Industry News

Jan- 2017 -

10 January

Mars spends $7.7bn on US pet company

Mars has added another pet brand to its portfolio. A statement, released on January 9, confirmed its acquisition of US pet company VCA. Mars has announced its plans to acquire all of the outstanding shares of VCA for $93 per share, or a total value of approximately $9.1 billion. This…

10 January

Animology hits 250,000 Facebook likes

Group55’s flagship brand, Animology, is celebrating 250,000 likes on Facebook. The company has announced that it is a top ten global pet brand for social interaction and has the largest page of any pet grooming brand in the world. Animology is a best-selling branded grooming product range. It’s stocked by leading pet speciality…

10 January

Public invited to snap up a stake in Cotswold RAW

Pet food producer Cotswold RAW is launching an exciting new initiative. From 12am on 10 January 2017, the company aims to crowdfund £250,000. Members of the public can contribute sums from £10 upwards. A ten percent stake in the firm will be shared between investors. The rural business will use the funding boost to expand its…

9 January

Vets voice fears for small pets

As temperatures drop, vets are warning owners not to forget about small pets. Animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs that usually live outdoors yet are vulnerable to the cold and damp despite their furry coats. The British Veterinary Association (BVA) and British Veterinary Zoological Society (BVZS) are asking owners…

9 January

Pound falls following Brexit comments

The value of the pound has fallen to its lowest point in two months following Prime Minister Theresa May announcing that the UK would seek a “hard Brexit”. Sterling fell by about one percent on average, with the pound being 1.06 percent again the dollar at $1.21 this morning. In…

9 January

Retailer welcomes inventors to pitch

Pets at Home has announced that it is to hold two ‘Innovation Speed Dating’ days in 2017. The Speed Dating Day on Wednesday 1 March will focus on food and treat innovations and the second day, on Wednesday 15 March, will focus on non-food and accessory innovations. The retailer is welcoming inventors,…

6 January

‘Click of a button’ owners cause rise in unwanted pets

Pet owners who were able to purchase puppies at the ‘click of a button’ have been blamed for the upsurge in unwanted pets. Dogs Trust had record numbers of the public handing over pets this Christmas. The charity received a massive 54 percent increase in dogs handed over to its…

4 January

Former Innocent director joins Tails.com

Former Innocent Drinks group operations director, Steve Spall, has joined tails.com as chief operating officer. Spall worked for Innocent for eight years, delivering the supply chain and operating model used. Previously, he also led teams at Tesco, British Gas and Kingfisher. He will be responsible for day to day delivery…

4 January

Crufts sponsor Arden Grange celebrates 20 years in business

Independent premium pet food manufacturer, Arden Grange, will once again be an official sponsor for the world’s biggest dog show, Crufts. The event will be held at the NEC in Birmingham from March 9-12. This year also marks 20 years since Arden Grange started producing its award winning pet foods.…

4 January

Average UK dog is 22 percent overweight, claims retail chain

Pets at Home claims that the average UK dog weighs 22 percent more than its ideal weight. The retail chain’s study also reveals the towns in which pets are most likely to be overweight. The pet retailer analysed the weights of 508,909 dogs across the country. It found that Swinton…