Different Dog secures £1.5m for new kitchen

Different Dog has received a £1.5m business loan to fit out their new Telford premises.

The “healthy dog food” brand said they will install a new “state-of-the-art” kitchen to meet growing demand.

The company, which offers freshly prepared dog food from natural ingredients, has increased its revenue threefold in the past three years and shared plans for further growth.

The loan was granted by the £400m Midlands Engine Investment Fund II through appointed fund manager Frontier Development Capital, and is one of their largest loans to date.

Different Dog was launched in 2017 after co-founder Charlie Thurstan, who held a senior role at a pet retailer, grew more and more worried about the quality of commercial dog food, which he said commonly consists of “ultra-processed ingredients, fillers and additives” and is cooked at high temperatures.

After beginning to prepare his own dog food with his wife Alex at home for their pet, they started selling online.

Today, the brand feeds more than 20,000 dogs every day, operating under a subscriber model that delivers food directly using carbon-free couriers.

Different Dog additionally employs around 120 staff, has B Corp status and provides 11 nutritionist-devised recipes.

Since its inception, it has secured over £15m in equity funding from private investors.

The fund behind its new loan is available to SMEs across the Midlands, offering
equity investment up to £5m and debt finance from £25k to £2m to “start up, scale up or stay ahead”.

The fund, launched by the British Business Bank, said it targets sustainable economic growth by promoting innovation and local opportunity for new and growing business, as well as funding companies that might otherwise not receive investment.

Commenting on the new financing, Different Dog co-founder Alex Thurstan, said: “We give our children home-cooked food every day. Good nutrition helps them thrive and grow – and dogs are no different.

“We set out to change dogs’ lives with real food and our customers tell us every day about the impact our food is having on their dogs’ health and wellbeing. The new kitchen is a big step forward for us, and will help us change the lives of even more dogs.”

Ryan Cartwright of Frontier Development Capital added: “Alex and Charlie are passionate about their vision to change dogs’ lives and have built a fantastic business with a strong and committed team. The new premises will give them a larger, more modern facility with capacity for future growth. We are pleased to support them in their mission.”

David Tindall, senior investment manager at the British Business Bank, said: “Supporting businesses with their next phase of growth is exactly what the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II was created for. With a proven successful model, Different Dog is an excellent example of how businesses can benefit from external finance to scale up and succeed further.”