Boost for pet industry as four trend-setting firms are recognised with Queen's Award for Enterprise
Three pet companies – Dog Rocks, Lily's Kitchen, GA Pet Partners and Lintbells – have today received the highest accolade...a Queen's Award for Enterprise. As the Queen celebrates her 90th Birthday, Pet Trade Xtra highlights the achievements of these trend-setting companies.
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Dog Rocks Distribution Ltd has been awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade.
The company, an ex-regional winner of the Young Entrepreneur of the Year award, entered the European pet market in 2008 and moved into the North American market in 2012.
The Company has grown rapidly and there are now 20 product lines led by Dog Rocks and including the award winning Torus Bowl and Pet Remedy.
Dog Rocks has produced a short film in which CEO Carina Evans explains what the award means to the company. To view the film click here or on the image above. The Queen’s Award received for International Trade is in recognition of achieving increased year on year export figures, product innovation, sustainability and bringing to international markets unique and where possible natural solutions for pet parents.
 Dog Rocks, thought to have been first recommended by an Aboriginal gardener, helps stop pet urine burning the grass. “It was a very welcome surprise when the email popped into my inbox signifying a win! It’s an auspicious date being the Queen’s 90th Birthday and we are delighted to have cause to celebrate with Her Majesty,” says Carina. The company is owned by three ex-GB athletes who have transferred their skills from sport to business – Andrew Hine and Nick Evans represented GB during their careers playing International Polo and Carina Evans represented GB as a World Cup Skeleton athlete.
The Dog Rocks team (above) celebrate their achievement.
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Lily’s Kitchen has today been bestowed with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise, in recognition of the company's dedication to transforming the pet food industry and improving the quality of pets' lives.
Just one of a select group of UK businesses unveiled to be honoured by Her Majesty The Queen in her prestigious annual awards, announced today her 90th birthday, Lily’s Kitchen is unique as the first-ever pet food brand and one of just a handful of consumer food companies to win a Queen’s Award in the scheme’s 50-year history.
Lily’s Kitchen was founded in 2008 by entrepreneur and business woman Henrietta Morrison, in response to her pet Border Terrier Lily’s itchy skin condition as a result of eating low quality, highly processed food.
After trialling home-cooked food for Lily in her kitchen and seeing the immediate health benefits these recipes gave her own dog, she started making the recipes on a larger scale and went on to create the world’s first natural, meal-free and grain-free food for pets for the mainstream market.
Henrietta spent two years working with a range of experts to develop a range of natural foods for cats and dogs. The brand is now a successful, socially and environmentally responsibleBritish business.
With an army of fans who love her freshly prepared and innovative recipes that are challenging the way pet food is produced and sold, pioneering recipes include Breakfast Crunch doggy granola, Super-Food Snack Bars for Dogs, Wild Campfire Stew, a Dinner For Dogs cook book and in celebration of the Queen’s 90th year, the company have even launched a limited edition Coronation Chicken recipe.
The products contain 100% freshly prepared meat, fruit and vegetables, with no unnecessary additives or flavours, and are completely free of rendered meat, animal or vegetable derivatives, fillers or fibrous leftovers. Giving customers a new way to reappraise the way their cats and dogs eat, and delivering better food at a fair price, she has spearheaded a revolution in pet health and happiness.
Henrietta Morrison, said “The Queen’s Award is the ultimate accolade and to win particularly for innovation is humbling and a huge recognition of the way Lily’s Kitchen is changing the face of our industry, it is also a fantastic reflection on the exceptional team I work with and our producers who work hard to our exacting standards.
"We have had an uncompromising approach to the pet food we produce and I am delighted we have been chosen, it is a significant moment for entrepreneurial British business – competing with the large corporates.”
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Lintbells, maker of high quality natural pet supplements, has received a Queen's Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category.
The company, which was established in 2006, is known for its commitment to improve the lives of dogs, cats and horses. Its health enhancing supplements are given to over 150,000 dogs in the UK alone, including this year's Crufts Best in Show.
It was the companys work in developing its YuMOVE brand that has primarily been responsible for the award in the innovation category. Its the culmination of many years of inspiration and perspiration.
The company was established in 2006 by John Howie and John Davies, who were determined to find a solution that worked when John Daviess Chocolate Labrador, Charlie, suffered joint problems and reduced mobility.
They discovered that around 70% of pet supplements were human equivalents, often of poor quality. There was clearly a gap for a high quality, affordable solution custom made for pets. The product that came out of that initial work was YuMOVE. Soon, Charlie was up on his feet and coping better than ever before.
Before the product came to market there was much more work to be done. Falling back on their backgrounds in science and technology, the duo applied rigorous scientific principles, developing a unique and detailed protocol that has since been used in the development of all Lintbells products.
Starting with a veterinary panel and consulting with experts, Lintbells also asks pet owners what they want. Scientific evaluation and ingredient sourcing are the next stages before the product is fully evaluated by vets and pet owners to ensure it performs.
Those rigorous trials, often take place in conjunction with research organisations and veterinary schools, such as the Royal Veterinary College, to prove the products make a difference to the pet thats visible enough to be noticed by the pet owner.
This attention to detail, which also extends to ethical sourcing of the highest quality ingredients, has paid off. YuMOVE is the number one veterinary joint supplement and the subsequent brand, YuMEGA Itchy Dog, which supports skin health, is now rated the UKs number one veterinary skin supplement.*
The two Johns passion for YuMOVE and the growing product range has meant that Lintbells has grown rapidly and now employs 45 people near Hitchin in rural Hertfordshire.
John Howie says everyone who works in the company is delighted by the award. "We have a great team of people who love pets and this award means so much to all of us. Being recognised for innovation, an area in which we invest a huge amount of time and effort, is especially welcome because it acknowledges that we are doing everything we can to ensure that our products help keep pets healthy and happy.
"A Queen's Award marks outstanding achievement by a UK company and is one of the highest honours that can be bestowed. As well as being responsible for an increasing number of waggy tails at home, the company also exports to more than 15 countries."
For more information about Lintbells and the YuMEGA range visit www.lintbells.com.
*Gfk VetTrak Sales Data, MAT values (February 2016)
Pictured (left to right): Co-founders John Howie and John Davies with Operations Director Nigel Pittman, accompanied by Welsh Springer Spaniel Pippa and Moroccan Mountain Dog Jasmine.
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GA Pet Food Partners has been honoured win the Queens Award for International Trade.
Since 1992, GA has grown from a small family run arable farm to a global exporter of own label pet food, employing over 400 staff from Lancashire across 2 sites.
GA designs, manufactures, pack, store and distribute quality own label pet food for a wide range of companies, from multi-national, blue chip organisations to new start ups and individual pet shops.
"It is an absolute honour to win such a prestigious business award and even more so on Her Majesties 90th Birthday year," says the company.
GA now exports to over 50 different countries with satellite offices in Germany, Poland and France.
Managing Director James Lawson will accept this award on behalf of all the hard work from the GA staff, suppliers and partners.
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Pets Emporium is a well established business of over 35 years.
It's situated in the beautiful coastal area of North Norfolk in the village of Snettisham.
The shop is in a good location, is well presented with quality fixtures and fittings, holding a wide variety of food and accessories all merchandised to a high standard.
We have a loyal customer base throughout the year – the area is very dog friendly, with many hotels, holiday parks and second home owners. It all adds up to being a very busy area.
There are opportunities to re-establish boarding which was very viable and a profitable part of the business, and having the pet shop alongside makes it a good proposition.
It is a large detached property. The downstairs consists of shop, WC , staff room, two store rooms, kitchen and office. It has a spacious flat with kitchen, dining area, large lounge, master bedroom with en-suite, double bedroom and shower room. Outside there are large gardens, a garage and out buildings, and the property has ample customer parking.
It is a lovely life style business – the reason for sale is purely personal.
For more information contact Susan Hall on 07825581857 or email Susan.hall31@hotmail.co.uk
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PDSA launches exciting new range of pet care products
Selected by vets, the new PDSA Vet Care range offers high quality and competitively-priced products, including nutritional joint supplements for cats and dogs, a skin supplement for dogs and a 3-in-1 dog shampoo...
Selected by vets, the new PDSA Vet Care range offers high quality and competitively-priced products, including nutritional joint supplements for cats and dogs, a skin supplement for dogs and a 3-in-1 dog shampoo.
PDSA vet and developer Chris Wright said: “At PDSA, the health and wellbeing of pets comes first. “Selected using our veterinary expertise, PDSA Vet Care includes a variety of effective, easy-to-use products. Plus, as an added bonus for pet lovers, proceeds from the sales go towards supporting our vital veterinary service, which helps sick and injured pets nationwide every day.” The PDSA Vet Care collection, which will be expanded further during 2016, is available UK-wide at PDSA’s 51 pet hospitals, selected private veterinary practices and online at www.pdsa.org.uk/vetcare. PDSA Vet Care products include: - Skin Care Supplement for Dogs which combines the finest quality ingredients, to help dogs with sensitive and itchy skin.
- Joint Care Supplements both for Cats and Dogs combines the finest quality ingredients, to help maintain, support and promote your cat’s joint health, structure and mobility.
- 3-in-1 Shampoo for Dogs combines antibacterial and antifungal agents with coat conditioners, to cleanse, soothe and help prevent skin disease.
Chris added: “PDSA has been caring for pets for nearly 100 years, and we’re delighted that our expertise can now be shared with pet lovers everywhere through the PDSA Vet Care range.”
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Bucktons, one of the UK’s leading and most established brands in the bird food market, has launched a new range of nutritional suet products for wild birds.
The new products feature three different flavoured suet pellets:
- Energy
- Fruit & Berry
- Peanut & Mealworm
Exclusively available to the pet trade under the Bucktons brand, the added-value suet pellets are available in easy to stack and reusable 3kg tubs (RRP £10.99). With an estimated 28 million UK households feeding wild birds, the launch of the new products allows retailers to benefit from a full suet range from Bucktons, following last year’s introduction of a Suet Variety Box and Energy Suet Pellets (12.55kg).
Kirk Rothwell, Brand Manager for Bucktons, comments: “For many people, attracting, feeding and observing a myriad collection of wild birds is an integral part of the day. The expansion of our suet range is therefore central to our ongoing vision to bring Bucktons’ products to an even wider bird-loving audience.
“Significantly, our exacting product standards and exceptional blends can help pet retailers increase basket spend and maximise sales potential. This is because our variety of products not only cater for a birds’ nutritional requirements by season and species, but also keep them coming back for more, all year round.”
Investment, to maintain Bucktons’ market leading status, has recently included a £1.65 million boost in the company’s Suet and Fat Ball Plant. The world-class site, which is based in Driffield and owned by Westland Horticulture, has been awarded a yearly A-grade rating by The British Retail Consortium since 2010. The accolade makes it the first and only bird food manufacturer to attain this status in the UK.
Bucktons’ full product offering continues to benefit from a new look identity for the 2015/2016 season. It’s had a positive impact for retailers too with the stand-out packaging that aims to effectively engage and educate customers at point of purchase to help boost sales.
For further information about stockists, visit www.bucktons.co.uk
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PetQuip database helps generate overseas sales leads
Up-to-date international buyer database information provided by the PetQuip association was one of the many services that proved beneficial to British exhibitors at the recent Global Pet Expo in Orlando, Florida...
Up-to-date international buyer database information provided by the PetQuip association was one of the many services that proved beneficial to British exhibitors at the recent Global Pet Expo in Orlando, Florida.
Companies such as Armitage Pet Care and POO Guard used the database listings in their build-up to the show and as a result both companies made important new sales contacts with North American retailers and distributors, as well as buyers from South America, Asia and Europe. Armitage Pet Care’s products attracted around 50 new business leads and Julius Rugg of POO Guard stated that “the show exceeded expectations”.
A similar view was echoed by Kevin Barton of ALF, who added that the company plans to exhibit at the show again in 2017. In addition to making new contacts in North America, the company met with potential customers from Jamaica, Barbados, South Korea and other markets not normally seen at European trade shows.
Another participant in the PetQuip-organised exhibitor group at Global Pet Expo was Hilton Herbs, who received quality leads from North America, South America and Asia, with an unusually high number of sales leads from potential Chinese distributors.
A regular exhibitor in PetQuip groups at international pet product trade shows is Spikes World, who returned to the UK with a good sales prospect from Chile and more orders from its Dutch distributor. The company also acquired new contacts for its US distributor and opened discussions with a potential new Spanish distributor.
First time exhibitor Woofaloo met with key contacts from North America as well as prospective distributors from markets such as South Korea, the Ukraine and Taiwan.
Beco Pets benefitted from the rate of growth in the eco sector with its range of eco-friendly products that attracted many US companies ranging from small outlets to leading pet retail players. Through the company’s collaboration with US distributor Pet Product Innovations they now have full US coverage for the Beco Pets ranges. Beco Pets described the show as phenomenal and stated that international interest in the brand at the show was also high from Chinese contacts as well as from numerous South American countries.
PetQuip’s British pet product British information stand also attracted around 50 buyer and press contacts and generated 15 positive leads from 12 countries so far, all of which have been passed on to PetQuip members.
Pictured: Pet product buyers from around the world flock to the British stands at Global Pet Expo.
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Cotswold RAW has unveiled two new arrivals to its rapidly expanding rural pantry – Beef & Tripe and Turkey.
The addition of Beef & Tripe and Turkey in two new flavour formats will allow Cotswold RAW to broaden its flavour repertoire whilst simultaneously expanding the nutritional depth of its highly sought after rural portfolio.
According to co-founder Chris Brierley: "Turkey was the perfect next chapter in the Cotswold RAW tale because we are only too aware that despite its unrivalled versatility chicken isn’t always the answer. From time to time, dogs seeking a respite from chicken will eagerly embrace Turkey as an especially amenable protein (deliciously digestible) that acts as a perfect introduction flavour to new raw converts and as an invaluable source of selenium, vitamin B6C, niacin and phosphorus.
"Beef & Tripe on the other hand combines a full-bodied, higher fat protein, (for dogs with a higher metabolism) with an undisputed superfood that’s loaded with beneficial digestive enzymes, essential fatty acids and healthy probiotics that can lead to improved skin and coats, cleaner teeth and an end to debilitating digestive disorders."
Arriving on the raw scene towards the back end of 2015, Cotswold RAW has been identified as a proud rural voice in a largely home counties dominated pet scene, an ambitious start-up that has brought some invaluable ‘countryside common sense’ to BARF proceedings by recognizing that raw, despite its wholesome, nutritious ingredient deck has historically struggled image-wise when compared with a number of inferior ‘dry’ offerings that focus on pet owner convenience over your pet’s taste buds.
"What we’ve discovered," concludes Chris, "is that our easy to handle, aesthetically appealing sausages provide the perfect, portion-controlled stepping stone format for pet owners reticent about embracing a raw lifestyle for their four-legged friends.
"As soon as owners see their pet’s enthusiasm for a raw food regime they are only too happy to convert to our more mainstream mince, however our sausages provide the perfect stop gap to convert raw waivers whilst they find their feet."
For more information visit www.cotswoldraw.com
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Eukanuba will be educating dog lovers at The National Pet Show next month about the importance of providing dogs with tailored nutrition and appropriate care to help them live a long, healthy, and more vibrant life.
As sponsors of The Supervet Live Tour, Eukanuba will welcome Channel 4’s Supervet Professor Noel Fitzpatrick to The National Pet Show where he will share never been told before stories of the pets he has treated recently at his surgery Fitzpatrick Referrals, giving visitors a unique insight in to a day in the life of the Supervet himself.
Eukanuba’s Veterinary Training Manager, Kellie Ceccarelli will be giving visitors the opportunity to learn more about the importance of providing dogs with the right tailored nutrition and appropriate care for their breed, life stage, and life style to enable them to live a long, healthy and more vibrant life.
Lastly, visitors can learn how grooming is an essential part of caring for pets’ health and well-being thanks to demonstrations using the FURminator deShedding tool on the Eukanuba stand.
Giuliano Buccino, Head of Marketing at Spectrum Pet Brands (UK & Ireland), comments: “The National Pet Show is a great event, giving animal lovers the opportunity to come together and share the positive impact pets have on our lives.
“At Eukanuba, we encourage owners to bring out the extraordinary in their dogs by providing them with super premium nutrition and appropriate care, and as such, we’re thrilled to be exhibiting. The event is more than just a pet show; it celebrates the unique relationship that we have with our pets and educates visitors on responsible pet ownership so you can enjoy a long, happy and healthy life with your beloved dog.”
Eukanuba’s premium nutrition uses high quality chicken or lamb as its principle protein source offering a complete and balanced diet which can be tailored to support various breeds, lifestages and sensitivities. The impact of Eukanuba along with appropriate care was discovered over a 10 + year observation and the results were unprecedented – nearly 90% of Labrador Retrievers fed Eukanuba*, together with appropriate care, lived beyond the breed’s typical twelve years life expectancy, some of them living 30% longer**.
Eukanuba will be present at D658 during The National Pet Show which takes place at the ExCel London on 7-8th May. For more information and to buy tickets visit http://www.seetickets.com/tour/national-pet-show
*10 years of observations with a group of 39 Labradors **exceptional longevity is defined as living +30% longer than the breed´s typical life span
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It may not be the biggest breed of dog in town, but when it comes to celebrating a true Welsh legend, a four-legged bastion of Britishness it’s hard to look beyond our Queen’s best-loved pooch, the noble Corgi.
For decades these diminutive dogs have strolled loyally by our Queen’s side, a small yet tenacious beacon of quintessential Englishness that’s as inextricably linked to this Isle as double-decker buses, letter boxes, black cabs, James Bond, marmalade and jam roly-poly.
And yet, for all its unstinting loyal service to our appreciative sovereign, this is one noble breed that now finds itself teetering on the very edge of the ‘vulnerable, native breed’ list compiled by our esteemed colleagues at the Kennel Club.
According to DTC (The Dog Treat Company) founder Joe Halliwell, "For us the Queen's 90th Birthday seemed the perfect celebration to raise awareness for such an enigmatic blue-blooded breed, courtesy of some suitably striking patriotic packaging and our latest upmarket recipe that marries human-grade chicken liver with turmeric, coconut oil, organic chia seeds and black pepper.
"As ever our priority is to bind rich, nutritious ingredients that are low in fat yet brimming with beneficial health benefits (assist improved digestion, joints and coat amongst others."God Save The Corgi will be available online at www.thedogtreatcompany.co.uk and www.fetch.co.uk and via a diverse yet discerning retail base that includes: veterinary practices, garden centres, independent pet shops, wholefood stores, pubs and nationwide pet retail chains.
What’s more, for every unit sold, DTC will dispatch direct treats donation to DTCs Devon-based charity, Animals in Distress (http://www.animalsindistress.uk.com).
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SureFlap launches the SureFeed Sealed Pet Bowl
Recent research has revealed that cat owners who feed their pets wet food throw a third of it away because it either dries out or their cats won’t eat it - costing an owner approximately £10 a month per pet...
Recent research has revealed that cat owners who feed their pets wet food throw a third of it away because it either dries out or their cats won’t eat it - costing an owner approximately £10 a month per pet.
With this in mind, SureFlap, the award-winning pet product specialist, has extended its range of innovative pet feeders with the launch of the SureFeedSealed Pet Bowl.
The first non-microchip operated product to be developed by SureFlap, the SureFeed Sealed Pet Bowl features a motion-activated lid that opens when a pet approaches to reveal the food bowl containing the pet’s food; the lid then closes onto the sealed bowl when the pet moves away after eating.
Suitable for use with wet and dry food, the SureFeed Sealed Pet Bowl features a unique integrated seal to help keep food fresher for longer. It also prevents wet food from drying out and reduces pet food odours in the home while preventing flies from settling on the pet’s food and laying eggs. The Sealed Pet Bowl is ideal for single pet households with cats or small dogs or multi-pet households where segregated feeding is not essential.
The SureFeed Sealed Pet Bowl comes with one grey bowl, but it is also compatible with the coloured range of SureFeed pet bowls available separately in blue, pink and green. The bowl and lid can easily be removed for cleaning and the rest of the unit is wipe-clean. The Sealed Pet Bowl runs on four C cell batteries that typically last for six months.
“The SureFeed Sealed Pet Bowl is sure to be a popular extension to the SureFeed range with research revealing that over 80 per cent of cat owners and nearly 70 per cent of dog owners would use the product,” comments Dr Nick Hill, founder and managing director at SureFlap.
To support the launch, SureFlap is offering retailers in-store demonstration kits that are ideal to place at the checkout. A fun way to engage with customers, the food bowl can be filled with complimentary SureFeed branded sweets to tempt customers to help themselves and, in doing so, they get to see the product in action. The kit contains a SureFeed Sealed Pet Bowl, a plastic display stand with integrated leaflet holder, 50 product leaflets, 500g of SureFeed branded sweets to be placed in the bowl and a product sticker. SureFlap is offering a free SureFeed Sealed Pet Bowl demonstration kit to every retailer who orders four or more units for their store.
For further information on the SureFeed Sealed Pet Bowl (RRP £49.99) or the company’s microchip operated pet products which include the SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder or its innovative SureFlap microchip pet doors, visit http://www.sureflap.com, phone 0800 912 7114 or email trade@sureflap.co.uk.
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As part of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Efra) Inquiry on animal welfare, the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) told MPs that the Animal Welfare Act 2006, while an excellent umbrella piece of legislation, can be difficult to enforce – with more resources needed to assist charities and local authorities as well as the introduction of secondary legislation to make clear responsibilities.
BVA and BSAVA highlighted that the Animal Welfare Act is intentionally generic and there is a need for guidance, codes of practice and secondary legislation - as promised when it was passed 10 years ago - in order to help deliver effective enforcement decisions and identify unnecessary suffering. The veterinary organisations further suggested that, if pets are seized under the Animal Welfare Act, they must be taken into suitable accommodation which meets appropriate animal welfare standards.
The Efra Sub-Committee held its second oral evidence session in the House of Commons on Tuesday 19 April, during which Heather Bacon from BVA’s Ethics and Welfare Group, BSAVA Vice President John Chitty and Bill Lambert, the Kennel Club’s Health and Breeder Services Manager, answered questions from Neil Parish, Efra Committee Chair, and other members of the Efra Committee.
During the session, which focussed on the welfare of dogs, BVA and BSAVA urged that, in the internet age in which we live, legislation around the sale of domestic pets must be fit for purpose. Legislation such as The Pet Animals Act 1951 and The Breeding and Sale of Dogs Act (1999) must be updated to bring them in line with the requirements of the Animal Welfare Act and current practices, in terms of both the species now regularly kept as pets and with online sales and advertising.
The BSAVA Vice President noted that vets can help play a key role in advising prospective pet owners on breeding of dogs to ensure puppies are healthy as well as the health and welfare needs of different species, if contact is made with their local vet prior to a pet being purchased.
Irresponsible dog breeding, microchipping and responsible pet ownership were also raised as key issues upon which the panel provided oral evidence.
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 Arden Grange has launched a mini version of its popular adult chicken and rice dog food.
The same naturally hypoallergenic recipe is now in a smaller kibble size which is ideal for all types of toy and small breeds.
The new product will be available in 2kg and 6kg bags, and has the same super premium recipe as the Adult chicken and rice diet. The smaller kibble is perfect for smaller breeds which may struggle with larger sized kibbles.
This new diet contains krill, an outstandingly pure source of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. These have many recommended health benefits and are important to the nervous system, heart and eyes as well as many other cells, tissues and organs of the bodily system. Krill is also a very nutritionally valuable source of protein and has an excellent amino acid profile.
Ness Bird, nutritional adviser at Arden Grange, said: “Customer demand has led us to develop this smaller sized kibble in our popular chicken and rice variety. As well as fresh chicken, the recipe also includes chicken meat meal which is a concentrated source of nutrition and is naturally rich in minerals that are essential to a dog’s health.”
The entire Arden Grange dry dog food range includes cranberries and yucca extract, which act as antioxidants and may aid in urinary tract health and the prevention of body odour respectively. In addition all recipes include prebiotics and joint supplements. All diets are free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives, as well as being wheat gluten, beef, soya and dairy free.
For more information visit www.ardengrange.com
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Nottinghamshire-based pet food manufacturer, Grove Pet Foods, has welcomed Amy Watson to the team.
As Field Sales Executive for the North, Amy is busy developing relationships with retailers throughout the region to promote the Vitalin and Alpha brands.
Twenty-two year old Amy joins the company after gaining three years’ experience in the pet food industry.
Said Amy: “I very much enjoy supporting customers and stores across the North. The Vitalin and Alpha ranges continue to go from strength to strength and it is great to join a go-ahead business such as Grove Pet Foods.
“I am passionate about pet health and nutrition, so feel proud to be representing such high quality brands in the dog, cat and ferret food sectors.”
Sales Manager, Sean Cox added: “We are delighted to have Amy on the Grove Pet Foods team and look forward to seeing her develop the business further.”
For further information on Alpha or Vitalin visit www.alphafeeds.com or www.vitalinpetfood.co.uk.
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 Barking Heads is launching a new low calorie treat in time for the summer months.
With no added synthetic colourings, flavours or preservatives, the aptly named ‘Skinnies’ offer dog owners a lighter treat for their beloved pooches to help keep them on track and form part of a healthy and active lifestyle.
Bailey Bites Skinnies have been specially formulated for dogs that have piled on the pounds.
Handmade with natural ingredients and containing a delightful combination of chicken and herbs.
Available in fun sized bites, ‘Skinnies’ are the perfect treats to carry around and pop in a bag, for a quick and easy bite which will help to get your dog get back in shape without making him/her feel like they are missing out.
Available direct or from PetFood UK’s wholesale and distributor network, Bailey Bites Skinnies have a RPP of £2.99.
Ingredients:
- Rice Flour
- Barley Flour
- Dried Chicken 4%
- Vegetable Fat
- Bakers Yeast
- Cinnamon
- Mixed Herbs
- Yucca Extract
For more information visit www.barkingheads.co.uk
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Beaphar has added to its range of joint care products with the introduction of Joint Tablets, a new vet strength supplement for dogs.
Suitable for all breeds, the chewable tablets are liver flavoured and do not need to be given with food. Each pot contains 60 tablets which is enough to treat a 10-20kg for 30 days.
 Beaphar Joint Tablets compete on quality and formulation against the leading veterinary brands.
A vet strength formula, they contain high concentrations of Glucosamine, Chondroitin and Vitamin E to maintain dogs’ joints, making them as effective as the leading vet brand, at a fraction of the cost to both the retailer and the consumer.
According to industry data, the veterinary channel is taking full advantage of the joint care market, noted to be worth more than £20m per annum.
Beaphar’s range of joint care supplements has been developed in response to these consumer demands and market trends.
Available in a variety of easy-to-administer formats, the products are designed to help even the most energetic, working dogs stay active.
Beaphar Joint Tablets join the existing Beaphar Glucosamine Easy Treat, Beaphar Joint Sticks, Beaphar Joint Fit Solutionand Beaphar Joint Paste to make a strong product range with superb on-shelf impact.
To find out more about how Beaphar can help you get your share of the joint care market using othe company's comprehensive retail support package, including impactful point of sale, great margins and targeted digital campaigns, speak to your local Sales Executive, call the award winning UK Customer Care Team on 01440 715700 or visit beaphar.co.uk.
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A binge-eating Boxer dog created his own Great British bark-off after wolfing down the entire contents of a baking cupboard.
Ray, the lovable eight-year-old pooch, from Plymouth, gobbled up a bag of flour, an entire kilo of sugar (including the bag) and a packet of raisins, which can be deadly to dogs.
As soon as the kitchen crime scene was discovered, greedy Ray was rushed to Plymouth PDSA Pet Hospital by his worried owner, Jasmine Quick (36), where he was admitted for emergency treatment.
Jasmine said: “I’d been on a baking competition weekend with friends and brought the leftover ingredients home. I popped out for 20 minutes, but I returned to complete chaos – Ray was absolutely covered in flour and sugar, and was guzzling his way through the raisins.”
Jasmine called PDSA immediately as she had read that grapes were poisonous to dogs – and was advised to bring him straight in.
PDSA Vet Erin Beale said: “Ray was given medicine to make him sick and kept in overnight for observation. This was a potentially disastrous cocktail. Grapes, raisins and sultanas are all highly toxic to dogs and even small amounts can be fatal, depending on their size. Thankfully for Ray he got help straight away, so recovered quite quickly and was soon back to his boisterous self.”
 Ray returned home the next day and the family are hugely grateful for the help they received. Jasmine, who will be keeping a close eye on Ray in the future where food is concerned, added: “PDSA have been a godsend, we gave a donation but simply couldn’t have afforded Ray’s treatment without them.
“My husband lost his job a few years ago and Ray was ill soon after, we thought we might have to give him up. It was such a difficult time and the kids were devastated – we’d had Ray since he was a puppy. Then a friend suggested PDSA might be able to help us. We can’t thank them enough for everything they’ve done for Ray.”
PDSA doesn’t receive any Government of National Lottery funding for its charitable services – they are funded entirely by generous public support. To make a donation to support PDSA’s life-saving work text PAWS to 70111 to donate £3.
PDSA is the UK’s leading veterinary charity, treating more than 470,000 pets annually across its 51 Pet Hospitals. The charity strives to improve all pets’ lives through education, preventive care and emergency treatment. For more information visit www.pdsa.org.uk.
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Cats are known as solitary survivors, yet a recent survey found that 44% of cat owning households have more than one cat, with nearly a third of those questioned stating that they had experienced fighting and aggression between pets in the household.
Ceva Animal Health has launched an innovative new pheromone to help with this common issue, FELIWAY FRIENDS, which will join the popular FELIWAYCLASSIC F3 range. FELIWAY FRIENDS is the only cat pheromone clinically proven to help reduce tensions and conflicts in households with more than one cat.
FELIWAY FRIENDS is a synthetic copy of the cat appeasing pheromone (CAP) naturally produced by nursing queens to support their kittens after birth. This pheromone helps cats feel safe and secure and maintains a harmonious bond between them.
FELIWAY FRIENDS significantly decreases the intensity and frequency of signs of tension in households with more than one cat. In a recent study, 84% of cat owners believed there was a significant improvement in how their cats got on after using the product.
FELIWAY FRIENDS has been clinically proven to help in homes both with newly occurring fighting or ongoing fighting. Additionally the product also helps prevent unwanted tension and conflicts between cats after introducing a new cat/kitten to a home.
FELIWAY FRIENDS and FELIWAY CLASSIC can be used at the same time if the owner is experiencing conflicts alongside other stress-related behaviour problems such as urine marking, scratch marking and general anxiety.
Available as a 30-day diffuser and refill, FELIWAY FRIENDS lasts for up to 30 days and covers an area of up to 70m2. Its refill is convenient and easy to replace and comes with a peel off sticker as a reminder to renew the refill.
“Inter-cat aggression is a major problem in multi-cat households, with many cats experiencing stress in the home due to sharing resources,” comments Claire Russell, FELIWAY product manager at Ceva Animal Health.
“FELIWAY FRIENDS is a great support to encourage harmony in multi-cat homes. By introducing the cat appeasing pheromone and educating owners on resource management and how to create a cat friendly home, we can significantly improve feline relationships in our UK multi-cat homes.’’
Ceva Animal Health has launched a range of marketing material to support the launch of FELIWAY FRIENDS including an eight page pet owner leaflet and poster.
For information on FELIWAY visit www.feliway.com/uk.
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 Benyfit Natural has introduced a super premium range which caters for the needs of dogs with sensitive stomachs.
The Premium Blend combines a range of novel proteins which are not only low in fat but are also kind to the digestive system whilst at the same time giving a dog all the vitamins and minerals it needs to thrive.
The company’s founder is Ben Van Praagh, who apart from being a very successful entrepreneur was also a successful gun dog trial competitor. He developed the recipes when he was looking at ways to improve the condition of his own dogs for competition.
Having qualified as a chef from Crawley College he then decided to combine his knowledge of training dogs with nutrition to develop the Benyfit Natural range. It is Ben’s belief that a balanced diet leads to balanced behaviour with dogs and in accordance with this, the Benyfit Natural recipes are not only natural but are also nutritionally balanced and biologically appropriate.
Following the evolutionary principle that dogs are descended from wolves and other wild canines it is believed that our modern day domestic dogs are not genetically programmed to process quantities of grains, cereals and other fillers such as soya that are often found in many other commercial foods.
A balanced diet, similar to that of humans that combines acceptable amounts of animal protein, fruit and vegetables will lead to healthier lives for dogs. The feeding of a raw bone and raw meat diet is also thought to have many health benefits including helping to prevent ear and gland infections, skin allergies, diabetes, heart and joint problems.
The Premium Blend product is made using raw British venison flank with the bone in, whole rabbit (skinned) and turkey carcass, heart, liver, carrots, broccoli, swede, whole eggs, kelp, herbs and flaxseed oil. These ingredients are carefully combined to provide any working dog with the nutritionally balanced and complete diet they deserve. Rabbit contains vitamins B1, B3 and B5 as well as Copper and Magnesium.
The Premium Blend products are among many innovative recipes that the Benyfit Natural team has developed. There are new recipes coming out later this year to tackle specific dietary issues and the company is looking to launch a new brand image in the coming months.
Freezer deals are available for stockists together with excellent margins, good customer service and delivery with training for pet shop staff on the Benyfit range.
For further information visit the website: www.benyfitnatural.co.uk or Tel: 01892 770 188 or email: info@benyfitnatural.co.uk
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 Bissell, the innovator in carpet cleaning, has launched a new carpet cleaner that rids households of pet stains.
Pet retailers can benefit from stocking the product for their loyal customers who need a powerful, easy to use and store product to rid their homes of those pesky stains.
The ProHeat 2X Revolution is the first product of its kind to offer consumers the unique variable cleaning mode, with Express Clean Mode gives a dry time of about an hour, whilst Deep Clean Mode outcleans the leading rental at half the size and weight with uncompromising results. The ProHeat 2X Revolution is a convenient and easy-to-use product.
Other standout product features of the ProHeat 2X Revolution include:- Trial size (8oz) bottle of Wash & Remove + Antibacterial formula which works exclusively with the ProHeat 2X Revolution Easyfill System which kills odour causing bacteria.
- It also has the power of Oxy to permanently remove old and new tough spots and stains.
- HeatWave Technology to keep water at a consistently warm temperature for optimum cleaning results
- DeepClean Mode for professional style results
- Weighing just 8kg it is lightweight and easy to use
- Low profile foot enables it to be easily manoeuvrable by going under and around furniture
- The 3.7L tank capacity means fewer trips to the sink to empty and re-fill
Tracey Scully, Bissell's Director, Sales & Marketing UK, says: “The ProHeat 2X Revolution is a very exciting addition to our product range and thanks to the fact that it out-cleans the leading rental* at half the size and weight, and has a dry time of about an hour**, we can now offer consumers an even more effective and convenient carpet cleaning solution.”
The ProHeat 2X Revolution will launch to market as part of a campaign to educate consumers on the importance of carpet cleaning with the intention of increasing product and brand awareness to generate greater consumer demand to ultimately drive sales.
The ProHeat 2X Revolution is priced at £299.99. For more details visit www.bisselldirect.co.uk
*In Deep Clean Mode when using BISSELL Professional Formula **In Express Clean Mode, tested on new carpet with protectant, results may vary
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Johnston & Jeff produces wild bird feeding films
Johnston & Jeff, known for both the quality of its foods and its innovative approaches to food recipes, has spent the past months filming garden birds as they romp through a wide selection of the company’s foods...
Johnston & Jeff, known for both the quality of its foods and its innovative approaches to food recipes, has spent the past months filming garden birds as they romp through a wide selection of the company’s foods.
Managing director Richard Johnston said: “We always test our foods on the consumers – the birds of course – so we can see what works and what works less well, and make any changes necessary. We decided to film the birds, and then to turn the results into feeding guides.
“Why? Because this is a good and accessible way to give people the sort of information they tell us they need. And we’ve got some footage of birds having an excellent time."
Johnston & Jeff’s Autumn & Winter Feeding Guide and Spring & Summer Feeding Guide are on You Tube – the Johnston & Jeff channel - and on the company’s website www.johnstonandjeff.co.uk.
Featured products include High Energy No Mess Blend, Essential Blend for Spring & Summer, suet foods such as the wonderful RolyPoly, and the splendid Sunflower Heart.
You can watch the films by clicking AUTUMN & WINTER GUIDE and SPRING & SUMMER GUIDE.
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