Natural petfood specialists Natures Menu have vowed to use recent success in industry awards as a spur to become even more influential in the lives of pet owners.
The Norfolk-based company picked up an amazing hat-trick of awards on Sunday – two at PATS Harrogate and a third at the inaugural PetQuip Industry Awards.
Key account manager Sallie-Ann King (pictured above) admitted it had been an amazing day for Natures Menu.
“To win three prestigious awards in one day is fantastic, and we’re absolutely delighted. It’s a reward for all the hard work and dedication that has gone into creating a range of pet food that is ethically sourced, using natural ingredients.
“The integrity of our product is so important to us and there can be no higher accolade than to win this PetQuip Industry Award. Our aim is to bring big change to the pet industry and I think this shows we are well on the road to achieving our goals.”
Natures Menu completed an amazing hat-trick of awards on the first day of PATS Harrogate when they won Supplier of the Year at the inaugural PetQuip Industry Awards.
The RAW food specialists had earlier picked up PATS New Product Showcase awards in both the cat and dog categories.
Earlier Sallie-Ann had said about the PATS accolades: “To have won them with so many good entries in the cat and dog categories is just fantastic. So much hard work has gone into these products and it so pleasing to see them with such a prestigious accolade.”
The winners of the PATS awards were chosen by a team of expert pet retail judges, who arrived at the show before 8am on Sunday in order to make their choices from more than 170 new products entered – a PATS record. Their decisions were made taking into account a number of guideline criteria such as product innovation, design, quality, packaging and value for money.
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 many British-made products, and felt the majority of products on display were reasonably priced in today’s challenging economic times.
Here is a full list of the winners together with the judges’ comments:
Bird Product or Service
Winner: Honeyfield’s No Grow (Entered by: Marriages)
Judges’ comments: This wild bird food has good visual appearance with clear packaging. It’s a good quality product and is well priced. The judges felt this product, being launched at the PATS show, will become extremely popular because of its ‘no grow’ properties.
Cat Product or Service
Winner: Natures Menu Frozen (Entered by: Natures Menu)
Judges’ comments: This an innovative and well-designed product from a company that supports the specialist pet trade in a big way. Natures Menu have developed an easy to use, easy to feed and highly nutritious raw cat food, and the judges felt this product was exceptional.
Highly Commended: Green Cat 100% Natural Cat Litter (James & Steel)
Grooming Product or Service
Winner: Pet Therapy Pet Wash Sponge (Entered by: Christies Direct)
Judges’ comments: This product fits both the professional and retail grooming market. It’s kind to the dog, easy to use, and helps to disperse the shampoo easily. It also very well priced.
Highly Commended: Oggy Pets Quickfix Mousse (Entered by: Oggy Pets)
Pet Care Product or Service
Winner: Calming Range for Cats & Dogs (Entered by: Beaphar)
Judges’ comments: It is easy to use with clear instructions. It ticks all the right boxes needed from a practical and efficient pet calming product, and it’s something that has been asked for by customers who are becoming used to spot-on products.
Small Animal Product or Service
Winner: Excel Salad Snacks (Entered by: Burgess Pet Care)
Judges’ comments: At first glance this has the natural look of a natural product. The customer is drawn to this product with good packaging and is instantly re-assured that this product will be good for their pet. Burgess Pet Care is doing a lot of good work for small animal welfare and is supporting the independent pet retailer in an excellent way.
Dog Product or Service
Winner: Country Hunter range (Entered by: Natures Menu)
Judges’ comments: To win this award in such a strong category means that this product has to be exceptional, and the judges agreed that the new Country Hunter range from Natures Menu ticks all the right boxes. This premium range of natural pet foods range contains only the finest ingredients from local farmers, is full innovation and packaged in a strong and appealing way.
Highly Commended: Oscar & Hooch range; Pure Pet Food; Soopa treat range
