Pet treat manufacturer appoints new operations director

One of the UK’s newest manufacturers of pet treats, the Big Biscuit Company, has appointed Leo Baker to the role of operations director. The company which manufactures baked pet treats on behalf of private label manufacturers, as well as for its own brand, Betty Miller, has expanded since it was founded by Alex Baker in February 2017. Alex appointed his brother, Leo, to head up production and he has been key in growing the business to where it is now. When Alex set up the company, he saw a gap in the market of baked pet treats for an ethical manufacturer with high environmental credentials and set about creating a bakery with ovens powered exclusively by renewable energy sources. He believes that this coupled with the friendly and personal nature of the family run business is what has led to its success so far. He said: “As animal and nature lovers, the environment is something that Leo and I both feel passionately about. Having worked in the pet food industry for over 20 years, I knew we weren’t the only ones who felt this way and that if I could create a bakery with the best environmental credentials then others would get on board with that. “Bringing Leo into the project allowed me to fulfil my vision for the business. His previous experience outside the industry meant that he was perfect to head up production and as brothers, we understand the best way of working with each other. His skills and personality compliments mine and vice versa.” He added: “We are a true family run business that really cares about all of its customers. We love to get to know their goals and visions for their brands and we get really excited to see how much innovation there is in the industry. It is fantastic to work with so many people who share our passion for pet treats.” Having spent the previous 10 years building up a career in the hospitality industry, Leo took the opportunity to put the skills he had developed into a new industry. Leo said: “As a family we have always owned pets from dogs and cats to parrots and even a goat – they are part of our family and we have always wanted to feed them the very best. We are true animal lovers so it's great to be a part of this venture with my brother and hopefully making a positive impact on the industry. “Coming into the business at the beginning was brilliant. It means I’ve been there through everything – the bakery build, establishing client relationships and fulfilling the ever expanding order book in 2017, and then 2018 was just a mad year – it just got busier and busier and showed no signs of letting up. 2019 is also off to a busy start and organising production is a constant (but welcome) challenge. I can’t wait to see where the business goes in 2019.”