Directors of Devizes based raw dog food brand, Poppy's Picnic, played their very own game of thrones on BBC Dragons' Den on Sunday... and won!

Setting the scene in the den with grass, flowers, picnic baskets and of course the raw food itself, founder Dylan Watkins and his business partner Louise Mackintosh took their stand against the formidable Dragons.

The star of the show, and arguably the real 'leader of the pack', was Miniature Schnauzer Poppy - Dylan's own dog and the inspiration behind the whole brand. Poppy quickly won over the hearts (and laps) of the Dragons, easily stealing the limelight from her humans.

But Dylan and Louise held their own in the Den and managed to secure offers from four out of the five Dragons, with only Peter Jones declaring he was out.

With equal offers on the table - £60k for 15% of the business - from Tej Lalvani, Deborah Meaden, Jenny Campbell and Touker Suleyman, the pet food pair accepted a deal from Deborah, whose dog-loving credentials and clear enthusiasm for their brand shone through.

The Dragons' Den episode can be view on BBC iPlayer https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b09qjnmg/dragons-den-series-15-episode-11

The founder of pet food firm Almo Nature is transferring all the assets of the business to a foundation aimed at protecting cats and dogs.

Pier Giovanni Capellino said: “In the next fee months I will transfer to a foundation all the profits (dividends) accrued since 1 January 2018 and all assets belonging to Almo Nature.

“The foundation’s sole purpose is the promotion of projects that protect cats and dogs, and encourage respect for biodiversity all over the world.

“Within this new framework, Almo Nature becomes, through the foundation, an economic tool available to animals, biodiversity and those who share the idea that a new pact is needed between humans and all other living creatures.”

The foundation – The  Fondazione Capellino – will be located in San Salvatore Monferrato, a region classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage site.

The Almo Nature logo will now include the words ‘owned by the animals’, and will be included in all product packaging in future.

PATS Sandown 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, produced in association with Pedigree Wholesale, will take place in the Seminar Theatre in the Esher Hall of Sandown Park Exhibition Centre on both days of the show – Tuesday and Wednesday, March 20-21, 2018.

The free-to-attend series of retailer-focused seminars will cover a wide range of topics including: how to drive sales of pet products using expertise, engagement and ethics; all you need to know about licensing in 2018; getting more online visitors to your website; and health is the foundation for a magnificent future.

There will also be a chance to earn Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points for those people attending a special seminar on flea and tick control and prevention, by Beaphar UK. The CPD points will go towards the ongoing development of Suitably Qualified People (SQP) working in the pet industry.

Guy Blaskey, from Pooch and Mutt, has delivered seminars at PATS for the past seven years, and he said: “At every show the audience seems to be full of people who are really interested in pushing their businesses forward and learning about modern marketing techniques.

“I always get some very interesting questions at the end of the talk and people often follow up with queries via email, twitter or facebook.”

At PATS Sandown, Guy will be giving a talk on Wednesday March 21 on how to get your business growing.

“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 Annie Foord.

“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 there’s no time to become bored. In fact, 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 exhibitor stands packing two halls at Sandown, including an impressive number of items in the New Product Showcase, sponsored by pbwnews.

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 free catalogue and many special offers.

There will also be a wide range of food available from all the various outlets and all visitors will receive a free cup of tea or coffee voucher, which will be redeemable all day.

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

Opening times

Tuesday March 20: 9.30am-5.30pm

Wednesday March 21: 9.30am-4.30pm

Recent research by Ceva Animal Health, manufacturer of ADAPTIL, has revealed that over 60% of dog owners purchase their dogs as puppies, with half of those questioned getting their dogs before they are three months old.

With this in mind, Ceva Animal Health has launched ADAPTIL Junior, to help puppies learn and adapt to their new home.  ADAPTIL Junior is an easy to use, adjustable collar that helps comfort newly adopted puppies and facilitates their education during the important socialisation period.  It is proven to reduce night crying and whining by 86% and helps puppies to adapt to their new homes and unfamiliar situations in only three days.  Moreover, puppies with ADAPTIL Junior are less fearful and anxious during puppy classes, resulting in better long-term socialisation.  ADAPTIL Junior helps puppies develop into balanced and well-trained adult dogs.

ADAPTIL Junior releases ‘comforting messages’ identical to the ones sent by the mother dog to naturally calm and reassure her new puppies (Dog Appeasing Pheromone) and is activated by body heat.  The translucent blue collar, which fits necks up to 37.5cm in circumference, releases the pheromone over four weeks and should be worn continuously.

“Adopting a puppy is an exciting, yet challenging time with puppies facing stressful situations such as separation from their mother, socialisation, staying home alone and experiencing new sights, sounds and noises,” comments Abigail King, product manager for ADAPTIL at Ceva Animal Health. 

“ADAPTIL Junior is an effective, natural solution to help comfort newly adopted puppies and facilitate their education while helping them to learn and adapt to their new lives.  This, in turn, will ensure that puppies get off to the best start in life, which will help keep rehoming numbers down.”

To support the launch of ADAPTIL Junior, Ceva Animal Health has introduced a puppy party marketing pack to provide puppy party organisers with all the tools they need in order to stage puppy parties.  Produced in collaboration with the leading dog behaviourist, Gwen Bailey, the pack features display materials, webinars, gifts and literature including leaflets, puppy party invites and posters and is available with ADAPTIL Junior orders.

For further information on ADAPTIL Junior visit www.adaptil.com/uk.

Simplyhealth Professionals, the leading provider of preventive health plans for cats, dogs, rabbits and horses, has reported the results of a survey that found that help to run a preventive health plan is as important to practice owners and managers as help with the processing and collection of fees.

The survey of decision makers in non-corporate practices found 79 per cent of respondents used the payment plan provider’s services for payment and collection of fees.

Asked what services they would find most useful from their payment provider in the future, respondents rated payment and collection of fees, help with administration running the service and marketing advice and support literature equally highly – with 61 per cent saying they would find it useful if their payment provider offered these services.

Preventive health plans have become increasingly popular both as a way of ensuring pets benefit from best practice preventive healthcare and also helping practices grow client loyalty and generate a regular monthly income.

Nick White, Head of Sales and Training at Simplyhealth Professionals, says the result of the survey are borne out by his team’s experience of supporting practices to develop and run preventive health plans, “We tend to see practices at two different stages – those who are starting with preventive health plans for the first time and those who have been running a plan and are now ready to take the next steps in evolution of their plan.

Those just starting, benefit from support to formulate what they include in the plan and having a training infrastructure and policies in place that make introducing the plan to their clients a smooth process. Those ready to evolve what they do, benefit from support to align their pricing, or refine and expand the types of plans on offer. It’s very much a face to face process and we advise an annual review is carried out by every practice that offers health plans.”

About the survey

The survey was carried out in 2017 by Simplyhealth Professionals. The survey attracted 175 respondents; non-decision makers, or those who worked in corporate practices were screened out, leaving 38 practice owners or managers. The results are reported on the basis of responses from these owner/ managers only. Respondents included those not currently using a preventive health plan or those stating they used a plan from one of a reported seven different providers, including their own in-house plans.

About Simplyhealth Professionals

Simplyhealth Professionals (formerly Denplan) is the UK’s leading provider of preventive healthcare packages for cats, dogs, horses and rabbits and has been providing pet health plans for 10 years. The company makes it simple for practices to implement and run animal health plans by providing dedicated business support from its team of field-based business development consultants and in-house practice support advisors, as well as a large team of customer support advisers and legal, compliance and marketing experts. It guarantees an additional regular monthly income and there are no upfront costs required to set up health plans for practices. Every health plan is bespoke to the practice and aims to improve the health and wellbeing of pets under its care.

Find out more at http://www.pethealthplans.co.uk/vets.

MDC Pet Products is expanding its portfolio of products by adding the Aikiou range of interactive feeders.

Aikou was formed over 10 years ago by Alexandre Tremblay and has quickly grown into a market leader in innovative products for feeding cats and dogs.

Steve Driver, of MDC, said: "We are very excited to be working with Aikiou as well as the fantastic dog feeders they have recently launch an innovative cat range which includes the ‘Thin Cat Feeder’.

"Aikiou will be available in the UK towards the end of February and MDC plan to launch the range at PATS Sandown in March."

For more details e-mail steve@medpetproducts.com or call 07842 444365.

Aikiou website -  www.aikiou.com

Broadreach Nature + has won the Corporate Livewire Innovation and Excellence Global Award for Animal Health Supplements of the Year.

Each year Corporate LiveWire invite and encourage their subscriber list and the general public to nominate and vote on companies and individuals who they believe are deserving of recognition and this year the judging panel selected Broadreach Nature + as the winning entrant in the Animal Health Supplements category.

Broadreach Nature + prides itself in offering outstanding products, customer service and support.

"We listen to our clients and their requirements and work with highly trained specialists and vets to formulate and create only the best natural pet supplements available," said the company.

"The ingredients used are, we believe, some of the most advanced and concentrated available whilst at the same time being natural.

"We don’t just leave it there, we go through a rigorous process for each product which takes months to finalise including palatability tests to make sure the products will be favourably received by the Pets.

"We only use EU approved ingredients and try where we can to manufacture in the UK but always to GMP standards.

"Our customer service and support is focussed towards helping our customers choose the best product for their Pets and in some cases just offer advice and support, as well as perhaps just having someone to talk to about the problems they are going through.

"We believe in happy customers and their pets and this award goes to show this is who we are – Broadreach Nature + helping pets naturally through every stage of life."

From puppies and kittens through to the older dogs and cats the company's products help care for joints, digestion, skin and coat, anxiety and age related issues amongst others – all with the knowledge that its uses high quality natural products.

Find out more by visiting www.broadreachnatureplus.co.uk

Since launching in September last year Soopa’s 100% natural, nutritional toppings have proved a huge success with dog owners and stockists alike.

These tasty mix-in meal supplement are grain free and made using human grade superfoods ingredients such as organic coconut oil, spirulina and psyllium to aid digestion. The all-natural range includes: Carrot & Pumpkin and Spinach & Pumpkin.

Barbara Hanly, founder of Soopa said “My dog Lily means the world to me and I want her to live as happy and healthy a life as possible. By adding vegetables to our dog’s diet, we can help reduce cancers and increase longevity.

"This new topping range which has been in development for three years was created after I discovered a very interesting study done by Purdue University.

'The study concluded that dogs that ate green leafy vegetables had reduced the risk of developing bladder cancer by 90% and dogs that consumed yellow – orange vegetables like carrots reduced the risk by 70%!”

What people are saying:

“I thought I would share how much we love Soopa nutritional boosters! We have been adding them to Bobby and Nina’s food since mid-December as we felt they could both benefit from some additional nutrients since Bobby was recovering from colitis and Nina had been severely malnourished before she was rescued. The boosters have been a huge success, both dogs love them and eat their food faster than ever! We have noticed many positive differences in the dogs, their coats are shiner, Bobby has more energy and their poops are firmer and more regular!” Owner of The Dog Edit, Edinburgh.

Each 320g multi pack box contains four 80g pouches which are easy to use by simple squeezing onto kibble or meat. “At Soopa we only create products we would feed our own pets. We love developing products that are not only delicious but have a health benefit too”. The topper is designed to complement your dog’s complete food and helps food taste yummy so great for fussy eaters.

RRP £5.99 available to purchase through Vital Pet Products, Su-Bridge Pet Supplies, Natural Pet Products and Trust Pet Products.

Email sales@soopapets.com for more information or check out the website www.soopapets.com

• 49% of dogs and 44% of cats in the UK now considered overweight or obese
• Despite this, 70% of owners ‘treat’ their pet to human food which can lead to weight gain
• Naan bread, muffins and cereal among the foods given to pets
• 15% claim their pet guilt trips them into giving up titbits and treats
• The IAMS Pet Pledge has launched to encourage owners to give pets a happy and healthy lifestyle

With a shocking 49% of dogs and 44% of cats in the UK now considered overweight or obese by vets, IAMS says it’s time for pet lovers to take action with its Pet Pledge.

Whether it’s a promise to improve their nutrition, more weekend walkies or those purrfect snuggles, IAMS is encouraging owners to make a pledge this new year for happier and healthier family pets all over the country.

The IAMS Pet Pledge launches as new research reveals that despite that fact that almost three quarters (72%) of us understand the negative health impacts of sharing our meals, most owners (70%) will still ‘treat’ their pet with human food. And almost a quarter (24%) of pet lovers are guilty of giving their pet daily human titbits as they believe that they enjoy the taste, despite what impact it may have on their health.

With one in ten (11%) believing that their pets prefer human treats, and a further 15% giving into their furry friend’s yearning look, it poses the question – do we believe the way to our pets’ hearts is through sharing our food?

Over half of those surveyed claimed the perfect feeding routine is two healthy and balanced meals but with treats in between. And the typical UK dog or cat will enjoy breakfast at 7.43am with dinner being served 10 hours and 45 minutes later, at precisely 6.28pm. Plenty of time in-between meals for those unnecessary treats.

Cat lovers are more concerned about how their feline friend feels about the dish they are serving, expressing concerns about liking the taste, seeking variety and even believing that our food is better for them. Whereas, those with pet pooches literally serve up a dog’s dinner, with a whopping 44% admiting they feed the family dog leftovers!

Other ‘treats’ given to pets include naan bread, muffins and cereal. Rather shockingly, 14% of pet owners will share foods they know could upset their pet’s health, with one in five admitting their cat or dog has suffered from vomitting or diarrhoea as a direct result of eating human food that they have given them.

 

It’s not just diet that needs a new year overhaul for our pets, many are lacking in regular, quality exercise with 30% exercising their dog for less than 30 minutes each day. For those who do walk their dogs daily, the average dog walk for most medium sized breeds takes just over one hour (one hour and four minutes to be exact).

When it comes to cats, they enjoy 34 minutes of play each day, often playing on their own and chasing things such as string or toys. Perhaps this could be a reason why only one in ten (10%) cat owners believe exercise is a key factor in maintaining overall health (vs. 41% of dog owners).

The research also asked pet owners when their pet was at their happiest, and for dogs it was when going for a walk and for cats it was sleeping in the same bed as their owners – proving that human interaction is more important to our pet’s happiness than human food!

According to IAMS Nutrition Expert and Veterinary Training Manager, Kellie Ceccarelli, the secret to your pet’s wellness is all about understanding what your pet needs to be happy and healthy:

“As a pet parent myself, I completely understand how hard it is to say no when faced with puppy-dog eyes, or a little meow begging for a taste of something you are eating. Although some human foods are not harmful, such as boneless chicken or white boneless fish, some human foods can be dangerous. Feeding titbits often leads to obesity, which in turn increases the risk of heart problems, diabetes and joint issues.

As the survey shows, we feed our pets treats because  we believe they enjoy the taste and it makes them happy. To ensure your pet is truly happy, we have to make sure they’re healthy. That’s why we’re launching the IAMS Pet Pledge; asking people to make a promise to their pet that we hope will become a lifelong commitment to their health through nutrition, activity,play and of course, plenty of cuddle time.”

Join IAMS, by making a pledge to your pet at www.iams.co.uk/iams-pet-pledge. Whether it be through improving their nutrition, more weekend walkies or those purrfect snuggles, the IAMS Pet Pledge is a community for pet owners to share their own experiences and pick up helpful advice from the nutrition experts at IAMS.

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Accounts recently published by Wynnstay, the former owners of Just for Pets, reveal that the company took a heavy financial hit after it put the pet business into administration last year.

Just for Pets was put into administration in October and associated costs of £6.59 million saw the group report a loss after tax of £280,000, compared to 2016's £5.8m profit.

The future of the specialist pet retailer was secured after the acquisition of the business by newly-formed company PSR Trading Limited, a sister company to established business Pedigree Wholesale.

 The deal enabled Just for Pets to be rescued from administration and to maintain employment of nearly 200 staff from its head office and store operations in 18 locations across the country.

Commenting on the Wynnstay accounts chief executive Ken Greetham said: “The group's results as a whole were impacted by Just for Pets, which was very regrettably placed into administration in early October. However, this decisive action helped to minimise the potential adverse effect on both creditors and employees, preserving most jobs.

"Our core agricultural business delivered a significantly improved performance year-on-year, reflecting better trading conditions for our farmer customers, with milk and other farm output prices recovering from the depressed levels of the last two years. The recovery in prices over 2017 drove a greater sense of optimism across the agricultural sector.

"The agricultural trading backdrop is stronger than this time last year and the new financial year has started in line with management expectations.

"2018 is our centenary year and we look forward to marking it with a number of events and initiatives for all staff, customers and other stakeholders."

Podium Pet Products has announced the appointment of Brooke Saville as Business Development Manager. Brooke joins the company from her strong background in sales.

Since 2009, Brooke has worked in several client facing & account managing roles demonstrating a wealth of experience and developing new business relationships.

“I am extremely pleased to be a part of the Podium Pet Products family and look forward to the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead,” she said. “We have a great and innovative product range and there is a huge scope to extend our various ranges in the UK, Europe and North American markets.”

Brooke will be responsible for nurturing the company’s current accounts, focusing on the UK and Europe as well as exploring new routes to market.

Carina Evans CEO of Podium Pet Products said, “Brooke brings a cheery attitude, experience and creativity to our team.

"This is a new position within our company and one which reflects our desire to grow the business. This is a busy and exciting time for the company and we look forward to welcoming Brooke to the team.”

For more information about Podium Pet Products visit www.podiumpetproducts.com

With over 250 mushers and 1,000 dogs the 2018 Aviemore sled dog rally held over 27^th and 28^th January was a spectacular event for spectators and competitors alike despite the cold, rain and mud!

Here’s what Karen Jones of ‘Coldfeet Siberian Huskies’ posted on facebook…

“Great weekend racing round the forest trails of Glenmore at The Siberian Husky Club of Great Britain 35th Aviemore Sleddog rally Sponsored by CSJ specialist Dog Feeds ,Team Coldfeet ran amazing winning the 6 dog class , 2nd place in 4 dog class and 3rd place in 2 dog class all classes were very competitive also winning highest place home bred team , highest place mother and lady musher, so very proud of our dogs ,all our dogs are kept healthy and race fit on CP30 & CSJ salmon oil many thanks to CSJ for all their support.”

See an interview with Pete and Karen Jones at Aviemore at https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=cv8rNjbXua4

BETA International 2018 certainly lived up to its reputation as the unmissable trade buying event for equestrian, country clothing, outdoor and pet products as it welcomed 4,044 visitors* and almost 300 exhibitors from across the UK and overseas to the NEC, Birmingham from 21 to 23 January.

This world-class industry event flagged up some of the finest products and services on the market, with many unveiled for the very first time. Everyone from buyers at small independent stores to purchasing teams at multinational retail chains visited the show over the three days, taking their place among friends and colleagues for this annual trade gathering with its golden networking opportunities.

ITV newscaster Alastair Stewart was back by popular demand to host Talking Business, BETA International's red-hot industry debate in The Charles Owen Hub on Sunday 21 January. Members of this year's discussion panel were NEC Conventions and Exhibitions MD Kathryn James, political commentator John Arnold, Charles Owen/Airowear  chairman Roy Burek, Pony Club chief executive Rhian Gibson and Bransby Horses chief executive Jo Snell.

The debate looked at Brexit as a friend or foe, whether flash sales were a knee-jerk reaction with short-term gain but disastrous long-term consequences and the role of trade shows as part of the retail supply chain in the 21st century.

The Charles Owen Hub remained a hive activity throughout the show, with a full programme of seminars taking place on each of the days, including Training Tuesday, which was dedicated to retailer education and learning.

Each session was retailer-specific, covering subjects such as visual merchandising, the Consumer Rights Act 2015, customer sales and saddle fitting. James Wishart's SQP seminar Redworms with Green Genes carried 10 CPD points and Claire Williams's seminar Update on Safety Standards and Rules provided 5 CPD points for BETA-trained City & Guilds safety garment fitters.

Visitors were delighted to meet the show's celebrity guests, Yorkshire Shepherdess Amanda Owen, eventing hero William Fox-Pitt and Paralympic dressage rider Sophie Christiansen. In an illustrated interview, Amanda spoke of her life at Ravenseat – a remote hill farm in North Yorkshire.  The mother of nine works there alongside her husband, Clive, as a shepherd, caring for her beloved flock of Swaledale sheep. In addition to her television appearances and writing – she has already had two books published and has her own column in a national newspaper and magazine – Amanda is a keen photographer and brought along some fantastic examples of her work.

William discussed the highs and lows of his career as a top event rider, the horses that have meant the world to him and his road to recovery following a cross-country fall at Le Lion d'Angers in 2015 and subsequent selection for the Rio Olympics. Meanwhile, Sophie Christiansen spoke of her hopes for the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo in an interview peppered with amusing anecdotes.

Fashion remained a powerful theme throughout BETA International, with the Equithème Fashion Show highlighting some of the sassiest forthcoming autumn/winter collections to date. Buyers took their seats at the edge of the catwalk as rider wear and country clothing was put under the spotlight and models danced to some seriously foot-tapping tunes as they showed off garments from sponsor Equithème, Montar, Toggi, Tredstep Ireland, Covalliero, Derriere Equestrian, Horseware Products, Champion and Baleno.

The spirit of competition is keenly felt at BETA International and this year's prestigious Innovation Awards were highly prized, as usual. Sponsored by Equestrian Trade News, the show's official media partner, they attracted a large number of entries across each of the eight categories.

A carefully selected panel of judges had the difficult task of deciding on the winning products. This year, they were independent equine nutritionist Clare MacLeod, retail manager Wendy Beal, of R&R Country's Melton Mowbray store, Wendy Hofstee, owner of riding holiday company Unicorn Trails, show rider and producer Oliver Hood, master saddler and harness maker – and owner of M Miller Saddlery – Michelle Miller and Blacks Vets Tracey Morley Jewkes.

Winners were presented with their awards by ETN editor Liz Benwell and advertising sales executive Beth Crow. They were: Extremities with the Antares beanie (Country Clothing & Footwear), MS & TJ Haylage with Pure hay (Feed & Supplements), Horseware Products with the Horsepal 1.01 horse monitor (General) and long Micklem girth (Saddlery & Tack), Treehouse with the AeroChill cooling rug (Horsecare Equipment & [Horse] Clothing), OSS Distribution with the Sticky Trap (Pet Products), Baleno with the Waterfield riding jacket (Rider Clothing & Footwear) and Inivo Studs with Rescuestuds (Safety & Security).

BETA International is renowned for its top-class exhibition stands and all the hard work it takes to create polished and professional retail environments is recognised and rewarded with the show's Best Stand Awards. Each exhibitor is automatically entered into the competition, which was independently judged by visual merchandising expert Kirsty Kean, of Visual Thinking, and Claire Hogarth, of Bransby Horses, the show's chosen charity for 2018. After touring the halls, they selected ​​​​​​​Musto as winner of the Best Large Stand Award (32 sq m and over) and WildWash for the Best Small Stand Award (under 32 sq m).

Pet n Pony, of Durham, won the Neue Schule Social Media Award, which is designed to reward the company's stockists for excellence in social media practice.

The Society of Master Saddlers showcased the high standard of British saddlery with daily competitions for apprentices and students from Capel Manor College. Sunday's challenge to make a cob-size pair of cheeks with hook studs was won by Lucy Ellis, of Andy Wheals the Saddleman,  with second-year Capel Manor College student Megan Webb securing a win on Monday for her raised brow band and Tuesday's competition to make an Irish martingale – a project revealed only on the day – was claimed by first-year Capel Manor College student Tara Griffin.

Winners of the show's awards were announced and presented with their prizes during a special ceremony on the Fashion Show stage where visitors and exhibitor gathered to congratulate them. This was followed by after-show drinks, with everyone enjoying canapés and glasses of bubbly and soft drinks as they networked and enjoyed chatting to industry colleagues and friends.

BETA International organiser Claire Thomas was extremely pleased with the trade's response to to the show. “We have received some great feedback from exhibitors and visitors who have enjoyed a highly successful three days,” she said. “Everyone pulled out all the stops to make 2018 a fantastic and really memorable show with some amazing stands, fabulous products and plenty of quality buyers.

“We would like to extend our thanks to everyone who supported the show and to our sponsors – Neue Schule, Charles Owen, Equithème, Equestrian Trade News, Henson Franklyn, Hy, NAF, Schockemöhle Sports, Shires Equestrian Products, Stubbs England  and Toggi – who really make this all possible.”

BETA International 2019 will take place at the NEC, Birmingham, from 20 to 22 January. For information about exhibiting at the trade fair, contact James Palmer, telephone +44 (0)1937 582111 or email jamesp@beta-int.com.

* Visitor figures awaiting ABC audit

The global private equity giant that acquired Pets at Home for a reported £955m in 2010 and floated the pet supplies retailer in 2014 has sold its remaining stake in the business in a £108m deal.

KKR, which floated the pet supplies retailer in 2014, sold just over 62m shares in the company at 174p a share, raising proceeds of around £108m.

The proceeds of the placing are payable in cash on usual settlement terms, and closing is expected to occur later this month. Merrill Lynch International and Numis acted as joint bookrunners on the placing.

Following completion of the deal, KKR will no longer have any shares in Pets at Home.

Earlier this week, shares in Pets surged after it reported a rise in third-quarter sales and said final guidance was unchanged. In the 12-week period to 4 January 2018, group revenue grew 9.6% to 223.3m, with group like-for-like revenue up 7.2%.

Merchandise revenue rose 9% to £193.4m, including omnichannel revenue up 77% to £13m, while services revenue grew 13.6% to £29.9m, including joint venture vet practice income up 19.3% to £12.1m.

At 3pm today, the shares were down 2% to 181.40p.

The closure of the seven high-street Barkers dog stores will cost owners Pets at Home around £2 million, it has been revealed in the retailer's latest financial figures. The costs are attributed to lease commitments and the write down of fixed assets.

Last week Pet Trade Xtra revealed that Pets at Home was closing the Barkers stores and offering staff alternative roles at its superstores.
 
The pet retail chain opened its flagship Barkers' shop in a former Blockbusters store in Wilmslow, Cheshire in March 2014 and had since opened a further six shops across the country – Clifton (Bristol), Farnham (Surrey), Ilkley (West Yorkshire), Marlow (Buckinghamshire), Muswell Hill (London) and Sevenoaks (Kent).
 
A spokesperson for Pets at Home told us: “Barkers is a trial concept of a premium segment small-store format in seven high street locations around the country.
 
“There are a number of positive aspects from the trial that we will incorporate into our core Pets at Home stores.
 
“However, we have concluded that the Barkers concept does not offer the potential to be rolled-out profitably.  We have therefore decided to end the trial and close our seven Barkers stores by the end of March.
 
“All colleagues from our Barkers stores will be offered alternative roles in local Pets at Home stores.”

Below is the Pets at Home trading update for the 12 week period from 13th October 2017 to 4th January 2018, compared with the 12 week period from 14th October 2016 to 5th January 2017.
 
Financial summary

• Group revenue growth of 9.6% to £223.3m
• Merchandise revenue growth of 9.0% to £193.4m, including omnichannel revenue up 77% to £13m
• Services revenue growth of 13.6% to £29.9m, including Joint Venture vet practice income up 19.3% to £12.1m
• Group like-for-like revenue growth of 7.2%
• Merchandise like-for-like revenue growth of 6.8%, with good performance in store sales, as well as from omnichannel initiatives - Order In-Store and subscription
• Services like-for-like revenue growth of 10.1%, reflecting strong growth in first opinion and specialist referral vet services
• All financial guidance*, including gross margin expectations, is unchanged

* Refers to financial guidance before exceptional items
 
Operational summary

• Excellent progress in Merchandise trading, where price repositioning has continued with the addition of further major brands in both dog and cat Advanced Nutrition
• New checkout process launched on the mobile website, delivering significantly improved online conversion and customer experience
• First Opinion vet practices delivering strong growth across both new and mature surgeries
• Opened two Pets at Home superstores, two Vets4Pets practices and five Groom Room salons. On track to deliver full year opening targets of around 10 superstores, 40-50 vet practices and 20-30 grooming salons
• The Barkers store trial has reached its conclusion. Existing stores will be closed over the coming year and exceptional costs of c£2m are expected in the FY18 income statement in relation to lease commitments and the write down of fixed assets

Ian Kellett, Group Chief Executive Officer, commented: “I’m happy to report further progress in the third quarter, where trading momentum in our Merchandise division built over the Christmas period. In the year since we launched our lower pricing initiatives we have seen a really strong customer response to the investments we have made. At the same time, we continued to deliver strong growth in our veterinary business across both first opinion practices and specialist referral centres. Thanks again to colleagues across the Group who worked incredibly hard to deliver this result.
 
“We again saw the benefits of our omnichannel capabilities, providing customers with innovative and convenient ways to shop, particularly through Order In-Store and subscription services. This unique combination of capabilities are brought to life by our store colleagues who provide the friendly expertise, advice and service that our customers really value.”

UK-based pet food manufacturers have hit back at new research claiming that bacteria and parasites often found in raw dog and cat food products can pose health dangers to pets and their owners.

Researchers from Utrecht University in the Netherlands have claimed that raw meat diets can cause dental and gut injuries as well as growth problems in pets – the latter a result of a deficiency in certain nutrients, a particular issue with home-prepared raw meat diets.

In response Craig Taylor, managing director of Natures Menu, said: “As the UK’s and Europe’s leading expert in raw pet food we are concerned that this report could confuse consumers. In the 35 years since we have been trading, there is no evidence available from the British Veterinary Association or our own scientific studies to suggest that pets fed on a frozen raw diet are more likely to spread bacteria to humans.

“Natures Menu works closely with the PFMA on raw guidelines in the UK to ensure effective management of such products. The raw pet food industry is also carefully controlled by the relevant authorities and submits to all testing required, as well as abiding by all relevant EU legislation. Our microbiologically tested raw foods, which are also DEFRA and veterinary approved, are completely safe and millions of pets thrive on a natural diet of quality ingredients.

“As with handling any raw meat products, we always make clear that it should be stored separately and food preparation areas, hands and utensils kept clean. We work closely with vets and nurses to educate them on raw feeding and our experienced in-house veterinary team holds regular Lunch and Learns to share the latest research, advice and give support to ensure they are fully informed to advise their patients accordingly.

“We would encourage anyone concerned by this report to speak with their vet and look at wider research for reassurance. Additionally they can visit our own website www.naturesmenu.co.uk for further guidance.

Cotswold RAW also said it was aware of the recent study claiming that raw dog and cat food may be contaminated with bacteria and parasites, and as such may pose a risk to both animal and human health.  

Managing director Mark Lewis said: “The safety of our food is always our top priority and adheres to stringent food safety protocols.

“As an active member of the Pet Food Manufacturers' Association (PFMA), the leading trade body for the UK pet food industry, we are involved in creating and maintaining a good practice guide within raw food suppliers. 

“Our DEFRA-approved manufacturer status also requires adherence to strict regulations in the production of premium quality food, where we only use premium quality ingredients from farms and abattoirs that we have longstanding relationships with.

“In the handling of any raw meat, we would always recommend sensible hygiene to all our customers. All our fresh foods are presented in such a way that handling is minimised and, wherever possible, waste is eliminated.”

Cotswold RAW offers pet owners advice on its website  www.cotswoldraw.com/preparation-and-hygiene

Pets Corner, the second largest pet retailer in the UK, is bucking the trend for online shopping, reporting that over 98% of its sales are attributed to its network of 149 stores.

The company, which employs 950 staff, is celebrating another strong and positive set of results, following a further increase in its like-for-like sales.

Reporting on its financial highlights for the year ending September 2017, the privately-owned, family business revealed its sales were up 5.7% with an earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) figure of £6.2 million.

December sales were also up on the previous year at 8.7%, bucking the trend of many other retailers that have seen a slump in sales over the festive season.

Early forecast figures for 2018 delivered more good news for the company, which sells a range of its own natural pet foods and products, with the current EBITDA figure estimated to be up on 2017 by an impressive 31%.

Pets Corner plans to invest £9m over the next three years in new stores and rolling out over 60 of its natural pet grooming spa Dogwood.

CEO at Pets Corner, Dean Richmond, said the outlook couldn’t be better.

He added: “In the last three years our like-for-like sales have performed three times better than our close rivals. We are not embarrassed to say that we don’t rely on cutting the price and quality of products to drive sales. Instead, we look to offer our customers better value by giving them a product that will work better and last longer.

“This is backed up by the expert knowledge of our staff, who are all classroom trained in our academies across the country. It is fair to say that in a world where online shopping is increasingly important, there is still a place for businesses on the high street and via retail outlets where service still matters. This is particularly true in the case of Pets Corner where we pride ourselves on an exceptional customer service experience and a no-quibble 100% satisfaction guarantee.”

Pets Corner’s financial highlights for year ending September 2017 and Q1 of year ending September 2018:

• Year Ending September 2017
  Turnover £54.8 million
  EBITDA £6.2m
  LFL sales up 5.7%

• Year Ending September 2018 - 1st Quarter (October to December 2017) EBITDA up 28% to £3.25m 
  LFL sales up 7%

• December 2017 sales were £5.73m and LFL up 8.7%

• Year Ending September 2018 Forecast
  Expected turnover £56.5m
  EBITDA £8.1m – up 31% on 2017

Firmly established as the UK’s National Pet Trade Event, PATS Telford is making every effort to ensure that September’s show is even more successful for its growing numbers of visitors and exhibitors.

Three PATS exhibitions have been held at Telford International Centre and each event has attracted more than 2,000 visitors, with last year’s attendance of 2,148 breaking all records.

Plans are in place to attract another impressive number of retailers and buyers to this year’s PATS Telford, which takes place on September 23-24, boosted by a strong international presence.

Leading trade association PetQuip will again be working with PATS to tempt international pet retail chains and distributors to the Autumn showpiece, and will be hosting the Buyers’ Centre where visitors can sit down and meet prospective new suppliers at the event. PetQuip team members will also be available to provide business services, sourcing advice and arrange introductions to UK pet companies.

The association’s involvement doesn’t end there because it will be staging its prestigious PetQuip Awards after the first day of the exhibition. During an evening when outstanding success in the industry is celebrated, the PATS Telford New Product Awards, sponsored by pbwnews, will also be presented.

Pat Flynn, Trade Association Manager of PetQuip, said: “We value our working partnership with the PATS organisers. The PATS events are always well run with lots of excellent exhibitors displaying new and innovative products. It is a pleasure to publicise the shows to our wide database of both international and UK buyers, and this is beneficial for our members who exhibit too. The PetQuip Awards are also an ideal fit alongside an innovations show such as PATS Telford.”

In another initiative aimed at encouraging large European retailers and distributors to visit the Telford show, the PATS team will have a stand in the British Pavilion at Interzoo in May.

A big attraction for international visitors is the large number of exporting companies taking stands at PATS Telford, a fact backed up by Christer Wernborg, of Sweden, who made the trip to last year’s show. Christer said: “It was even better than I expected. I made a lot of new contacts and found it a great way to discover new trends.”

Another international visitor Stanley van Loggem, from Holland, added: “PATS is a lovely environment for sourcing products. The atmosphere and people are fantastic. My aim was to find some serious new contacts and I achieved my goal.”

Federica Gabasio, from Italy, and Lucas Lengyel, of the Czech Republic, have both visited PATS Telford and they agreed it was well worth the time and effort. "The exhibition provides a good overview of the British market," said Federica, while Lucas commented: "The organisation is excellent. The welcome is good, everyone is smiling and happy to see you.”

PATS Telford is shaping up to be one of the most successful events in the show’s history, and those companies that have already booked their stand acknowledge that the exhibition delivers the right calibre of visitor from both the UK and Europe.

“We had a very successful show at Telford last year,” said Julie Butcher of Pets Choice. “We had a lot of international interest, especially buyers from Greece, Spain and France.”

Leading companies exhibiting at PATS Telford include: Anco, Burns, flexi, Forthglade, Hertford Shelving, Inspired Pet Nutrition, Lennox, Marriages, Pedigree Wholesale, Petlife, Pets Choice, and Symply.

Visitors to PATS Telford can expect to see an unrivalled array of new pet products and speak to top suppliers and manufacturers. They will also be able to witness demonstrations from the country’s leading dog groomers and listen to talks from prominent industry figures. For all the latest news on PATS visit www.patshow.co.uk