Simpsons Premium are proof that you don't have to be a large company to be successful in the export market. That's the view of UK Trade & Investment...
During a visit to Wigan, UKTI Regional Director for the North West, Clive Drinkwater, toured Simpsons Premium premises in the town.
The visit was part of UKTI’s Export Week, a national campaign to increase UK exports and grow the economy.
Simpsons Premium is a family run business specialising in natural, hypoallergenic and organic dog food, and manufactured to its own unique recipes.
Craig and Lisa Simpson set up the business in 2009, and now employ daughter Lauren, and a full-time warehouse assistant. Their son Jamie will join the company when he leaves school in 2015.
Craig said: “Our brand is one of the most affordable in the UK and Europe, and we soon began getting enquiries from overseas. We contacted UKTI in January this year and they signed us on to the Passport to Export Programme for new exporters.
“We received funding towards exhibiting at the PATS show and a grant to translate our packaging, as well as held with marketing our product overseas.
“As a result our export turnover has gone from zero to 15% in just 9 months, and we export to the Netherlands, Greece, France and Poland and are currently in talks with an importer in India. Our future plans are to grow even further and to appoint distributors to take us into global markets.”
The UKTI's Clive Drinkwater said: "Simpsons are a great company that illustrate the fact that you don’t have to be big to export.
"With the right product and attitude and an informed approach to exporting there is no reason why small firms cannot succeed overseas, and I am sure that Simpsons will continue to expand and wish them all the best for the future.”
For more information about Simpsons Premium visit www.simpsonspremium.com
UKTI funding helped Simpsons Premium to exhibit at PATS.