For over 65 years, Tetra has led innovation in the aquatics industry having created the first ever fish food, BioMin, and fish food flake, TetraMin, which has opened up the world of fishkeeping to consumers, allowing them to keep and feed fish more easily.

As the global leader in aquatics, Tetra has the largest, independently accredited R&D department in the industry allowing it to support retailers by continuously creating appealing food ranges which encourage healthy growth, raise resistance to disease, and improves vitality and colouration in fish, in addition to simple-to-use maintenance solutions to support consumers.

To support 65 years of knowledge and innovation within the market, Tetra is running a special price promotion on TetraMin, AquaSafe and EasyBalance with up to 25% off available until 30^th September 2016.

    

TetraMin fish food consists of a carefully selected mix of highly nutritious and functional ingredients with vitamins, minerals and trace elements providing a complete diet for daily feeding.

With its special formula, Tetra AquaSafe can reliably remove chlorine, chloramine and heavy metal substances from your water turning them into nontoxic by-products and protecting your fish from harm.

EasyBalance helps you maintain the correct pH balance for your water. If left escalated for too long it, these pH levels can prove harmful to your fish, as well as aiding in the growth of unsightly algae. Regular dosing helps to prevent a rise in pH and remove harmful nitrates and phosphate levels.

For more information on the Tetra range please visit: www.tetra.net/en or email info@tetra-fish.co.uk

The finalists are:

Independent Retailer of the Year - sponsored by Natures Menu

• Ingleby Pet Supplies
• Nurture them Naturally
• Palace of Pooch
• Parlour Pet Boutique
• PetShed Limited
• Poole Farm Feed Centre
• Wags & Whiskers Pet Boutique

Pet Retail Chain of the Year – sponsored by Natures Menu

• Bessie & Boo, Evesham
• Pets Corner, Hednesford

Manufacturer of the Year – sponsored by PATS

• Burns Pet Nutrition
• Cotswold RAW
• Marriages Specialist Foods
• Naturediet Pet Foods Ltd
• Nutriment
• The Company of Animals
• Tower Pet Products UK Ltd
• Westland Horticulture

Exporter of the Year - sponsored by PIF Telecom

• Beco Pets
• ProtectaPet
• Pet Rebellion
• Scruffs
• Symply Pet Foods

Grooming Business of the Year - sponsored by ROYAL CANIN® and James Wellbeloved

• Barkingham Park, Port Talbot
• Canny Cuts, Shrewsbury
• Scruffs Boutique and Dog Grooming Spa, Knaresborough, N. Yorkshire
• The Dog House, Eltham, London
• The Groom Room, Harlow
• The Pet Groomers, West Kingsdown, Kent
• Vita Canis, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire

 Kennel/Cattery of the Year – sponsored by Nestle Purina

• Chequer Trees Cattery
• Chetwynd Firs Kennels & Cattery
• Kelcliffe Cattery
• Lakeside Luxury Cattery & SA Hotel
• Little Revel End Kennels
• Orchard End Kennels & Cattery
• Royvon Dog Hotel, Esher

Pet Services – Dog Day Care & Boarding - sponsored by Chip & Pin Solutions

• Amity Pet Care
• Bruce's Doggy Day Care
• Claire's Comfy Canines
• Creature Comforts Cheshire
• Happy Hounds Dog Care Ltd
• Suffolk Canine Crèche

Pet Services – other pet services - sponsored by KD Grooming Studio

• Ashworths Pet Services
• Heathers Pet Services
• Hop Inn Rabbit & Guinea Pig Retreat
• Ingleby Bunny Boarding
• The Pet Bereavement Support Service, Blue Cross
• Wangford Veterinary Clinic

Sales Rep of the Year – sponsored by Mars Petcare

• Becky Lambert - Beco Pets
• Tan Nagrecha - Bern Pet Foods Ltd
• Neil Carver - Pedigree Wholesale

The Awards winners will be announced on Tuesday 1 November at a themed black-tie dinner to be held at the Wokefield Park Hotel, near Reading and will be presented by actor and comedian, Chris Barrie of Tomb Raider, Brittas Empire and Red Dwarf Fame. 

Additionally, guests will also discover the recipient of the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Inspired Pet Nutrition.

Tickets to this event, which include pre-dinner drinks, wine, three-course dinner, live band and the thrilling awards spectacle are available from £115 per ticket – or book a table of 10 for a discount. Call the PIF team on 01234 273933 or visit www.petfederation.co.uk. Accommodation is also available at Wokefield Park and at nearby hotels.

The Awards take place against the backdrop of the Pet Industry Forum – a conference and networking event, tackling cutting-edge issues and business topics.

Further details about the event and online booking can be found at www.petfederation.co.uk. You can also call 01234 273933 to secure your place over the telephone.

From Monday 12^th – Thursday 15^th September Tetra is also welcoming local business to use the space for meetings. For more information or to register interest please contact TetraTranquillityTank@speedcomms.com. 

For more information about Tetra and its range of aquariums please visit http://www.tetra.net/en or join the conversation with Tetra UK on Facebook.

The Dog Treat Company (DTC) returns to PATS (E63) at the end of an especially successful year that has seen this Devon-based business’s unrivalled reputation for superior dog snacking spread far beyond our shores to global markets as diverse as South Korea, Germany, Italy, Scandinavia and the United States.

In these more health-conscious times, when ‘hot’ topics like rising human obesity, ingredient integrity, food label literacy, GMOs and ‘free-from’ are increasingly being discussed and debated, it makes complete sense that our four legged-friends’ dietary requirements are also starting to be scrutinized like never before.

With dog obesity in the ascendancy and too many mass market dogs treats still consisting of over-processed, inferior-grade meats, synthetic scents, lurid artificial colours, inappropriate grains, and masking salts/sugars, it’s not surprising to learn that an all-natural, sustainably-sourced operation like The Dog Treat Company (DTC) is quickly securing a significant loyalist following.

This is one DEFRA-approved operation that sources all its core ingredients from the UK.  Its eggs and chicken liver are free-range and locally-sourced whilst the beneficial herbs, (central to each recipe’s distinct tastes and associated health benefits) are GMO-free and non-irradiated.

Having first made its name in highly desirable graze-style, home delivery snack boxes for the well-heeled pooch, this family-owned operation has quickly extended its operation by taking its quirky sense of humour and art deco pack designs into a series of highly collectible ‘treat tins’ covering every conceivable pet priority: Take My Breath Away, Run Free & Fabulous Fur to more specific human special occasions: God Save The Corgi (Queen’s 90^th) and Woofarendum (Brexit vote).

Throw in the fact that DTC has recently been shortlisted for a Pet Quip award, aligned themselves with pet horoscope heavyweight Russell Grant and begun forging friendships with a number of    like-minded style brands (e.g. Pet’s Corner, Orvis stores) and you start to appreciate how this brand’s appeal is gaining momentum in every imaginable pet-friendly environment from pet-friendly pubs, garden centres and boutique hotels to holidays escapes and independent pet food chains.

More and more dog owners are deciding that their pet’s taste buds should no longer be taken for granted.

Sometimes the moment just seems right which is why we decided that 2016 was the perfect moment to attend our first PATS show (stand A2) , joining a number of the new generation of superior, nutritionally-dense pet foods that are in tune with the thinking of increasingly health-conscious pet owners.

Cotswold RAW is proud of its role as an ambassador for countryside common sense acting as a passionate rural voice (local sourcing & traceability) in a blossoming product sector historically dominated by large corporates and a Home Counties dominated pet scene.

Recently shortlisted for ‘Prestigious Rural Business and Pet Quip awards, Cotswold RAW is a small dynamic team with a strong track record in innovation which in 2016 includes, snappy transparent packaging (in stark contrast to traditional ‘no peeking’ ice cream tubs that dominate the ‘raw scene, their first of many puppy propositions and an extended portfolio of alternative protein pet foods (e.g. turkey & tripe) because chicken isn’t for everyone and even chicken lovers like a little variety from time to time.

At the very pinnacle of Cotswold RAW successes in 2016 has been their recently completed series of inspiring county shows (June-September) which enabled the Cotswold RAW squad to discuss and debate premium tier pet food with the same animal-loving community who helped shape the whole Cotswold RAW offer 18 mths earlier.

At the heart of Cotswold’s success has been their ground-breaking sausage sub-range which marries nutritional integrity with convenience, foodiness and portion control, the perfect stepping stone from bland, nutritionally vacant kibble to more mainstream raw minces.

Belgium company Edgard & Cooper is bringing its delicious recipes for dogs, that contain only 100% fresh meat and 100% natural ingredients, to the UK! The company has recently set up its UK headquarters in London.

After Edgard and Cooper both struggled to digest other dog food products, which also made Edgard sick, their owners decided that every pet deserves to eat fresh. And so they developed the world’s first fresh meat kibble. The market is dominated by dog food that contains meat meal, which is low in digestibility and biological value compared to fresh meat.

Jurgen Degrande, Manager at Edgard & Cooper explains: "Meat meal is actually offal being worked intensively to a powder. And yet it is often presented as ‘real meat’. At Edgard & Cooper, we believe dog food must be made from fresh cuts of meat and recognizable natural ingredients, such as herbs, fruits and vegetables.”

Soon to be available in the UK are a range of grain-free, gluten-free and even organic kibbles, tins and cups. Every bowl bursts with tasty veggies, berries and herbs, giving your dog all the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants they need to keep them healthy from nose to tail.

Edgard & Cooper was founded in Belgium by three enthusiastic entrepreneurs: Koen Bostoen, Louis Chalabi, and Jurgen Degrande. Their inspiration to create 100% fresh products came from their own dogs, Edgard and Cooper, who struggled to digest other dog food products on the market.

Edgard & Cooper have a range of delicious meat meal free kibbles, tins, and cups, and have grain-free, gluten-free and organic recipes. They set up their UK headquarters September 2016 to further their mission to help all dogs enjoy tasty and healthy food.

They donate 10% of all profits to dog charities around the world, and their packaging is made of 100% biodegradable materials, printed with 100% water-based inks without chemicals, making them fully compostable.

Benyfit Natural will be showcasing its complete raw food recipes for adult dogs for the first time at PATS Telford.

Benyfit Natural has become one of the fastest growing raw food manufacturers to hit the market in the last 12 months. They are rapidly increasing their number of retailers across the UK and their freezer deals are proving to be very popular. Their stockists tell them that they simply cannot keep up with the demand for their delicious recipes.

They have entered their raw food recipes in to four separate entries in the New Products Awards at PATS and visitors will also have the opportunity win one of their small freezers in a free prize draw on their stand or to get £100 of extra stock when they order a 5ft freezer at the show.

At Benyfit Natural they believe in the old adage that you only get out what you put in and that this certainly applies when it comes to  dog nutrition which is why they and their team have developed a range of recipes that combine the right balance of quality raw ingredients, vitamins and minerals to maintain the health, vitality and bounce of any dog.

Their company’s founder, Ben Van Praagh, is himself a leading gundog trainer who has competed across the UK with his dogs in gundog trials but he is also a qualified chef, having trained at Crawley College. With his belief that a balanced diet leads to balanced behaviour, he has been able to combine his understanding of training dogs with his nutritional background in order to produce a range of foods that are not only natural but are also nutritionally balanced and biologically appropriate.

The feeding of a raw bone and raw meat diet is thought to have many health benefits including helping to prevent ear and gland infections, skin allergies, diabetes, heart and joint problems. The feeding of raw bones is also good for the health of a dog’s teeth and gums.

The Benyfit Natural complete raw food recipes which are suitable for all adult dogs, use a variety of ethically sourced and Defra approved British human grade meats such as chicken, turkey and beef as well as tripe. They also contain ground bones, carrot, broccoli, swede, offal, flaxseed oil, kelp and herbs as well as raw eggs all of which offer a natural combination of vitamins, minerals, omega oils and amino acids to produce a healthy skin, coat, joints, thyroid and cell production as well as helping to support the immune system. The adult food is coarsely minced to provide the texture that dogs like. All varieties are designed to help maintain a healthy weight for an adult dog and are veterinary approved and were developed by Ben with the help of their team of advises who include veterinary surgeons, animal nutritionists and behaviourists.

They have recently brought out new packaging. Theirr new tubs which are BPA free to avoid leakage of any nasty toxins are made from recycled materials and are recyclable. Available in 500g and 1kg sizes, they can be conveniently stored in the freezer with the meat contents easy to portion out. They have also made sure that there is no soggy food of icy film on the top by blast-freezing the contents so that the texture and taste remains - a major selling point of the range.

 For further information visit our stand at PATS H50 or visit our website: www.benyfitnatural.co.uk

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Crews from across the county helped fight the flames at Pierpoint Pet Supplies in High Street on Friday.

The blaze broke out on the ground floor of the 22m x 21m building at around 2.50pm.

The fire service said it then spread to the back roof of a neighbouring shop. Crews had to cut into the roof using chainsaws to access the flames.

A spokesman for West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said 50% of the pet shop and 100% of the neighbouring shop’s roof were ‘severely damaged’ by the flames.

The basement and first floor of the building were also damaged by smoke and water.

No-one was hurt in the blaze and no animals were harmed. The flats above the building also escaped damage, the spokesman added.

Thirty eight breathing apparatus were used in extinguishing the fire along with two covering jets, three hose reels and multiple thermal imaging cameras to check for heat hotspots.

Two fog nozzles and a high pressure lance - all used to fit through smaller gaps to put out flames - were also used.

Crews left the scene at 5am the following morning.

Fire inspection officers returned half an hour later and worked until 9.30am to try and establish the cause.

The fire service said it had not yet confirmed the cause but said it was being treated as an accident.

Through this new partnership, URICA can now let PetQuip and Gardenex members use their online platform, allowing them to get their customer invoices paid in cash as early as the day after approval.

URICA’s unique early payment offering means businesses can trade on the terms that suit their business.  All businesses need to do is send their invoices online via URICA, and receive cash payment on those invoices once URICA has confirmed payment from the customer.  The customer then pays URICA the entire value of the invoice, up to 90 days after the original invoice date.  In total, URICA is now in the position to pay PetQuip and Gardenex members a total of £72m in cash, tomorrow. 

A critical advantage of URICA’s support for PetQuip and Gardenex members is access to their global partners, and in particular Euler Hermes, for credit checking of existing and new customers both in the UK and internationally, helping protect their businesses from commercial risks. This partnership with URICA ensures PetQuip and Gardenex members have cutting edge solutions to finance, risk and credit insurance.

The Federation of Garden and Leisure Manufacturers was established in 1961. It assists and supports its members in exporting, and helps international trade buyers find good quality British products.  It also protects its members’ interests by making representations to government on legislation and public matters affecting those companies’ business interests.  Its members are British manufacturers and designers of gardening and leisure equipment, growers, garden centre designers and pet care products.  The partnership with URICA represents the continued effort of PetQuip and Gardenex to support and promote their members’ interests, and the garden and leisure and pet care product manufacturing sectors as a whole.

Of the partnership, Lindsay Whitelaw, Founder & Chairman of URICA, said:

“We are delighted to be partnering with PetQuip and Gardenex to help their members grow and thrive.  They do an incredibly important job in supporting those small companies who make up the garden and leisure manufacturing sector, which in turn is so vital to the UK economy as a whole.  In an increasingly tough and globalised economy, and with the banks unable to provide the support that is needed, we aim to make sure smaller businesses can grow, employ more staff, export and thrive, but freeing them from the burden of late payment.  We are thrilled to be doing this for PetQuip and Gardenex members and look forward to working with them for the foreseeable future.”

Amanda Sizer Barrett, Director General of PetQuip and Gardenex, said:

“The current economic environment means that our members are often confronted with challenging and unwelcome hurdles that detract from the day-today running of their business.  What we’ve tried to ensure with this partnership is that those companies we support are unburdened from one of the biggest of these challenges – late payment and lack of cash flow.  Giving them access to cash and freeing them from risk means that they can, with their often limited resources, trade on the terms they want and focus on the things that really matter to their businesses.  We are therefore extremely pleased to be working with URICA and are excited to be forming what we hope will be a very long-lasting relationship.”

Retailers for some time have been asking the company to produce a range of foods for wildlife, as they too are ‘small animals’ and that’s what  Mr Johnson's specialises in.

The range consists of four products:

Mr Johnson’s Wildlife Squirrel food 900g pack – a premium blend of nuts, seeds, berries & fruit that will appeal to red, grey and black squirrels.

Mr Johnson’s Wildlife Swan, Duck and goose food 750g pack – a floating kibble fortified with essential vitamins that wildfowl will love.

Mr Johnson’s Wildlife Hedgehog Food 750g pack – this meaty nugget contains poultry, fish & rice this nutritious complementary food is a great way to help hedgehogs in the wild.

Mr Johnson’s Hedgehog NIBLETS 100g - a blend of dried insects and roasted suet this tasty morsel will supplement a hedgehog’s daily requirements of insects that they love.

For more information visit www.mrjohnsons.co.uk or call Mr Johnson’s sales office on 01476 577670.

Over the years, Beaphar products have been widely used throughout Britain’s zoos, keeping rare and exotic species healthy and happy. At Linton Zoo they have been purchasing Beaphar products for over 10 years.

Linton Zoo is based in Cambridge and was established in 1972 as a centre for breeding wildlife which is still the Zoo's main objective today along with conservation. Linton Zoo is home to around 250 animals from nearly 100 different species.

This year, Beaphar are delighted to be sponsoring Linton Zoo’s exotic birds; Channel Billed Toucans, Trumpeter Hornbills and White-cheeked Turacos. Beaphar have sponsored a year’s supply of Beaphar Universal Food which is a complete food suitable for Toucans, Turacos and Hornbills. The sponsorship was set up through Linton Zoo’s Species Support Scheme.

The Species Support Scheme enables you to contribute directly to the conservation of a species. By contributing towards the yearly cost of food for a particular species, it enables Linton Zoo to use the extra finance that comes through the gate for future developments and to enhance the breeding programmes along with maintaining high standards.

‘We are thrilled to be sponsoring Linton Zoo’s exotic birds. Some of these are classed as vulnerable species and so it is important to us to seek opportunities where we can, to help make a difference, along with supporting a fantastic local business’, says Roland Huggett, Sales Manager for Beaphar UK who is pictured making friends with Marvina, the White-cheeked Turaco.

Beaphar offer a comprehensive range of bird food products; please visit beaphar.co.uk for more information. If you would like to discuss listing this, or any other Beaphar range, please contact your local Sales Executive or call our award-winning Customer Care team on t: 0333 0066236 e: info@uk.beaphar.co.uk.

Lily’s Kitchen has appointed Gary Lake as supply chain director. He will lead the company’s supply chain strategy and be a key point of contact for customers and suppliers during an exciting period of growth for the business.

Gary has spent over 20 years working in food, beverage and related end-to-end supply chains including pet food and pharmaceuticals for animals.

Most recently he worked for Bayer Animal Healthcare in New Zealand as interim head of supply chain, following four years as supply director for Mars, also in New Zealand, working across pet food, chocolate and human food. 

Prior to this Gary experienced working for a fast growing private equity backed business, Maxinutrition as their head of supply chain. His extensive experience includes supply planning, demand forecasting, procurement, warehousing, logistics, manufacturing, production planning and customer service.

Gary’s appointment is the third in a series of senior leadership team appointments announced by the innovative pet food company in recent months. Just last month (August) Lily’s Kitchen announced the appointment of new marketing director Chris Lock from Diageo and in July Emma Wrigley joined as new product director.

“I’m excited to join such a talented team on a highly respected and award winning brand at a time when the business is growing fast, presenting great opportunities for the supply chain to support that growth with reliable and innovative systems and processes,” explains Gary.

“I believe the ability of the supply chain to grow in all aspects from purchasing, manufacturing, warehousing and through to delivery will be vital to the future success of the business.  I look forward to partnering with our customers and suppliers alike to ensure that more and more consumers will be able to enjoy Lily’s Kitchen’s great products.”

Henrietta Morrison, founder and CEO of Lily’s Kitchen, comments: “Gary’s experience and in-depth understanding of logistics and supply chain processes to support the nation’s pets will be invaluable to the business. 

"Maintaining our excellent service levels and supply of our natural pet food while navigating unprecedented growth levels is one of the biggest challenges we face so we’re delighted to welcome Gary to the senior leadership team at Lily’s Kitchen. 

"His appointment, together with those of Chris Lock and Emma Wrigley, has completed a truly dynamic senior leadership team with the calibre required to take Lily’s Kitchen to the next level.”

BETA International is rolling out its free coach service for retailers once again, with return journeys available from Carlisle, Durham and Exeter to the NEC on Sunday 22 January – the first day of the 2017 show. The service, with collection and drop-off points en route, provides a cost-effective and comfortable travel solution.

“Our complimentary coaches always prove extremely popular,” said BETA International organiser Claire Thomas. “Making sure that a visit to the trade fair is as easy as possible remains a priority for us.”

The service, provided by Momentum Coach Hire, departs early from each location and arrives at the trade fair at about 9.30am. Timetables for the three routes are on the BETA International website, www.beta-int.com, where bookings can also be made online. Demand is expected to be high, so reservations should be made as soon as possible.

All passengers will receive a goody bag from main sponsor Neue Schule. For further information about the service, contact the trade fair's operations manager, Jackie Woolley, telephone 01937 582111 or email jackiew@beta-int.com.

BETA International is the world’s leading equestrian, country clothing, outdoor and pet products trade exhibition. The 2017 show will take place at the NEC, Birmingham, from 22 to 24 January. For further information about exhibiting, contact James Palmer, telephone +44 (0)1937 582111 or email jamesp@beta-int.com.

Blooming Pets has launched Muscle Toner, a new liquid feed supplement created to promote healthy muscle development in dogs.

The natural product contains gamma oryzanol and creatine in a rice bran oil base for fast absorption by the gastrointestinal tract. Not only does Muscle Toner help to increase lean muscle mass, it can also be used to support increased stamina and improve the dog’s appearance.

“Some dogs need an extra boost to their muscle development, and Muscle Toner is a great way to do this,” said David Willey from Blooming Pets. “It’s a natural product that’s easy to feed and can be added to the dog’s food each day. It comes in a bottle with integral measuring chamber, so it’s clean to feed too, and you can be assured you’re adding the suggested amount to the dog’s food.”

Muscle Toner is available in 250ml bottles that have a RRP of £17.35.

For more information see www.bloomingpets.com or call 01548 531835.