All 266 employees at Inspired Pet Nutrition have several good reasons to celebrate the New Year as the Yorkshire-based business has achieved three key milestones.

The firm, which has manufacturing facilities in Thirsk and North Wales, achieved record sales for the month of November at £11 million, including the highest ever weekly sales of £2.4 million.  Further, on a 12-month rolling basis, sales have now broken through the £100 million barrier.

Richard Page, Managing Director of IPN, said: “I want to thank the whole IPN team who have worked so hard to achieve these tremendous results, giving us all an excellent reason to celebrate. 

"The continued growth of the business is being driven by strong sales of our branded and own label ranges in the supermarkets as well as through outlets such as Pets at Home, underpinned by significant improvements in factory and production efficiencies.”

Pictured: Richard Page (foreground) and a group of IPN employees celebrate the firm’s recent sales success.

Experts in natural pet food True Instinct is revolutionising the dog food market with the launch of its new Freeze Dried products for dogs.

The products are a first for the UK market and offer the ultimate option for pet owners who want to provide their pets with the highest quality, ready-to-serve food. Made in True Instinct’s Norfolk factory, the range is not only extremely nutritional, but also minimally processed, and extremely convenient to store and serve.

Available in a range of varieties, all freeze dried to lock in the goodness and intense taste, the range includes:

• Meat Bites: 100% Beef, Chicken, Lamb, Turkey options to provide the perfect sized meat treats.
• Complete Dinners: Beef, Chicken, Lamb and Turkey, Turkey with Salmon and multipack options, making it the essential choice for dinner time.
• Real Chunks: 100% Chicken, Salmon, Beef, Beef Liver and Beef Tripe, all perfect as a topper, snack or meal component.

The Meat Bites and Real Chunks ranges are 100% meat simply freeze dried to lock in all the natural flavour and goodness. The Complete Dinners are made of 80 per cent premium quality meats combined with 20 per cent fruits, vegetables, vitamins and minerals, the natural and wholesome ingredients provide all the benefits of feeding the most natural raw diet with the convenience of traditional dry food. The innovative freeze dried products can be fed dry or be rehydrated with water and offer high-quality, delicious, filling food made from only the finest, natural ingredients and contains no grain – something that pets are certain to adore.

The Freeze Dried range will start at 99p for the Meat Bites, £2.99 for the Complete Dinners and £5.99 for the Real Meat Chunks.

What’s more, to celebrate the upcoming launch of the new products, True Instinct is offering discounts across the range to retailers. Stores will also be supported with effective Point of Sale and education for staff on the benefits of the new range, as well as wider activity to drive consumer awareness through sampling, PR, social media and advertising channels.

Craig Taylor, Managing Director of True Instinct, said: “Having completed in-depth research into the new products, and utilising our state-of-the-art technology here in Norfolk we’re delighted to have them available on the market. The new Freeze Dried range provides pet owners with food that’s the pinnacle of natural dry feeding. Freeze drying locks in all the goodness of the quality ingredients by simply removing water content. It also delivers a deliciously intense flavour - which we know dogs love from the reactions we’ve seen already.”

True Instinct specialises in a complete and balanced range of natural pet food and treats. Its varied products offer nutritional, complete and balanced frozen raw, freeze dried, high-meat dry and high-meat wet fillets for both cats and dogs.

For more information about the True Instinct Freeze Dried range, please visit www.trueinstinct.co.uk

Retailers wanting to find out more information about True Instinct and its range can emailinfo@naturesmenu.co.uk phone 0800 0183770 or visit trade.naturesmenu.co.uk.

By registering for a trade account, retailers can gain access to hassle-free online ordering, great value freezer deals and point of sale, plus free training and the option to become a qualified True Instinct Advisor.

PATS Sandown, the UK’s Spring pet industry exhibition, has secured a strong line-up of speakers for two days of seminars designed to give pet retailers ahead-of-the-game ideas on new lines, new approaches and new profit potential.

The talks, sponsored by Pet Product Marketing and produced in association with Pedigree Wholesale, will take place in the Esher Hall Seminar Theatre of Sandown Park Exhibition Centre on both days of the show – Sunday and Monday, February 9-10, 2020.

The free-to-attend series of retailer-focused seminars will cover a wide range of topics including: how to make customer loyalty the driving force of your business; helping cats and dogs to thrive will help your business to thrive; using calendar events in 2020 to drive sales; how to increase footfall by stocking raw foods.

Retail expert Ian Retallick will deliver an enlightening talk on how retailers can dominate the market and smash the competition. The author of ‘David and Goliath, How Independent Retailers Can Take on the Giants and Win’ will share his three-step formula to help you dominate your sector of the market so that when customers think of your kind of products and services they think of you.

There will also be a chance to earn Suitably Qualified People (SQP) points for those people attending an AMTRA-accredited seminar on canine and feline dental hygiene by Beaphar UK.

“One of the easiest ways to discover new ideas that could help boost your business is to attend the free seminars at PATS,” said organiser Gordon Thomas.

“If there’s a subject that catches your eye then make a mental note of the time or write it down in your diary so you don’t miss it.

“Most seminars last half-an-hour so they won’t take up a huge amount of your buying time. Also because of the time limit, there’s a lot of information packed into such a short session and often it’s a good idea to take notes or write down bullet points. Usually, the speaker will take questions at the end of the talk.”

As well as this free programme of seminars there will be so much more to see on the 150-plus exhibitor stands packing two halls at Sandown, including an impressive number of items in the New Product Showcase, sponsored by pbwnews, and some exciting dog grooming workshops.

To help make the visitor experience even more enjoyable and rewarding, both the Surrey and Esher Halls have their own entrances and registration points, with visitors benefitting from free show entry, free parking, a welcome cup of tea or coffee, a free catalogue and many special offers.

To register for free entry to the show and to view the full list of exhibitors visit www.patshow.co.uk

Disruptors in all their guises can be like gold for the pet industry, says recruitment specialist Lynda Ward, the founder of Pet Trade Solutions.

She explains: “Having recruited, trained, been part of and also led sales forces I believe that all businesses can benefit from unusual ideas from the people at the coalface … yet too many are seen as disruptive and so disregarded. 

"Why this is so may be that senior management simply think they know better or that they feel protective of their own domain and resent input from others.

"It’s a great pity as the salesperson is closest to the customer and able to give valuable feedback on their needs and opinions as well as having the ability to conceive ideas about how the company can develop new strategies or products.

"That some of the proposed plans may be disruptive from the current track should not be seen as a negative nuisance but should give rise to debate and evaluation with who knows what eventual outcome.

"Likewise retailers and wholesalers need to look carefully at new offerings and novel goods.  Whilst it’s true that some will be a flash in the pan please look at the disruptor companies the disruptor lines and listen to the disruptor personalities…there will always be a gold nugget hidden somewhere.”

Lynda is always happy to personally advise on any aspects of recruitment and marketing strategy and can be contacted on 07946 743784 or at lyndaward@pettradesolutions.com

Kent-based All About Pet Health has set out ambitious plans to conquer the private label health supplement and pet aids market in Europe.

Currently distributors of the successful Overby Farm range of supplements and pet aids, the manufacturer is set to offer clients their own white label range targeting pet food manufacturers, large pet shop chains and smaller multiple independent shops in particular with their products.

All About Pet Health was started by Daniel McKenzie. His career started in the pet industry when he became the UK importer for a ball launching device called ‘iFetch’ back in 2010. Deciding to move away from the pet accessory side of the market, Daniel then began to seek out new product ideas and started working for Garmon Corp. in the USA and became the European Managing Director of the new business All About Pet Health.

Daniel is responsible for the day to day running of the business predominately focussing on the sales side. He is assisted by Kingsley Barraclough, Director, who manages logistics, the technical aspects like accreditations, compliance and general business strategies and Jamie Aspinall, Sales Director, in charge of all finance, payroll and HR. Chris & Roger Playfoot are the Warehouse Managers, running all the stock holding, labelling and logistics and Mark Kennedy, Director,  handles graphics and any web based operations.

Talking about the new venture Daniel said: “Being part of a larger group, Garmon Corp. who is the largest privately owned manufacturer of pet health products in North America enables us to be competitive on pricing, product range, innovation and customer service.

"We cover all of Europe targeting a potential customer base of about 300 million people and selling mostly business to business.

“We are building our range all the time and we are currently working on new line of Hemp products which like all our other products, are shipped direct from our factory in the USA.

"Our product range is very comprehensive and many items are what we call ‘problem solvers’ so are niche but very highly rated to solve problems like ‘carpet scooting’, chewing carpets, lawn burn, etc.

"All of our products are formulated by our own veterinarians and materials/ingredients are natural and sustainably sourced. Private/white labelling is currently highly popular with our growing client list. We want to become the ‘go to’ manufacturer for private label customers within Europe.”

All About Pet Health  will be exhibiting at major trade shows this year including: Interzoo 2020 in May (stand 7-814b), PATS Telford 2020, White Label Expo in Feb 2021.

For further information visit: www.overbyfarm.eu, Tel : (0)1892 839989 or email: dan@allaboutpethealth.co.uk

Fish4Dogs is kicking off the new year with a new look which celebrates its ‘Pioneers of Fish’ credentials and makes its extensive range easier to navigate for customers around the globe.

The Finest Complete range will be the first to undergo the transformation – boasting consistent and colour-coded packaging - as part of a wider refresh which will be phased in over coming months.

The company worked with award-winning creative agency WPA Pinfold to create the fresh new look which has been two years in development, informed by research and testing at every stage of the process.

It aims to better showcase the Fish4Dogs range - which has grown extensively since the company was founded 12 years ago - and conveys the benefits of fish as ‘the perfect protein’ to customers and retailers alike.

The design features three dogs at various life stages sitting on a jetty overlooking the sea with key colours used to identify various Finest recipes. In the first phase, it will be applied to Finest dry kibble, wet tinned food, mousse products and treats will follow in the spring.

Some products are being renamed to simplify the range for international markets. For example, Finest Cornish Sardine, will become simply, Finest Sardine. The products themselves will still use the same ethically-sourced stock – premium quality, human grade fish.

In response to customer feedback, Finest Sardine will now also be available in a 12kg bag.

The packaging will include iconography to convey key nutritional benefits. Feeding guidelines have undergone review, the Fish4Dogs logo has been ‘cleaned up’ and supporting typefaces regulated.

Core elements from the existing brand including use of stong, bold colours were used as the starting point for enhancement as an anchor for customer recognition.

A key driver for the project was to ensure that the “packaging design would be as good as the product inside”, said Fish4Dogs’ Head of Marketing, Jo Mulgrew.

Said Jo: “Our brand refresh has been an extensive project, requiring us to look closely across our ranges and consider their best fit in order to make our branding consistent and easier to understand. Innovation has led to the introduction of many products over the years but creation of new lines meant that the brand framework was becoming a little too stretched.

“Fish4Dogs’ growth particularly in respect of international markets, has meant that we had arrived at a natural stopping-off point to review our brand and plan for the future, to ensure that it is in the best suited for the journey ahead.”

Graham Smith, CEO of Fish4Dogs, said that he was delighted by the outcome: “This project has been all-encompassing and included rigorous testing and trials from design concepts and packaging to stacking, transportation and display. Every step of the way, we have considered how the brand would be applied now and in the future and have arrived at a solution that incorporates the company’s heritage and values while putting customers at its heart."

Broadreach Nature recently launched the first of its environmental initiatives. With 400 native species of British woodland trees already planted and established, the company has dedicated another 20 acres of its land to the planting of additional native trees and woodland.

With every £100 spent on Broadreach Nature products on both the trade and retail sites Broadreach Nature will plant a tree on each purchaser’s behalf.

With the backing of local Nationwide and Barclays Bank branches, offering up volunteers to help plant, the teams are all ready to make a difference to the environment and support Broadreach Nature in its commitment to sustainability.

With a strong ethical in-house code and having been awarded Ethical Company Status for the second year running, Broadreach Nature is committed to the health and wellbeing of pets by not only offering the best possible natural products but by also caring about the environment.

All Broadreach Nature Grain Free Food and Treats are non-GM and responsibly sourced from farms that adhere to all UK and EU legislation for welfare and safety using only natural ingredients. Its Advanced health supplements range is manufactured in pharmaceutical grade facilities allowing for only the highest quality and process. All these ingredients are carefully sourced and go through a number of quality and safety checks and measures to make sure the end product is of the highest standard and sustainably sourced.

All packaging is secure and resealable to ensure that the product stays fresh as long as possible and to prevent wastage, using recyclable product pots and packaging as much as possible whilst at the same time working towards making all of packaging fully recyclable or biodegradable. When sourcing packaging Broadreach Nature works closely with suppliers to innovate ways to produce more environmentally friendly packaging.

The company take its environmental leadership one step further by only working with manufacturers and logistics contractors with a strong low carbon or carbon neutral footing and with focus on office material recycling, energy saving fixtures and fittings including solar panels to supply office electricity.

Visit www.broadreachnature.com to find out more.

Award-winning aquatics manufacturer, King British, has announced that it will be adding its support to the new National Turtle Sanctuary as part of its next campaign. The manufacturer will be focussing on increasing awareness of responsible turtle care and raising funds for the sanctuary, which will be based at the Lincolnshire Wildlife Park.

"We’re thrilled to be supporting the creation of the National Turtle Sanctuary, and working with Lincolnshire Wildlife Park and the other partners to build purpose-built turtle pods that will be a forever home for all those turtles and terrapins that unfortunately cannot stay with their owners any longer," said Dr Sue Huggett, Business Manager, King British.

"While turtles can make wonderful pets, people often take them on without understanding their specific needs. This is why so many turtles end up being sent to rescue centres or are even released into the wild. We’re supporting the National Turtle Sanctuary, and encouraging retailers to do the same by providing help and advice to their customers to ensure turtles and terrapins living in the UK are properly cared for."

The National Turtle Sanctuary is a collaboration between the National Centre for Reptile Welfare, Cold- Blooded Care and Lincolnshire Wildlife Park.

"We’ve had a long term connection with the team down at the National Centre for Reptile Welfare in Tonbridge, and since the centre opened a very large problem for both the centre and our natural habitats was identified very quickly - turtles," explains Andy Ferguson, Herpetologist, Lincolnshire Wildlife Park.

"With such a vast space available to us here, we have the capabilities to provide more than enough space and land for terrapins to be housed, and as we are a sanctuary they will be here to enjoy the remainder of their lives.

"We would like to express our most sincere thanks to King British for being pivotal in the formation of our first of its kind National Turtle Sanctuary. Their sponsorship is invaluable to the project, not only in providing the charity with funds that will enable us to construct stage one of the rehoming centre, but ensuring it's success with ongoing support."

As a charity, the National Turtle Sanctuary will be relying on support to make their vision a reality, and King British have put together a comprehensive campaign to encourage both retailers and consumers to get involved, including eye-catching in-store POS, and a high volume of press coverage and social media activity which is guaranteed to attract the attention of consumers nationwide.

"Raising money from our food sales is a great way to support both our retailers and the charity," says Vicky Le Fanu, UK Marketing Manager.

"King British Turtle & Terrapin Food is made with high-quality ingredients, including high levels of calcium for good carapace and bone development, so stocking King British means you’re not only providing your customers and their turtles with nutritious food, but helping us give other turtles the high quality of life they deserve.

"January is all about spreading the word about the fundraising, and getting our products and POS in-store ready for our big consumer push in February and March, when 20p from every pot of King British Turtle & Terrapin Food will be donated to the sanctuary.

"We’ve put together some visually striking in-store assets, some of which focus purely on our fundraising efforts, others highlighting the quality ingredients of our food, and others giving important information about keeping turtles, including a comprehensive leaflet and a poster of popular turtle species.

"While a key part of our campaign is to raise money to build a turtle pod, we want to be able to support our retailers and help them increase their sales of King British Food long-term, which our mixed marketing support package does perfectly."

Vicky added: "Here at King British, we strive to provide quality products but also pride ourselves on being experts in our field, and education plays a big part in our brand strategy.

"This informative POS and our online content will help consumers become more aware of the level of care that turtles require, helping them make an informed decision before bringing one home. This campaign aims to help increase awareness of turtle care so that we can reduce the number of turtles needing the support of places like the National Turtle Sanctuary, while at the same time increasing sales so that we can help provide those turtles that do need this level of care with a safe, forever home."

To stock the King British Turtle & Terrapin Range, and help raise money for the National Turtle Sanctuary, contact your local Sales Executive, call our Customer Service Team on 0333 0066236 or email hello@kingbritish.co.uk.

Royal Canin is now offering carbon-neutral parcel deliveries for retailers. The parcels’ packaging also incorporate recycled materials and are fully recyclable.

The changes form part of Royal Canin’s Sustainable in a Generation Plan – the company’s innovative and long-term approach to achieving a successful and sustainable business for generations to come, which also includes a commitment for 100% of plastic packaging to be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.

The company is also making other significant carbon reductions. Royal Canin eliminated 37,000 of truck miles from its supply chain last year. This reduced the company’s carbon dioxide emissions by 55 tonnes, which is the equivalent of 55 return flights from Paris to New York. 

Neil Stevenson, Logistics Manager at Royal Canin, said, “We are pleased that retailers can now place orders with us knowing that it will reach them without a carbon footprint. 

"Our site is already powered entirely from renewable electricity generated at the Moy Wind Farm in the Scottish Highlands, but we are working hard to eliminate 100% of greenhouse gas emissions from our direct operations by 2040.

"We aren’t there yet, but we reduced our carbon footprint in 2019 and have set ourselves ambitious targets to remove a further 75,000 truck miles and further slash our emissions by 113 tonnes this year.”

Award-winning Supa Ltd has launched an exciting new range of wildlife products, which promise to fly off the shelves.

The impressive range includes a Robin & Small Bird Feeder, a Wild Bird Water Drinker, a Wild Bird Seed Hopper Feeder, and a Metal Squirrel Feeder.

The Supa Robin & Small Wild Bird Feeder is a durable plastic dome feeder that can be adjusted to deter large birds like pigeons from feeding. The dome feeder is ideal for feeding seed, sunflower hearts, suet pellets and mealworms. The feeder, which has an RRP of £2.99, is also very versatile and can be hung practically anywhere in a garden, from a feeding station, tree hook or tree branch.

The Supa Wild Bird Water Drinker ensures that visiting garden birds are provided with fresh water on a regular basis. The drinker is easy to fill and works by gravity, so the water reservoir keeps the drinking dish full. Similar to the Robin & Small Wild Bird Feeder, the drinker can also be hung practically anywhere in a garden. It has an RRP of £6.49.

Another exciting addition to the range is the Supa Wild Bird Hopper Feeder, which allows multiple birds to feed at the same time. The locking roof clips to the body of the feeder to ensure it is securely held in place to prevent water ingress and to deter squirrels. Easy to fill and clean, the feeder comes with a wire handle so it can be hung in many different positions. Royal blue in colour, the feeder (RRP £6.49) will quickly become a focal point in any garden.

For those homeowners who want to encourage squirrels into their gardens but don’t want them to attack wild bird feeders, then the Supa Metal Squirrel Feeder is the answer. The easy-to-lift lid keeps the food dry while the powder coated metal construction ensures the feeder will have a long life.  The product has been finished in a delightful shade of evergreen, and has an RRP of £12.49.

Supa Ltd is renowned for producing innovative products, having picked up New Product Awards at PATS trade shows in recent years.

As well as being one of the best-known names in fish keeping circles, the company’s portfolio also includes an extensive range of wild bird feeders, treats and accessories and a fast expanding range of small animal and cage bird products.

Supa has developed from humble beginnings in 1949 to a multi-million pound turnover business by a simple philosophy of listening carefully to its customers, developing products with flair and innovation and providing quality products that always offer real value for money. 

The company is proud of the fact that the majority of the products it produces are manufactured at its extensive factory in Sheffield from the finest quality raw materials. This fact has enabled Supa to rigorously maintain the highest standards of quality.

For more information visit www.supa-aquatics.co.uk or email sales@supa-aquatics.co.uk

Raw dog food manufacturer Poppy’s Picnic has revealed that the highly processed kibble most dogs are fed is causing a poo pandemic, with 1.26 million tonnes of excrement paving the UK’s streets.

Poppy’s Picnic believes this poo mountain can be made smaller. To help the nation’s dog owners determine whether a dog’s digestive system is healthy, the company has released a new downloadable poo-ometer showing what to look for when a dog does it’s business, and simple changes owners can make to improve it. 

Canine nutritionist Anna Webb says: “We know for ourselves that what we eat affects our health and toilet habits, but many don’t make the link between diet and doggy doo-doo.

“What goes in one end very much determines what comes out of the other! Dogs are carnivores with short digestive tracts and need a high meat content diet to thrive.

“Many highly processed pet foods contain as little as 4% meat and are bulked with grains and fillers that you and I can digest, but dogs can’t. When a dog is absorbing all the goodness they need from natural high protein food, their poo becomes smaller, firmer and odourless.”

As irreverent as a Poo Pandemic might sound, the issue is tied to something much more serious - the health and lifespan of a dog. The Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association’s 2019 Obesity Report highlights that over 50% of dogs in the UK are obese and suffering from associated conditions such as diabetes and cancer. A dog’s weight and overall health can be easily improved by feeding fresh raw dog food that contains simple ingredients such as meat, bone and vegetables.

Dylan Watkins, founder of Poppy’s Picnic, says: “Picking up after your dog is something many dog owners argue over. It’s seen as an unpleasant job that many dread, but that needn’t be the case.

“Dogs fed a biologically appropriate raw food diet absorb all the goodness from their food meaning their poo is small, hard and easy to pick up. Because there’s no odour attached to it either, picking it up is not a stomach-churning ordeal. Simple diet changes can make a huge difference.”

If you and your pup are new to raw dog food, you may be surprised to know that improved digestion and easier weight management isn’t the only benefit of feeding a fresh raw dog food diet. Raw fed dogs also experience reduced allergy symptoms, a healthier skin and coat, enhanced oral health and are often calmer and happier from not receiving sugar spikes from their food. 

Not only is rethinking a dog’s diet best for the nation’s four-legged friends, it’s also a good idea for the community. Poppy’s Picnic’s research shows that nearly half of Brits (44%) say that they or a family member have stepped in dog poo in the last year. 56% think the amount of squelch on the streets has increased, or would go as far as describing the pavements as ‘treacherous’, and a whopping 74% think that owners that fail to pick up after their dog should be fined, 46% think they should be named and shamed and 10% think irresponsible owners should go to prison for the offence. 

Poppy’s Picnic hopes its Poo-ometer will help the nation to take the faeces of its four-legged friends more seriously and help to inform owners of the simple switches they can make to see a difference in their dog’s health. 

To download the Poo-ometer visit poppyspicnic.co.uk/poo-mountain

After having successfully progressed through the first two stages, Wilsons Pet Food, who produce Cold Pressed and Raw Frozen dog food in Scotland, were thrilled to be announced as a winner after the final stage of the Scottish EDGE 15 awards.

Scottish EDGE is the UK's biggest funding competition for small businesses, aiming to help accelerate the success of companies who have demonstrated encouraging growth. They also provide a business support package that includes mentoring, support and signposting to alternative finance.

Over 250 companies pitched in this year's competition, and these were whittled down to just 18 for the final pitch in front of a live audience at the RBS Conference Centre in Gogarburn, Edinburgh. The event was also guested by Theo Paphitis, entrepreneur and star of the BBC’s Dragons’ Den series, and fellow high-profile entrepreneur Sir Tom Hunter, whose Hunter Foundation is one of the key supporters of Scottish EDGE.

Wilsons have been producing pet food in Scotland for over 150 years and were one of only a small number of businesses to win awards. They came away with an impressive £50,000 having witnessed 500% growth since buying the business through investment in the UK's first purpose built cold pressed manufacturing facility, followed by the opening of a new frozen dog food factory in October 2019.

The number of stockists using Wilsons products has increased to over 160 and now, with the help of securing this investment, they are looking forward to watching this continue to grow with exciting new product launches and further spreading the word of 'Scotland’s best kept secret'.

Craig Wallace, Wilsons Pet Food’s Managing Director, says :“Winning Scottish EDGE is a great achievement for the team at Wilsons. This investment is going to greatly help us expand our team here and further support our independent retailers. It will also help us launch our new range of premium natural treats, coming out in Spring 2020.”

Find out more about Wilsons Pet Food at www.wilsonspetfood.co.uk

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GA Pet Food Partners has announced the appointment of four new directors who will lead the company in future and help deliver success for its partners.

Chairman Roger Bracewell said: "GA is built on the three core values of Quality, Integrity and Innovation, and seeks to lead with these values every day. I am extremely pleased to announce that we have four new Directors who will lead GA in the future and help deliver success for our valued partners.

"GA's expertise in Pet food manufacturing is known throughout the world and our Freshtrusion process means we can provide partners with outstanding products using fresh meats collected at source. GA need visionary people to guide the company in the coming years which is crucial in seeking to make and deliver the world`s finest pet food.

"I am delighted that my two sons will join the board. James Bracewell, will lead the company in its European expansion, with William Bracewell, being responsible for manufacturing of all our products. 

"Lois Woods joins as Sales Director in order to assist in building service, and John Hewitt will lead our Technical service team compromising of Marketing & Design, Nutrition, R&D, Projects.

"At GA we understand the importance of not just providing fantastic product but also outstanding service and I am confident that we now have the leadership team able to build value for our partners."

Bestpets has expanded the choice of pet accessories, RAW and premium foods available to its customers after reaching agreement with six new suppliers.

Peter Brame, Director of Trading – Pet, said: "We’re excited to be working with our new suppliers and we look forward to forging an excellent working relationships, that in the end ultimately means more choice and opportunity for sales growth for our retailers.’

They are pleased to welcome Rogz, Rosewood & Verity and Voss on board for accessories.

“This comes as great news to us,” stated John Henshilwood, General Manager of ROGZ Europe. “We have been present in the UK market for many years, and have slowly seen our brand grow in recognition and distribution. We have historically chosen our partners carefully to ensure we team up with like-minded businesses who share our philosophy of quality and superior service. We are confident that Bestpets embody this outlook, and we look forward to increased exposure, coverage and success in partnership with them. Our U.K. key account manager Sallie-Ann Reed is working closely with the sales team to bring Rogz quality and innovation to pet retailers across the country. We wish them every success and look forward to taking ROGZ to new heights in the UK in the coming months”.  

To help retailers maximise sales from consumers who are looking for alternatives to traditional pet foods, Bestpets has expanded their frozen food offering by introducing ranges from Benyfit and Nutriment. Bestpets has also started working with the super premium brand, Billy + Margot.

Peter goes on to say ‘premiumisation is key to growth within the pet industry and we’re passionate about helping our customers to grow their business. The trend for the humanisation of pets shows no signs of slowing down. As consumers become more aware of nutritional values and provenance of food for themselves, they are thinking about their pets food too. This is where RAW feeding and premium foods come into play.’

Benyfit, Nutriment, Billy + Margot, Rogz, Rosewood and Verity & Voss products are all now available to buy from Bestpets.

The growth in the outdoor adventure sector coupled with a desire to spend more time with our pets is stimulating a boom in dog sports across Europe.

As the exclusive European distributor of dog brand Ruffwear, Accapi Group started to dig deeper into the trend.

Accapi Group’s Director of Marketing Sam Collier said, “Ruffwear customers love to get outdoors with their dogs, and the variety of gear we provide allows them to run, bike, ski and even enjoy water activities like paddleboarding with their dogs. Our knowledge of the market tells us this is a growing trend but unfortunately there has been little research in this area, so we decided to conduct our own.”

Accapi surveyed over 200 active dog owners and found that over 70% participated in a dog sport with their companions at least once a day. The most popular activity was hiking, with 78% of owners hiking with their four-legged friends, followed by the dog pulling sport Canicross at 43%, while participating in popular Parkrun events with a canine companion came in third at 38%. The growing trend in SUP, or Stand Up Paddleboarding, was also reflected with 26% of those surveyed taking their dog along for the adventure.

The survey also revealed the size of the opportunity for those retailing in the pet and outdoors sectors, with 75% purchasing specialist sporting equipment to allow them to participate in these activities, such as special harnesses and waist worn leashes.

Accapi’s survey showed a wide range of breeds participating in these outdoor adventures. The most popular breed for our owners was the Border Collie, followed by Spaniels in second, Terriers in third and not forgetting Labradors in fourth place.

Accapi hope that this research inspires even more dog owners to get outdoors with their four-legged friends.

Director of Marketing, Sam Collier said: “Bringing your dog along on your outdoor adventures gives you both the opportunity to enjoy the fantastic benefits of being outdoors - enjoying nature, exercise and quality time with your four-legged friend. Ruffwear’s range of performance dog gear, allows you to do just that.”  

Pictured: Accapi's canine lifejacket features a sturdy handle to allow you to lift your dog out of the water.

The Golden Paste Company has released a new product for pets which combines a unique blend of three key ingredients to deliver the benefits of turmeric to pets in capsule form.

The new TurmOil Supplements - Turmeric Capsules for Dogs (and cats) contain turmeric, flaxseed oil and piperine.

The turmeric provides a minimum of 4% curcumin, the flaxseed oil is full of Omega 3 and the piperine (an extract from black pepper) significantly enhances the bio-availability of various supplement nutrients through increased absorption.

Turmeric contains a high number of bioactives which impact over a wide range of physiological stress activities. Stress activity is a situation which causes physical or physiological stress (joint degradation, microbial infection), metabolic dysfunction (insulin resistance, unbalanced nutrition) or simply the mechanism of aging.

Turmeric has been shown to have a number of beneficial characteristics and is safe to feed to dogs (and cats). It does, however, need a dedicated delivery system, such as TurmOil Supplements, to fully support the biological systems it targets.

Feeding rates for TurmOil Supplements are one capsule a day for small and medium dogs and cats, and two capsules a day for large dogs. After one week you can increase the amount given, if required, until the desired effects are seen.

Products from The Golden Paste Company are formulated in an A grade BRC accredited lab and to the highest GMP standards, all products are made from the highest quality ingredients.

RRP £10.99, for further information visit www.goldenpastecompany.com.

Competitors, organisers and sponsors CSJ are all hoping for snow for The Siberian Husky Club of Great Britain Aviemore Sled Dog Rally.

Every year since 1984, mushers from across the UK have gathered in the forests around Aviemore for the biggest event in the British sled dog racing calendar and in 2020 the club celebrates their 37th anniversary of the race on 25 and 26 January.

If there’s no snow at ground level for the event, the races still go on with mushers using a three-wheeled rig that looks like a tricycle without a seat.

Organised by the Siberian Husky Club of Great Britain in conjunction with Forestry Commission Scotland the race is run on forest trails around the beautiful Loch Morlich in the shadow of the Cairngorm Mountains.

The trail is a designated cross-country ski course and is clearly defined. The start lies just over the wooden bridge from the car park and runs parallel to the ski road for a short distance before entering the forest. The first part of the trail is quite demanding, but then runs along the loch side to the Finish without great problem.

CSJ will again be sending their team to cheer competitors along and to explain why so many top mushers feed CSJ products to their Champions.

A good time is always had by all and CSJ will be keeping race enthusiasts informed throughout on social media with results and more to follow on www.csjk9.com

Manchester-based pet bed specialists Scruffs has confirmed its attendance at the Harrogate Christmas & Gift Fair.

Scruffs will be located on Stand Q20 at the Harrogate Christmas & Gift Fair, between the 12-15 January.

Recognised as the leading event for the Christmas, festive and allied markets, Harrogate Christmas & Gift gives retailers everything for the perfect Christmas. At this event buyers will be able to see a huge range of: Christmas & Gift, Halloween, Food Gifts and Home & Garden.

With over 90 exhibitors covering 7 halls at the Harrogate Convention Centre and Hotel Majestic, it's a great opportunity for independent retailers, mail order buyers, garden centres, promotion agencies, department stores, wholesale and volume buyers to source some of the hottest selling lines for 2020.

Chris Johnson, Head of UK Sales at Scruffs, said: “We are excited to begin the New Year with a brand new exhibition. We are looking forward to meeting with current and prospective customers and to build new relationships for 2020 and beyond.”

Scruffs is set to display its core product range, along with their new ‘Santa Paws’ collection of Christmas bedding and accessories.

A30 Referrals in St Columb Major has announced the appointment of a veterinary surgeon with extensive experience in orthopaedics and neurosurgery.

Philip Witte, who is 40 this year and hails from a dairy farm in Wiltshire, qualified as a veterinary surgeon in 2005 and has been working at a large referral centre in Hampshire for the previous 11 years, gaining experience in a wide range of orthopaedic and neurosurgical cases.

Phil said “I am very excited to be moving to a wonderful part of the country. My new position at A30 Referrals should present me with cases which demand the breadth and depth of knowledge which my advanced training has given me.”

Clinical Director Philip Harris said: “It is exciting to be welcoming Philip to join our team. We believe this makes A30 Referrals the only centre in Cornwall and Devon to employ an RCVS-recognised specialist in small animal surgery.

“His reputation precedes him and we are confident he will use his expertise in orthopaedics and neurosurgery to help a massive number of small animals of Cornwall and Devon.”

A30 Referrals is a part of Penmellyn Veterinary Group, which is a member of IVC Evidensia, the largest and fastest-growing veterinary healthcare organisation in Europe. To find out more, pet owners are encouraged to visit the A30Referrals website.

Consultations with Phil Witte are scheduled only through referral from local general practitioners, with whom he is happy to work closely, in order to deliver excellent healthcare.

It has been an amazing and eventful year for the UK pet industry with lots of companies making headline news (good and bad) as well as scores of exciting and innovative new products being launched. In this final Pet Trade Xtra bulletin of the year, what better way to look back on 2019 than through the Top 50 best-read stories?

The amazing turnaround for UK Pet Retailer of the Year – Just for Pets – was one of the top 10 most-read stories in 2019

To read any of the Top 50 stories just click on the link below and you'll be taken to the specific article.

1. Fears auctioned-off pet food could flood the market - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 2 2019

2. Young entrepreneur takes pet food world by storm - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 34 2019

3. PATS Sandown 2019 New Product Awards revealed - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 7 2019 - Live from PATS Sandown

4. Inside Pets at Home's new ‘store of the future’ - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 19 2019

5. Pet food business enters the Dragons’ Den - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 31 2019

6. Amazing turnaround for UK Pet Retailer of the Year - Pet Trade Xtra – Issue 38 2019

7. Pets at Home reveals new ‘store of the future’ format as part of a million-pound makeover - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 18 2019

8. Pets at Home stories hit the headlines - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 15 2019

9. Owner claims Pets at Home held his dog to ransom - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 5 2019

10. Pet food firm turns down Dragons’ Den offer - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 32 2019

11. Town centre pet shop shuts after less than a year - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 6 2019

12. Specially-installed ‘mega’ freezer boosts business at award-winning pet store - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 17 2019

13. Dragons’ Den pet-food duo to exhibit at PATS - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 33 2019

14. New wholesaler launches into UK pet food market - Pet Trade Xtra – Issue 45 2019

15. Pet food company acquires Bob Martin business - Pet Trade Xtra – Issue 47 2019

16. Advertising watchdog rules that pet firm made misleading claims about dog waste bags - Pet Trade Xtra – Issue 45 2019

17. Advertising watchdog rules that “home-cooked” pet food claims are misleading - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 15 2019

18. Owner claims dog ‘almost died’ after visit to Pets at Home store - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 17 2019

19. Pet store closes its doors due to 'unsustainable' trade - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 4 2019

20. Surge of interest for pet firm after Dragons' Den appearance - Pet Trade Xtra – Issue 35 2019

21. Dog left 'fighting for life' after eating £1 treat - Pet Trade Xtra – Issue 43 2019

22. PATS Telford 2019 New Product Awards revealed - Pet Trade Xtra – Issue 37 2019

23. Pets at Home closes superstore - Pet Trade Xtra – Issue 45 2019

24. Internet and changing shopping habits blamed for pet shop closure - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 22 2019

25. Pet firm shares TV billing with PM Boris Johnson - Pet Trade Xtra – Issue 48 2019

26. Pet products feature on new BBC1 TV programme - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 17 2019

27. Supreme defends its independent pet trade record - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 32 2019

28. PetQuip Award winners revealed at glitzy event - Pet Trade Xtra – Issue 37 2019

29. Pet retailer considers £8m stockpiling plan in case of a calamitous no-deal Brexit - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 4 2019

30. Vital continues to bring innovation to its business - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 20 2019

31. Pet shop owner cuts asking price for quick sale - Pet Trade Xtra – Issue 46 2019

32. Big pet companies behind move to ban advert, claims Pooch & Mutt - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 3 2019

33. Smart Garden Products launches new pet division - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 29 2019

34. Sales reps in pet trade warned to beware of false promises - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 5 2019

35. Aldi apologises after plastic found in dog biscuit - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 21 2019

36. Woman receives £2 refund from Poundland after finding mouse in pet food - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 2 2019

37. Petindex – a new type of trade show - Pet Trade Xtra – Issue 47 2019

38. Aldi launches cut-price Pet Essential range - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 31 2019

39. UK pet company hits back at raw food claims - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 3 2019

40. Pet industry hits back at raw food fears - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 11 2019

41. Wyevale agrees the sale of 31 garden centres to Dobbies - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 15 2019

42. Bestpets launches scheme to drive business in pet stores - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 6 2019

43. Fast-growing pet firm acknowledges power of dog influencers - Pet Trade Xtra – Issue 44 2019

44. Picture round-up from the pet extravaganza - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 8 2019

45. Pet supplies business closes after 3 decades of trading - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 14 2019

46. Jollyes set to open new pet superstore - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 22 2019

47. Pet food boss serves up dog's dinner for TV show - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 8 2019

48. Pets At Home full-year profits rise 'faster than anticipated' - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 20 2019

49. Raw pet food recalled after salmonella found in products - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 26 2019

50. First day at PATS Sandown hailed a huge success - Pet Trade Xtra - Issue 7 2019 - Live from PATS Sandown

Every year The Grocer releases a bumper 'Top Products Survey' issue reviewing the big developments across all categories in 2019. The issue tends to be dominated by big corporate brands, however this year, Pooch & Mutt, as part of their ongoing mission to ‘Lead the Pack’ in the pet food industry, has taken top spot as the Pet Food Launch of the Year for its new cat brand, Purr & Miaow.

Pooch & Mutt is proud to be representing the pet food industry and smaller brands against monolithic corporations like Unilever, Modelez, Mars and Nestle. Pooch & Mutt is in good company with other challenger brands in the report including the ethical condiments company Rubies in the Rubble and sustainable baby wipes from The Cheeky Panda, although the majority of products still come from the big corporates.

Pooch & Mutt’s Purr & Miaow has broken new ground in the pet food world, firstly by offering a pouched food with gravy that doesn’t contain any sugar. As founder, Guy Blaskey explains: “Most Big Pet Food companies add sugar to cat food, mainly in the form of caramel to make the gravy look browner. The cat can’t see the difference and can’t taste the difference, but they can suffer the same problems as us from excess sugar including tooth decay and obesity.

"We couldn’t in good conscience launch a product with sugar, just to make it more appealing to people, we believe the pet’s health is the highest priority.”

Purr & Miaow’s second big development was the launch of the Purr-Cycle pouch recycling scheme.

Guy continues, “With the launch of our dog food TetraPaks last year we led the way in helping customers make the right choice for the pets and the planet.

"When launching cat food we knew that customers wanted wet food in pouches, and that although pouches are reasonably environmentally friendly in some aspects, such as transport, disposal was an issue.

"Pouches have a reputation of being unrecyclable, this is not strictly true. They are just hard to recycle and not recycled at home. We worked with a recycling partner to develop the not-for-profit Purr-Cycle scheme where customers can purchase pre-paid postage bags, fill them with their empty pouches and drop them in the post box. We take care of the rest.

"Even the postage bag is recycled. The scheme is available for all pouches from all brands, not just Purr & Miaow ones. We are actually recycling more Felix pouches than Purr & Miaow ones, and losing money doing it, but that doesn’t bother me.

"We have to do the right thing for the planet, and unlike the Big Pet Food companies, we don’t believe that there should be exclusivity on doing the right thing. We actively removed exclusivity from our contract.” 

Purr & Miaow has only been on the market a few months and not close to the scale of bigger sister brand Pooch & Mutt. However huge growth in expected going into 2020 as more and more cat owners look to chose food that both tastes good and does good.

To find out more about Purr & Miaow and the Purr-Cycle scheme visit https://purrandmiaow.com/

Different Dog has introduced a tasty new recipe to its range of meals using the finest of British ingredients to give your pooch the perfect start to the New Year.

Pawfect Picnic is a vibrant chicken recipe cooked with 60% chicken mince, delicious sweet potato, red pepper, broccoli. apple, mushroom, salmon oil, olive oil, herbs and superfoods to not only keep your dog’s tail wagging, but to also provide it with all the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants it needs for a fit and active life.

All Different Dog recipes are hand-cooked using the finest British quality ingredients. The food is then frozen and delivered lovingly to your door. Recipes can be served directly from the fridge or gently warmed if you prefer and can be kept in the fridge for up to five days after defrosting.

Each recipe has been developed by our expert nutritionist in conjunction with a vet to make sure that the food is completely balanced containing 60% British meat, freshest veg, fruit and herbs, and no nasties. The recipes can be fed as complete food or as a topper.

By supporting British farmers and growers and using packaging that is recyclable and compostable, we can make sure that here at Different Dog, we only produce real food recipes that are fully traceable, kind to the planet, environmentally friendly and sustainable.

Different Dog deliver perfect portions to meet your dog's specific nutritional needs, helping keep them healthy and happy and at their ideal weight over the festive period and beyond. Recipes are also available to buy in 250g and 600g pack sizes and small and large dog hampers.  Freezer packages are available for retailers.

For further information visit: www.differentdog.com

Raw dog food manufacturer Poppy’s Picnic has created the most exclusive Christmas dinner for dogs. The £450 fresh food hamper contains luxurious ingredients such as caviar, wagyu beef and truffle, and comes hand delivered to your door.

The menu includes a three course dog-friendly feast and seasonal tail-wagging tipple that is perfect to give our four-legged friends their very own Christmas day feast.

The ‘Santa Paws Christmas Menu’ comes lovingly packed in a wicker picnic hamper containing a gingham tablecloth, silver cocktail shaker and handcrafted ceramic dog bowls.

And while owners are spoiling their own dog with the luxury hamper, they can be safe in the knowledge that they are helping others in need as Poppy’s Picnic will be donating all proceeds to dog charities. 

Santa Paws Christmas Menu

Starter

• A Christmas Walk on the Beach
• Cornish crab layered with black tiger prawns topped with Beluga caviar 
• Served with a quail’s egg and hop shoots

Main

• Winter Wonderland Meatballs with Rudolph Bone Broth
• Wagyu meatballs with porcini mushrooms
• Served with a venison bone broth
• Topped with fresh cranberries and truffle

Pudding

• A Christmas Tail Tart with Golden ‘Fox Poo’ Mousse
• Bone shaped crustless tart
• With partridge, poached pear and saffron 
• And a gold leaf liver parfait ‘poo’ 

To refresh the paw-late

Best in Snow Cocktail

• Mineral water infused with elderflower, ginseng and a dash of honey 

Poppy’s Picnic founder and fresh dog food fanatic, Dylan Watkins, says: “There’s so much anticipation ahead of a Christmas dinner and dogs can sense that excitement. We think they deserve to be included during the season of sharing. Their eating experience shouldn’t be an afterthought as their senses need stimulating just as much as ours.” 

Fresh dog food fanatic, Dylan, is no stranger to championing the finest and freshest ingredients, having demonstrated dog-friendly dishes to James Martin, cooked live on This Morning with Eamonn and Ruth, and served recipes to unsuspecting guests on Come Dine With Me. 

To refine the Santa Paws menu, Poppy’s Picnic sought nutritional input from canine nutritionist, Anna Webb and set up a panel of taste testers both human and canine. The panel’s job was to carefully balance textures, flavours, and aromas to create a fine dining experience for our four-legged friends. Anna ensured the menu contained plenty of canine superfoods such as cranberries and bone broth to aid a dog’s immune system, and provide a nutritious source of minerals and vitamins, to support a dog’s joints and digestion.

Anna Webb says of the menu: “This is a fantastic Christmas feast to feed as a special treat. The provenance and preparation of fresh food needs to be done with care and Poppy’s Picnic does this to a high standard across its entire handmade range. I particularly like the inclusion of raw wagyu and partridge. Diets high in meat content are ideal for a dog’s digestive tract and as carnivores, is what they thrive off biologically.”  

Dylan adds: “Partridge and pear might not seem an obvious choice but actually it’s much like eating pork with apple sauce. If you were ever tempted to try your dog’s dinner, this would be it!’

While the exclusive Santa Paws Christmas Menu comes at an equally lavish price, every day of the year Poppy’s Picnic feeds thousands of the nation’s dogs with its affordable balanced Mince and Meatballs. The manufacturer knows that just as many individuals are reviewing their own diet and its effects on their health, they are now questioning what’s best for their dog’s health too and joining the ‘rawvolution’ against highly processed pet food. 

Pictured: Dylan with his dogs Poppy and Slipper (taken by Chris Allerton, who took Harry and Meghan’s wedding photos).