Premium petcare brand Pooch & Mutt has secured a five-figure bank funding package to keep up soaring demand and help with expanding its range of natural, health-focused dog food, treats and supplements.
The London-headquartered business, launched by managing director Guy Blaskey in 2008, is currently stocked in Waitrose, Ocado, Whole Foods, Pets At Home, Amazon and independent shops throughout Europe, as well as selling direct to consumers through its website.
Pooch & Mutt has experienced growth of 270% in the past two years with sales now well above £1m. A £100,000 facility with NatWest has been put in place to help the business with the increased demand for their range from retailers across the UK and Europe.
“It is such an exciting time to be working in the pet industry, as people are demanding high-quality, nutritious products for their dog,” Blaskey said. “We are thrilled to be expanding so quickly, with five new products under way. We are one step closer to completing our mission, of helping all dogs lead happy, healthy lives.”
The brand has benefitted from the growing trend towards “pet humanisation” as consumers feed their pets high-end, more natural products to mirror their own healthier diets.
It hand-baked, free-range products are health-focused to cater for specific conditions suffered by dogs, from bad breath to mobility problems. The dog snacks are not cheap and retail for £1 per 45g pack, with the food more than three times the price of a Pedigree product.
Kristian Canham, senior relationship manager in the retail and wholesale team at NatWest, added: “Petcare really is defying the challenging market conditions and deflation, and we are delighted to be able to support a UK success story like Pooch and Mutt achieve their exciting business ambitions.”
The rapid growth in the sector for treats, premium, natural and dry products has attracted the attention of private equity investors. Premium petfood manufacturer MPM Products, behind the Applaws and Encore brand, is the latest to seek new investment, as reported by The Grocer last month.
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