At the beginning of 2020, UK pet owners were forecast to spend an astounding £2.9 billion on cat and dog food over the year – a 16% growth over the previous 5 years. While pet ownership has remained fairly stable in recent years (around 35% for dogs and 29% for cats), owners are becoming increasingly aware of what they feed their pets with and are looking for healthier alternatives that are of a higher quality.
This growing concern is what drove Mark Scott and Tony Ottley to start Bella and Duke back in 2017, a company specializing in raw dog food, after both losing pets to cancer which they believed to be triggered by ingredients contained in traditional processed dog food.
The Blairgowrie-based business has known incredible growth since its launch, as they are now delivering over 17 million meals a year and are competing with some of the biggest names in the raw pet food market. But the Scottish duo isn’t planning to stop there, as they have recently revealed their ambitions to double their turnover over the next 12 months.
Introducing a new range of raw cat food was a no-brainer for the business. Not only would it help them reach that ambitious turnover goal, but it would answer a real demand from their customers who had reported that their cats would often steal dog food.
The brand wanted to retain the same philosophy of raw food with high-quality, nutrient-dense ingredients, while aiming to address the specific needs of cats with craft products that would answer all their nutritional needs and satisfy even the fussiest felines.
Bella and Duke took the template they had used for their dog food range and applied it to cats, based on extensive research, advice from vets and taste tests with a select group of cats to refine their recipe.
Just like their raw dog food, the new raw cat food is free from fillers and artificial ingredients, it is grain-free and only contains ingredients that are natural and full of nutrients. The range contains three varieties: lamb & duck, turkey & chicken, and chicken & salmon. The team is already planning to expand the range as it met a resounding success with customers and their furry friends.
Beyond providing healthy, natural foods for pets and extending the range of products they offer, the brand aims to become a comprehensive resource for pet owners, providing advice and building a community.
If the astonishing growth that Bella and Duke have experienced in the past few years is anything to go by, the Perthshire-based business has some bright days ahead of them. With new products already in their pipeline, we expect to hear much more from the brand in the next few months and years.
