The prestigious PetQuip Awards and gala presentation evening is to celebrate its fifth year on the first evening of PATS Telford in September.

The awards are acclaimed across the pet industry and attract a wide range of suppliers, retailers and press to the presentation dinner and party, and the organisers are excited to have the opportunity to present the exhibition’s own new product awards at this vibrant and popular evening.

Commenting on this further enhancement to the awards evening, Amanda Sizer Barrett, director general of PetQuip said: “We are delighted to welcome the presentation of the PATS New Product Awards which will be a further attraction during the awards event in 2017.  

"New product launches attract many buyers to visit important trade exhibitions such as PATS and we are very pleased that the organisers have chosen our event at which to celebrate and reward the best of those on show in 2017.”

 
The association’s PetQuip Awards attracted another record number of nominations, described by the judges as being of a very high standard with colourful, innovative entries and the occasional quirky product, the list of 55 finalists has been disclosed. They are as follows:

FINALISTS

Business of the Year

• Beco Pets
• Bunty Pet Products
• Collarways
• Danish Designs
• First Aid for Life
• Forthglade
• Friends for Pets
• Naturediet
• Natures Menu
• Phoenox Textiles
• Pedigree Wholesale
• Scruffs
• Unipet

Exporter of the Year

• Armitage Pet Care
• Danish Designs
• Natures Menu
• Pero (Foods)
• Phoenox Textiles
• Pet Revolution

Marketing Project of the Year

• Cotswold Raw
• Hownd
• Pet London
• The Dog Treat Co
• Unipet

Pet Product of the Year

3 categories:

• Food & Treats – Beco Pet;Burgess; Huxley Hound; JR Pet Products; Pet Munchies; Naturediet; The Dog Treat Co; Verity & Voss
• Accessories – Accapi; Collarways; Danish Designs; Haypigs; Hownd; Krafty Creature; Phoenox Textiles; Scruffs
• Health & Technical – Blumen International; First Aid for Life; Pet Revolution; Scout Traks

International Pet Retailer/Distributor/ Wholesaler of the Year

• blue gray, s.r.o (Petpark) – Slovakia
• Faunatar – Finland
• Häromi Hundtillbehör AB – Sweden
• Meiko Heimtierbedarf AG – Switzerland
• Ranzijn tuin & dier - The Netherlands

UK Pet Retailer of the Year

• Fetch.co.uk – based in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire
• Paws & Claws, Frodsham, Cheshire
• Pet London, Wigmore Street, London
• Pets Pantry, Market Deeping, Lincolnshire
• Pets Pantry, Warrington, Cheshire
• The Wandering Dog, Cullercoats, Tyne & Wear

Lifetime Achievement

To be revealed on 24th September at the PetQuip Awards dinner.



Above: Forthglade won Marketing Project of the Year in 2016. Top picture: Beco Pets celebrate winning Exporter of the Year.

Commenting on the finalists list, PetQuip’s association manager, Pat Flynn said: “The standard of award entries across all sectors this year, means that our independent retailer judges will have a difficult task at the end of August when deciding on the winners and runners up. 

"The sheer number and quality of the award nominees is a clear indication of the strength of the UK pet care industry.”

Nylon chew brand TastyBone’s CEO, Tony Raeburn, enjoyed a visit to Buckingham Palace to meet the Queen, Prince Philip and other members of the royal family as part of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise celebrations.

 
The Blackburn-based company was among more than 150 to be recognised for its contribution to business in the UK, having exported its range of nylon "TastyBones" to 29 countries around the world.

Tony Raeburn, CEO of Pet’s Choice parent company to the TastyBone brand, said of the visit: “After a long conversation with the Queen, she seemed genuinely interested in our achievements here at TastyBone.

"It was a fantastic day, the award reflects the hard work of all our staff and I am arranging for samples of our TastyBone products to be sent for the corgis to enjoy’’

This year’s winners were announced earlier this year on the Queen’s 91st birthday.

For more information visit www.tastybone.com, tweet them @TastyBone UK or contact TastyBone on Facebook via www.facebook.com/tastybonecompany.

Monkfield Nutrition Ltd this week announced it has acquired the aquatic side of the Arcadia Products Plc business.

This comes shortly after the successful acquisition of Arcadia Reptile in the Spring of this year.

Within a few months stock availability has moved from approximately 50% to 93% across the Arcadia Reptile range, several new products have come into the market and there are lots more in the pipeline.

“This has been a logical next step for Monkfield Nutrition given the worldwide appeal of the Arcadia brand. Increasingly retail outlets have a broad offering across Reptile and Aquatic and we are now well placed to fully support the specialist outlets and independent shops going forwards, “ commented Jo Wise, Managing Director of Monkfield.

“I am delighted that Gerard will continue to help the business on an ongoing consultancy agreement.”

Monkfield Nutrition will initially focus on ensuring an effortless account transfer process and increasing stock levels to 100%.

“I am delighted with the progress Arcadia Reptile has made since its purchase by Monkfield Nutrition. Sales have significantly increased, principally due to increased stock levels and there are many new products on the way. The only negative feedback was from customers wishing to buy all Arcadia products from one supplier. Today’s announcement now corrects that with all of Arcadia under one roof again,” remarked Gerard Oates, Managing Director of Arcadia Products.

“Monkfield Nutrition is a strong company who will nurture and grow Arcadia going forwards. I am pleased Arcadia has gone to a good home, and I wish Jo Wise and his team the very best of luck for the future.”

2017 has been an exciting year so far for Monkfield Nutrition and with a full relocation into brand new purpose built premises in Mepal, Cambridgeshire at the end of the year there is more to come.

In the meantime Monkfield Nutrition’s focus will remain on providing the right products, services and advice for our customers.

Animology has added to its multi-award winning product range by launching dual sided cat cleaning wipes – Feline Fresh.

Feline Fresh cat wipes are high performance, dual-sided cat cleaning wipes soaked in an advanced no-rinse cat shampoo and have been developed to provide an easy yet effective cleaning solution for your cat.

The wipes form the latest edition to the Animology cat range which consists of shampoo, no-rinse shampoo and a conditioning cat spray and were developed following on from the success of Animology Clean Sheets.

 
Uniquely the wipes have a textured side to scrub and loosen dirt, and a smooth side for gentler wiping. Each wipe contains a mild and gentle formula comprising Aloe Vera extract, vitamins and built-in conditioners.

Animology Feline Fresh Cat Wipes are available now! 20 Wipes SRP £4.00.

For more information, or to order visit www.animology.co.uk. Alternatively email sales@group55.co.uk.

One of the UK’s fastest growing pet companies Pooch and Mutt will feature in the August issue of Vogue Paris.

Pooch & Mutt’s “health food for dogs” are specific to the health and well-being of pets. The range consists of grain-free and wheat-free foods with natural ingredients tailored to help with a variety of health problems common to dogs.

We know that for humans, ‘food is fuel for life’ and Pooch & Mutt believe the same should be true for dogs. In the August edition of Vogue Paris, the magazine features an article which highlights ways in which humans maintain their health and well-being, with comparative advice for how to provide the same care for pets. The piece addresses the importance of pet well-being, recommending a range of care products and their benefits.

With suggestions focused on pampering products to encourage the happiness and well-being of dogs, the article recommends choosing nourishing bathing options to promote a healthy, shiny coat. 

Anju Beaute shampoo is mentioned for its gentle properties, followed with The Ultimate Dog Wash Curious Coconut Conditioner. The feature also suggests treating dogs to Dog Choc as an indulgent snack.

Pooch and Mutt are commended for featuring probiotics in a range of their food and treats.

The article highlights a variety of health benefits probiotics can have on humans, as they are known to boost ‘good’ bacteria in the body, which keeps the gut healthy and encourages digestion.

Pro biotics have been proven to help with various digestive issues including improving the digestive function, healing inflammatory bowel infections such as IBS and can also boost the immune system.

Pooch & Mutt’s Brain & Train wheat-free treats feature as an example of probiotic pet care. The treats are natural, ethical and low-calorie and are available from the Pooch and Mutt online store, Waitrose, Amazon Prime and Ocado.

Leading wildlife product and habitat designers, Wildlife World, have created a new premium range of high quality multi-purpose bird food for garden birds.

The product comes in three varieties, one for bird tables and seed feeders, one for free flowing bird feeders and one for ground feeding species.

Food Mix 1 contains all kibbled peanuts, sunflower hearts and hemp, and no wheat or cheap filler is used to bulk out the food.

The kibbled peanuts are rich in essential oils and proteins and are coarsely ground to reduce their size and the risk of choking. Kibbled peanuts are loved by a wide range of species including great-spotted woodpeckers, blue tits and collared doves.

Sunflower hearts are high in essential oils and calories and are suitable for a wide range of 'softbill species' which are unable to crack the husks of black sunflower seeds, making them perfect for goldfinches, siskins and great-spotted woodpeckers.

Hemp could be described as a wild bird 'super food'. It is rich in oil and protein but also contains the highest level of fatty acids of any seed type along with minerals and trace elements for garden bird health. Hemp is a favoured by bullfinches, chaffinches and nuthatches.

Food Mix 2 is made with kibbled peanuts, black sunflower seeds, sunflower hearts, hemp and red millet.

Black Sunflower seeds are high in essential oil and calories. Shell-on sunflower seeds stay fresher longer than sunflower hearts and aid the flow of foods in the feeder. They are loved by blue tits, great tits, chaffinches, greenfinches, brambling, house sparrows, nuthatches and great-spotted woodpeckers. Red Millet is highly nutritious and is a particular favourite of tree sparrows. Other species that enjoy it include bullfinches, goldfinches, redpolls, siskins, reed buntings and collared doves.

Food Mix 3 contains kibbled peanuts, sunflower hearts, dried apple, dried mealworms and kibbled maize.

Dried apple is for species which are attracted to fruits and berries such as blackbirds, fieldfares, robins, song thrushes and starlings. This mix omits raisins often found in food mixes and these can be fatal to dogs.

Dried mealworms are the larvae of the darkling beetle and are perfect for birds that prefer an insectivorous diet. Dried mealworms are also high in protein (53%) and fat (28%) as well as providing some fibre. They will attract a host of wild birds some of which are otherwise rare visitors to the bird table. These include: wrens, blackcaps, and dunnocks.

Kibbled maize has high carbohydrate levels and oils and is usually eaten by larger bird species and some finches. Since it is not very attractive to smaller bird species, it is only included in this mix at a low percentage. Birds that enjoy this food include pheasants, collared doves, wood pigeons and house sparrows.

Wildlife World has a strong commitment to wildlife species and the environment, testing all of its products in-house to ensure that they are sustainable and safe for wildlife to use and digest.

For the last three years, PIF has successfully partnered with one of UK’s leading insurance brokers, Jelf, to provide peace of mind around issues and core risks faced by groomers, sitters, home boarders and walkers.

A bespoke and competitive product for PIF’s kennels and catteries has been developed which offers protection around employers and public liability, animal theft, personal accident and loss of animal boarding licences and fees. It is available now for PIF members to purchase.

Nigel Baker, PIF CEO said: “Kennels and catteries represent a strong and consistent sector within PIF membership. They have very specific needs compared with other pet businesses and some of the greatest responsibilities when it comes to animal care. We are delighted to offer our members a fantastic level of cover and reassurance at a great price, to allow them to protect their business and the pets they look after.”

Policies are subject to terms and conditions, and each member’s specific requirements and circumstances.  More details are available on request when you contact the team at Jelf.

Furthermore, Jelf has affirmed and sealed their commitment to the kennel and cattery sector by becoming the sponsor of the ‘Kennel and Catteries of the Year’ award at the annual Pet Industry Federation awards, which will be announced on Tuesday 28 November at Whittlebury Hall in Northamptonshire.

The awards celebrate success, innovation and entrepreneurialism in the UK pet industry, and they have grown in popularity each year, with extra categories developed in 2017 to enable even more businesses to showcase their achievements. Ticket packages will be announced very soon on the Pet Industry Federation website.

Any PIF members who would like to get a quote from Jelf and find out more about the product can contact the team on 03458 695342 or email pif@jelfgroup.com.

Further information about becoming a member and accessing the full range of PIF member benefits can be found at www.petfederation.co.uk or by calling 01234 273933.

Transitional arrangements will be in place to enable the plants to continue to be sold for a year – provided contractual arrangements ordering stock in these four plants are put in place before 1 August 2017.

And the industry is being reminded that all stock of four pond plants banned last year – including water hyacinth – must be cleared from the shelves from 2 August and cannot be sold anymore.

The full list of aquatic species that cannot be sold in the UK is available on the OATA website here http://ornamentalfish.org/what-we-do/set-standards/invasive-species/

The latest four plants to be banned as part of an update to the Alien Invasive Species Regulation are:

• Alternanthera philoxeroides (Alligator weed)
• Elodea nuttallii (Nuttall’s waterweed, pictured above)
• Gunnera tinctoria (Giant Rhubarb)
• Myriophyllum heterophyllum (Broadleaf watermilfoil)

“These are not bigger sellers in our industry but nevertheless it is yet more aquatic plants being chipped away from what can be sold. And we know the EU is already working on its next list of invasive species and there will be more aquatic plants and ornamental fish being considered for that,” said OATA Chief Executive Dominic Whitmee.

“We would suggest plant growers, wholesalers and retailers read the Defra advice on this and put in an order before 1 August if they want to continue to sell these for the next pond season in 2018.

“And we also need to remind the industry that Eichhornia crassipes, Cabomba caroliniana, Lagarosiphon major and Lysichiton americanus must not be sold from 3 August 2017.

“We continue to make the point to Defra that many of these pond plants do not pose an invasive issue for the UK because they cannot survive our winters so should be allowed back on sale as soon as possible following our exit from the EU.”

The Grocer magazine has chosen Cotswold RAW's perfectly proportioned sausages to stand alongside pet food luminary Lily's Kitchen at this year's Grocer New Product awards and in so doing become the first raw brand to reach the giddy final stages of these most prestigious of food awards.

According to co-founder Mark Lewis: "Even though many independent pet food traders, dog breeders and  acclaimed vets have been championing the multi-faceted benefits of a nutritionally rich raw diet for some while now,  the thought of the UK's oldest food & trade journal (1862) giving a thumbs up to the blossoming BARF movement is beyond our wildest dreams. 

"Naturally as a vocal spokesperson for the 'nutritionally dense' pet food movement and a thriving rural economy, Cotswold RAW remains  100% committed to spreading the raw word during their Summer tour which takes them to the BBC's flagship Countryfile Live  show at Bleinham Palace."

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The most hotly anticipated event in the groomer’s calendar, the British Dog Grooming Championship, returns on Sunday 29 October, to see who will be crowned ‘Groomer of the Year’. 

The event takes place at the Warwickshire Exhibition Centre, and is organised by the British Dog Groomers’ Association (BDGA), the leading UK trade association for dog groomers.

The lead sponsor for this year’s event is Pet Dandy – a leading producer of ‘smart tags’ which help to reunite lost pets with their owners. Pet Dandy’s tags combine affordable and fashionable designs with simple, mass-market technology. They are proving to be particularly popular in the US, and are just starting out here in the UK. Pet Dandy tags are the perfect impulse buy at retail, and are ideally suited to be sold by groomers & walkers.

Each competitor and visitor to this year’s British Dog Grooming Championship will be able to get hold of their own Pet Dandy tag at the show.

One of the key focuses of the British Dog Grooming Championship is learning. The BDGA will be holding a range of top class seminars and demonstrations at the event over three rooms. The programme will be announced very shortly. This year we will introduce an ‘Education Zone’, which will feature information on courses run by PIF along with helpful tips and techniques. We will also have a representative on hand to answer any of your questions.

It’s no secret that groomers love to shop, and the great news is that the British Dog Grooming Championship will provide trade stand opportunities for dozens of businesses.  Last year saw a record number of trade stands with many having already booked to come back this year. If you would like to book a trade stand at this year’s event please contact lisa.pawsey@petfederation.co.uk – but hurry as space is filling up very fast!

Also returning after such a positive reaction last year is the ‘BDGC Bring and Buy Sale’ where you can bring along any spare/duplicate equipment that you wish to sell on the day.

Further details about the 2017 British Dog Grooming Championship, including competitor information; and seminar and visitor ticket prices, as well as sponsorship and trade stand information, are available from www.petfederation.co.uk; or by telephoning 01234 273933.

To complement and enhance the state of the art laboratory at the new Group55 head office, a full testing laboratory has also been installed and Kate will be using her experience in compatibility and stability testing to manage the facility as it tests both Group55 developed products and those from external customers who will use Group55’s independent testing services.

Finally Kate has an in-depth understanding of legal and regulatory requirements, an area, when it comes to animal cleaning solutions, the pet industry is particularly ignorant about. Kate will continue our industry leading work in advising our private label customers in order that their products are formulated, labelled and supported in accordance with relevant EU legislation.

Stephen Turner, Group55’s Managing Director, said: “Kate is an expert with a very rare skillset and knowledge base and I am thrilled that she accepted the opportunity to join Group55. The rapidly growing team at Group55 is delivering outstanding levels of service and business growth and I am excited to see how Kate’s contributions can take the business further.”      
                                                                                                                                     

Of the appointment Kate commented: “The opportunity to join such an innovative company with state of the art facilities such as Group55 doesn’t come around often, especially in my line of work. A big passion of mine is innovation and I am looking forward to seeing what new and exciting products we can produce here.”

Countryfile Live, in association with The National Trust, provides the perfect outdoor forum for wholesome outdoors activities for the entire family, healthy sustainable food debates and even some amusing anecdotes from Adam Henson and his much loved Countryfile team.

According to Cotswold RAW founder Mark Lewis: "As a business that first found its feet on the county show circuit, you can imagine just how excited we are to be bringing our own brand of countryside common for pets to such an influential rural stage, especially having just heard that we’ve been short-listed for the finals of the prestigious rural awards."

Supplier Relations Manager of Decco, Chris Gladwin commenting on the company’s latest launch, explained, “Wild bird care is an immensely successful sector.  In fact, it has been so successful that some aspects of the market have become far too commoditised, with a consequent decline in product quality.    

"At Decco, we know that this is a category in which our retail customers want us to be active, and feel that the time is right to offer a top-quality product that is correctly produced, nutritionally excellent and superior in ways which our customers will recognise and appreciate.  

"Johnston & Jeff is a long-established British brand, which offers exactly that combination of retail benefits.”

Johnston & Jeff has been supplying wild bird care products since 1880. Its range is all produced in house, including the manufacture of their wooden nest boxes and bird tables.

The bird food range includes thirteen different seeds, feeds and blends, ranging from specialist products such as niger seeds which are ideal for finches, tits and siskins to more familiar items such as sunflower hearts and peanuts. 

All ingredients are sourced for their quality and nutritional value, with several crops grown to Johnston & Jeff’s own specification. All seeds and feeds undergo a rigorous cleaning process which ensures not only the best results for bird health, but also the elimination of the dust and residue which can undermine the retail value of competitor products.

Blended feeds are mixed to Johnston & Jeff in house formulations, ensuring the correct levels of nutrition for the targeted species. Specialist blends include superior wild bird food with fruit, premium wheat free with suet and a robin and songbird mix. The range also includes mealworms, fat balls, fat feast half coconut shells, suet pellets and suet blocks.

Chris Gladwin continued: “All the Johnston & Jeff bird food packaging enables the consumer to view the product quality and the feeds are complemented with a range of bird tables, nest boxes, feeders and feeding stations. 

"Decco customers can also benefit from an excellent support package of product presentation, point of sale, a wall feeding chart and stand deals to ensure maximum sales in-store.”

Interested retailers should contact Hannah Griffiths on 01635 556650, email hannah.griffiths@decco.co.uk or visit www.decco.co.uk

BETA International welcomes design-and-build specialist Henson Franklyn back as sponsor of the show's exhibitor bags for a second year running.

The bags, which are handed out to exhibiting companies on arrival, will be branded with the company's striking logo and are packed with a range of trade fair essentials, including the show's 2018 catalogue.

“Having seen the benefit of sponsorship at BETA International for the first time last year, it makes perfect sense for our business to continue this relationship,” said Tim Henson, of Henson Franklyn.

“Many of our clients exhibit at the trade fair and sponsoring it in this way allows us to offer wider support to the equestrian industry.”

Trade fair organiser Claire Thomas added: “We are extremely pleased that Henson Franklyn is continuing to support BETA International. Tim and his team have been great to work with over the years and it's such good news that they have decided to remain on board as one of our loyal supporters.”

Henson Franklyn joins fellow BETA International supporters Charles Owen and Airowear, Ekkia, Equestrian Trade News, Hy, Schockemöhle Sports, Shires Equestrian, Toggi and main sponsor Neue Schule.

BETA International is the world’s leading trade fair for equestrian, country clothing, outdoor and pet products.

The 2018 show will take place at the NEC, Birmingham, from 21 to 23 January. For further information about exhibiting, contact James Palmer, telephone +44 (0)1937 582111 or email jamesp@beta-int.com, or visit www.beta-int.com.

Ceva’s FELISCRATCH by FELIWAY was presented with a ‘Cat Friendly’ Award by International Cat Care (iCatCare) at a glittering awards ceremony at the Kensington Roof Gardens in London on 14^th July.

FELISCRATCH by FELIWAY was presented with the award in recognition of making a real difference to cat wellbeing and welfare in the last twelve months.  It is just the latest FELIWAY product to be presented with iCatCare’s ‘Cat Friendly’ accolade with both FELIWAY FRIENDS and FELIWAY CLASSIC already recipients of the prestigious award.

“We’re absolutely delighted that FELISCRATCH by FELIWAY has won an iCatCare ‘Cat Friendly’ award in recognition of the product’s efficacy and ease of administration,” comments Claire Russell, FELIWAY product manager at Ceva Animal Health.

FELISCRATCH by FELIWAY is a synthetic copy of the feline interdigital semiochemical (FIS) naturally produced by cats and is the only product clinically proven to help redirect scratching behaviour onto a desired location.  It helps control both vertical and horizontal scratching and helps prevent inappropriate scratching with newly adopted cats or kittens.

For further information please visit www.feliway.com/uk