable miniature Shetland pony) – will carry out the official opening.
The 5,000 square feet store will employ 10 colleagues, led by store manager Leonard Goddard.
Jollyes is planning give Glenrothes’ pet lovers a warm welcome to the UK’s “Pet People” with events on the day including:
the official opening by unicorn Princess
children can meet and feed Princess
the chance to win prizes by playing the “wheel of fur-tune”
goodie bags for the first 100 visitors
radio competition on Kingdom FM, giving people the chance to win one of five £50 vouchers to spend in the store.
face painting
The date for the Glenrothes store opening is two weeks later than originally planned to allow fitting out work to be completed.
Kerry Midgley, Jollyes regional manager, said: “We’re looking forward to opening a store that everyone in Glenrothes can be proud of and what better way to do it than have Scotland’s national animal, a unicorn, to be there to celebrate the occasion.
“The store is in a great location and we’ve designed it to make it as easy as possible for pet lovers in Glenrothes and the surrounding area to find what they are looking for from small animals, food and accessories to toys and treats.”
In addition to the new Glenrothes store, Jollyes is also preparing to open a store at Hermiston Gait Retail Park, its fifth in Scotland as part of a near £1 million investment. The two new openings follow the opening of Jollyes in Stirling in June and build on the popularity of the long-standing stores in Clydebank and Perth.
The best of last week's Pet Trade Xtra
The top-read stories from last week's Pet Trade Xtra can be seen below, if you missed them...
The winners of the PATS Telford 2022 New Product Awards were chosen by a team of independent retailers and retail experts, who arrived at the show before 9.30am on Sunday, September 25th, in order to make their choices from a record number of over 340 new products entered...
The winners of the PATS Telford 2022 New Product Awards, sponsored by pbwnews, were chosen by a team of independent retailers and retail experts, who arrived at the show before 9.30am on Sunday, September 25th, in order to make their choices from a record number of over 340 new products entered.
Their decisions took into account a number of criteria such as product innovation, design, quality, packaging, value for money and sustainability.
The judges agreed that the New Product Showcase had produced a high calibre of entries with a tremendous amount of innovation. They were pleased to see such a wide range of products, and felt the majority of items on display showed some great innovation.
The Awards were presented to the winners at 1pm on Sunday by David Rees, editor of pbwnews, and show organiser Gordon Thomas.
Here is a full list of the winners together with the judges’ comments:
PATS Telford 2022
New Product Award Winners (sponsored by pbwnews)
Cat Food and Products
Naturea Grain Free Cat Wet Food
BYMiT (stand M24)
Judges said: Good price point, good choice of flavours and it is nice to see good quality cat food with a high meat content.
Dog Food Products
Naturaw Forage
Naturaw (stand F32)
Judges said: Attractive packaging, well thought-out ingredients, great price point and compostable packaging.
Dog Treat Products
Odourless Braided & Straight Bull Pizzle
JR Pet Products (stand G50/G60)
Judges said: Great option for tough chewers without the smell. An amazing long-lasting chew.
Dog Accessories and Toys
Sotnos Earth Aware Natural Rubber Dog Toys
James & Steel (stand D64)
Judges said: This product uses renewable materials at a good price point. It also has lovely packaging.
Dog Harnesses, Leads and Dog Wear
Adventure Lead With Close Control
Twiggy Tags (stand M30)
Judges said: Great to see an adaptable lead with a locking clip, at a good price point.
Small Animal and Bird Products
Pig ‘n’ Mix Treats Range
HayPigs! (Stand A16)
Judges said: A sweet shop of goodies for guinea pigs that supports health and wellbeing in a fun way.
Pet Care Products
Doughnut Recovery Collar
Dirty Little Paws (stand J70)
Judges said: This recovery support is a great innovation for pets and softer to use than a traditional cone.
Grooming Products
Tropiclean Enticers Dental Care Products
Pedigree Wholesale (stand D10)
Judges said: These easy-to-use dental products will help to remove plaque and bacteria.
Nelly’s Woofers, a well-established pet store in a town centre location in Hampshire, has been put up for sale with an asking price of £69,995 plus stock at valuation...
Nelly’s Woofers, a well-established pet store in a town centre location in Hampshire, has been put up for sale with an asking price of £69,995 plus stock at valuation.
According to the agents, the store in West Street Fareham generates a turnover of circa £150,000.
The business was initially established over seven years ago as a market stall before establishing itself as a bricks-and-mortar shop in 2017. Since then the company has built up an outstanding reputation and enjoys a large number of repeat custom and word-of-mouth recommendations.
The sale is being handled by Hilton Smythe, which states in its marketing material: “In our opinion, we very rarely see pet stores of this high standard come to the open market, the customer loyalty is extremely high. We therefore strongly recommend early enquiry to avoid disappointment.”
Nelly Moss, owner of Nelly’s Woofers said: “I have loved every minute of being part of such a wonderful shop and community but unfortunately, I am relocating for personal reasons.
“A highlight of owning the shop has been seeing the growth and development of the woofers over the years and I’m glad that as a shop, we can be part of their journey.”
Aaron Roberts, sales director at Hilton Smythe said: “Nelly’s Woofers is at the heart of Fareham’s community. The shop’s close relationship with customers makes it more attractive than other dog shops.
“We believe that the shop would be a perfect opportunity for an individual or couple who are enthusiastic dog lovers that are looking to own their first business.”
JR Pet Products, a leading producer of natural dog treats and chews, has revealed it’s ‘business as normal’ following a huge warehouse blaze at the weekend. The company also said it still intends to exhibit at the forthcoming PATS Telford exhibition...
JR Pet Products, a leading producer of natural dog treats and chews, has revealed it’s ‘business as normal’ following a huge warehouse blaze at the weekend. The company also said it still intends to exhibit at the forthcoming PATS Telford exhibition.
Sales director Becky Davies issued the following statement on behalf of the South Wales-based company:
“Sadly, in the early hours of Sunday morning a significant fire destroyed two of our storage warehouses and packing facility in Llandovery. Multiple fire crews have been working round the clock to get the fire under control. I'm pleased to say that nobody has been injured and the fire crew have now left the scene after many days of burning. We anticipate the loss of stock alone to be well in excess of £1m and over 900 pallets of finished goods.
“Naturally this will have an impact on our operations but our disaster recovery plan is fully underway and we are ‘business as normal’ in less than 48 hours from the start of the fire – or as close to as possible!
“Our HQ in Brecon and other sites in Llandovery were not affected, we have stock in other locations and predict minimal out of stocks and little to no disruption in our turnaround times. We fully intend to come to PATS and are very much looking forward to seeing you all...we will not be defeated!
“We have an amazing team of people and the surrounding community has been hugely supportive. The fire crews are TRULY INCREDIBLE and we simply can't thank them enough. They have been with us since 6am Sunday and have not long left. A particular thank you to the brave firefighter who moved our new 18 tonne lorrywhilst the cab was melting from the heat. His bravery was immense and we are truly grateful. The local community has been incredibly supportive, we have had some wonderful offers of help and many have given up their own time to help in any way they can – thank you!
“Apologies to the residents of Llandovery for covering them in thick smoke and ash, we are so sorry that it had a negative impact on the ‘Sheep Festival’ that was running this weekend, we know how hard the community has worked preparing for this event.
We would like to publicly reassure our 50+ colleagues that there is no risk of any job losses due to the fire and the business remains in a strong trading position. We cannot thank our team enough for the ‘we will not be defeated attitude’ in dealing with the fall out of the fire, we are blessed to be working with them.
“Thank you so much to all of you who have sent such wonderful and supportive messages to us, it means so much.”
Swedish-based Petbuddy Group has made its second acquisition of a UK company in 2022 following a deal to buy British premium pet food brand Little BigPaw. The group had acquired MediPaws, a producer of natural pet supplements in February...
Swedish-based Petbuddy Group has made its second acquisition of a UK company in 2022 following a deal to buy British premium pet food brand Little BigPaw. The group had acquired MediPaws, a producer of natural pet supplements in February.
Little Big Paw co-founders David Alton and Jim Weston, who will continuing with the new owners, said: “Petbuddy Group came to us with the ambition to accelerate growth by launching more products and entering new markets. That felt like an exciting journey to be part of. Together we will be able to exploit synergies within distribution, product development and logistics. In addition, it will allow simpler access of Little BigPaw products to the EU.”
Petbuddy, whose other brands include Buddy, WAP Dog Care and Nutrolin, is backed by strong Swedish investors.
The company’s CEO Alex Baumann said: “We are delighted to welcome David and Jim to PBG and our exciting journey ahead. They have built a modern and highly appreciated brand that is sold to over 45 markets worldwide. In addition, they offer over 50 years of combined pet food experience that will open many doors for us as a group.
“PBG’s goal is to become the leading group of premium and sustainable pet food companies in Europe within five years. An ambitious M&A strategy together with strong organic growth is the recipe.”
He added: “We have great investors backing us on our journey. This is our fourth acquisition in 18 months and many of our investors have been part of every deal. We’re humble to build PBG together with great investors.
“We’re building a vertically integrated group of pet food brands; from factory to consumer. Synergies can be found within distribution, production, ecommerce/tech,
Dog bedding specialist Charley Chau, has appeared on BBC One Daytime legal show Northern Justice, discussing their experiences of the legal topic of Intellectual Property.
Dog bedding specialist Charley Chau, has appeared on BBC One Daytime legal show Northern Justice, discussing their experiences of the legal topic of Intellectual Property.
Northern Justice explores what happens when ordinary people facing all sorts of extraordinary times in their lives turn to local lawyers in their hour of need. The series uses first-person testimony from both lawyer and client to tell personal, emotional and compelling stories of people in dire straits and the legal professionals that step in to find ways the justice system can save them. Northern Justice spoke to Christine Chau, Co-Founder of luxury dog bedding company Charley Chau, about their challenges in protecting and defending their intellectual property rights alongside Niall Head Rapson, Director of McDaniels Law, a specialist intellectual property law firm that represents Charley Chau.
Christine Chau gives her first-person account of just one of the more serious cases of intellectual property infringement that her small, family-owned business has had to deal with, a case that the company tried everything to resolve out of court but was eventually left with no choice but to issue court proceedings in the small claims track with the help of McDaniels Law. Charley Chau’s own story is part of the show’s wider efforts to help viewers to better understand the intricacies of the British justice system, be it problems at work, property disputes, medical negligence and pensioners falling foul of conmen.
Christine Chau, Co-Founder of Charley Chau, says: “When we set up Charley Chau, there was no big shiny business plan, designing dog beds was just something we loved to do. Our knowledge of intellectual property didn’t extend beyond a layman’s understanding of copyright, and a vague awareness of the existence of patents and trademarks – and we had zero idea we might need to protect the IP that we were creating in Charley Chau.
“However, in the 12 years since founding our small we have faced and continue to face all manner of IP infringements from copycat products that infringe our design rights to the theft and unauthorised use of our imagery to sell fake, inferior products. We’ve even had companies copy our website site, images and code to publish on their own websites to link back to Charleychau.com to confuse customers into thinking there is some kind of official relationship between the companies when no such relationships existed.
“While the business of protecting our Intellectual Property is both financially and emotionally draining, not to mention hugely distracting from focusing on running our business, it’s hugely important that we take this stance to protect both the unique designs that we bring to market as well as to protect our customers from unethical companies selling fake Charley Chau products. McDaniels Law helps is to take a robust approach to protecting our legal rights.”
Niall Head-Rapson, Director at McDaniels Law, adds: "Taking part in the BBC's Northern Justice series has been a real privilege. It is rare that the legal profession has the chance to demonstrate the invaluable help that it can provide to ordinary people and their businesses. I hope the programme encourages others in a similar position to Christine at Charley Chau to stand up and protect themselves. Fledgling businesses have enough to worry about without others benefitting from their hard-earned intellectual property. As a dedicated and experienced team of specialist intellectual property lawyers, I am proud of the work my colleagues are doing for our clients, ranging from start-ups to large corporates and PLCs across the UK and beyond.”
The former veterinary nurse, who also runs a successful dog grooming business, Groomers, in Formby, near Liverpool, was astonished when her name was called out to be presented with the prize by Zoomark’s Pascale Sonvico.
Supreme Petfoods has added a new guinea pig food to its award-winning Science Selective brand.
Nelly Moss, owner of Nelly’s Woofers said: “I have loved every minute of being part of such a wonderful shop and community but unfortunately, I am relocating for personal reasons.
Sales director Becky Davies issued the following statement on behalf of the South Wales-based company:
