The Muzzle Movement, LitPet, Dougie's Pets, Bray Healthcare, Grub Club, We.Pet were among the gold winners at the prestigious PetQuip Awards. Liane Avery (pictured below receiving her trophy) from Pet Trade Innovations won Employee of the Year and Ann Child, from Fold Hill Foods, received a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Over 300 suppliers, retailers and industry professionals celebrated the creativity and achievement of the UK pet sector at the PetQuip Awards, with 16 awards presented.
While the awards presentation was the star of the show, the rest of the night was studded with entertainment and fun with a performance from The Trickstars, a charity prize draw from Pets as Therapy, magnum draw courtesy of Noble Futures and a photo booth and lucky dip, provided by Leopard Co, the event’s headline sponsor.
The PetQuip Awards were held at the National Conference Centre, alongside PATS trade show at the NEC, where over 400 exhibitors showcased their products at the biggest PATS ever.
Winners
Supplier of the year (Sponsored by Pet Sourcing Fair China)
Gold winner: Law Print & Packaging
Silver: Durham Animal Feeds
Highly commended: Buitelaar
Business service of the year
Gold winner: Behavet
Silver: iPET Network
Most promising new starter business (Sponsored by Interzoo)
Gold winner: LitPet Supplement
Silver: AniVatio
Highly commended: It’s the Dogs (sub brand of Protein Ball Co)
Product of the year: food & treats (Sponsored by PPM)
Gold winner: Veggie Superfood Boost from Dougie’s Pets
Silver: Dog Eclairs from Ruffingtons
Highly commended: Doggy Doggy Yum Yum Frozen Treat from Baboo Gelato
Highly commended: Frozzys Happy Gut Yogurt Squeeze from Frozzys
Jon Lee, Dougie’s Pets, said: “We won silver last year so it’s fantastic to go one better and win the Gold. It’s testament to all the hard work that goes into producing innovative products.”
Product of the year: healthcare and grooming
Gold winner: Quick Stop by Bray from Bray Group Ltd
Silver: LitPet Pawsitive Powder-Stress relief and calming supplement for dogs from LitPet
Highly commended: Buddycare Paw & Nose Balm from Buddycare
Davinder Sambhi, Product Manager, Bray Group said: “We are delighted and honoured to have been recognised in this way – it is such kudos to be voted for by the PetQuip panel. It means that world to have our new-to-the-market product validated by a panel of industry experts.”
Product of the year: accessories and technical (Sponsored by Zoomark)
Gold winner: The Muzzle Movement Size Harry 2.0 from The Muzzle Movement
Silver: Hurtta Safeguard Harnes ECO
Sustainability award (Sponsored by CIPS)
Gold winner: Grub Club
Silver: Nilaqa Pets
Highly commended: Buitelaar Group
UK retailer of the year: multiple (Sponsored by Buddycare)
Gold winner: Pets Corner
UK retailer of the year: independent (Sponsored by Copdock Mill Wholesale)
Gold winner: Wildwood Pets
Silver: Our Pet Village
Highly commended: Joywyns Pet and Country
UK retailer of the year: online (Sponsored by China Pet Industry Association)
Gold winner: The Muzzle Movement
Silver: Tug-E-Nuff
Highly commended: Kavee
Clara Hewson, owner, The Muzzle Movement, said: “Wow, it’s brilliant to win two PetQuip Awards, repeating our double success of 2024. It gives our team such a boost, knowing that we are doing something that makes a difference.”
International retailer of the year (Sponsored by PATS)
Gold winner: Pet Lovers Centre
Best marketing campaign (Sponsored by PBW)
Gold winner: Tug-E-Nuff’s ‘BOB Launch’ campaign
Silver: Frozzys’ ‘Happy Gut Healthy Pet’ campaign
Highly commended: Naturo Natural Pet Food’s ‘Naturo Dogs Don't Care What They Eat. Naturo Do’ campaign
Rising star (Sponsored by Noble Futures)
Gold winner: Jake Foster from Grub Club Pets
Jake said: “It was amazing to be recognised by the pet industry this early on in my career. We have been working hard to push boundaries in the industry and to be bolder, brighter and more adventurous so to win this award last night was amazing.”
Employee of the year (Sponsored by Uniexpress)
Gold winner: Liane Avery from Pet Trade Innovations
Liane said: “I’m really surprised to be named Employee of the Year, it’s a great honour. It was nice to hear what was said about me. I got rather emotional when people congratulated me after I received the award – I’m touched by all the lovely comments.”
The Theresa Swann Award: exporter of the year (Sponsored by GBH Exhibition Forwarding)
Gold winner: We.pet Independent Pet Wholesale
Silver: Bugalugs Pet Care
Daniel Vander, Managing Director, We.pet, said: Absolutely delighted to have won exporter of the year award. It’s great to receive recognition from our contemporaries in the trade and a fantastic accolade for all the team at We.pet who work so hard throughout the year.
Lifetime achievement
Ann Child from Fold Hill Foods
Ann said: “After 37 years of working in the pet industry, it’s a great honour to be recognised in this way. It is a great trade to work in so I’m very happy to receive the award.”
