Forthglade increases sales by 21% with new factory set to drive further growth and local employment

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Forthglade, the award-winning natural pet food brand, has increased sales by 21% for the year ended 30 September 2018 in accounts soon to be filed at Companies House.

Established in 1971 and based in Okehampton, Devon, the company’s turnover rose to £16.8m (2017 13.9m), driven by further growth of the Forthglade brand, with increases in all sales channels and product ranges. Its three new ranges (gourmet wet meals, cold pressed natural dry food and grain-free treats) performed particularly well, contributing more than a quarter of sales growth. Last year, the company supplied more than 40 million tasty natural meals.

Forthglade’s Joint MDs Chris Brooking and Gerard Lovell, both with a background in food production, took over the once struggling business in 2011.

Together with specialist consumer brands investor Piper (which invested £6m into Forthglade in 2015), Santander Growth Capital (who funded £5m towards the new factory) and chairman Peter Farquhar, they have transformed the brand, increasing production fourfold and creating an additional 71 local jobs.

Today Forthglade’s 100% natural dog food can be found in all the main supermarkets, as well as UK pet shops and online. Forthglade is currently sold in 11 countries worldwide, with successful recent launches in Italy, Spain and Finland.

In September 2018, the brand relocated to a purpose-built 70,000 sq ft factory next to Dartmoor National Park. The new factory significantly increases production capacity and sales for the first six months of operations are already up by 24% on the same period last year. The brand is also set to increase its 130-strong local production team to 150 staff over the coming years.

Said Gerard Lovell, Joint MD of Forthglade: ‘We’re delighted by another strong year of growth and particularly excited for the future now that we’ve begun settling into our new Okehampton home. We’ve already had a fantastic start and look forward to continued and sustained growth as we bring Forthglade’s premium natural meals and treats to dogs and families in the UK and beyond.’