Nutriment’s successful raw food ranges
Nutriment founder Suzanne Brock has enjoyed four jam-packed years. Her pet food company has grown from ten to 50 employees and now produces in excess of 240 tonnes of RAW products per month.
Trade manager Ryan Winwright, has been part of Nutriment since its launch. He said: “We opened our doors in June 2013, with a 10,000 square foot factory in Camberley and zero customers. Over the years we’ve grown and grown. We’re in 400 retail outlets now and have a brilliant social following on facebook; we’re all over social media. We’ve expanded through word of mouth thanks to our dedicated trade partners and customers.”
Nutriment creates raw products to create BARF diets (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) for dogs and cats. The company uses human-grade ingredients and draws on British products whenever possible.
Ryan said: “At Nutriment we’re very particular about the quality of vegetables, and meat that we use. Dogs are part of the family and we wouldn’t want to feed our dogs anything of lesser quality that we would want to eat ourselves.
“BARF uses species appropriate ingredients to achieve the nutritional requirements that pets need. We look at anatomy of the pets as well. Dogs have short intestinal tracts which means that they can digest raw meat. The end result includes benefits such as small, easy to pick up stools, less wind, better breath, fantastic coats and many more!”
New Premises
In early 2016, Nutriment announced a move to new premises. Suzanne retained the original Camberley site but moved production to the Laverstoke Park Farm, spread over 2,500 acres of rolling Hampshire countryside.
The site is certified biodynamic by Demeter and organic by the Soil Association. Its focus is biodiversity and the slow growth of animals and plants. The soil which holds healthy bacteria and fungi resulting in over 31 different herbs, grasses and clovers on which cattle are reared.
Nutriment’s expansion inspired the company’s certified organic Laverstoke Park Farm range. The food is 100 percent raw British meat, offal and bone. The easy serve tubs are available in five different flavours. In addition, the range includes two treats; Laverstoke Organic Liver Treats and Laverstoke Organic Heart Treats.
Ryan said: “We’re very proud of the relationship we have with Laverstoke. We moved our production to a purposed built unit, so now everything is made there, including our organic foods and treats.
“The business grew very fast, so we had a lot of challenges with keeping up with demand. Our new facilities mean we can meet customer demand and really get our name and the brand out there. We’re now able to produce more food than we ever have done before.”
Nutriment also produces a selection of other complete and complementary diets at Laverstoke Park Farm. The company offers foods that has been adapted to suit the special needs of dogs at each life stage, with products formulated for puppies, adults and seniors.
Its ‘Just’ range is aimed at energetic working dogs. The products act as a foundation for owners and breeders who want to take a hands-on approach to create their own raw recipes. For smaller, less active family pets, Dinner for Dogs offers a complete diet in single meal portions. Complete formulas for cats are also available.
Plans for 2017
Over the last year, Nutriment has increased its capacity by converting its original Camberley site. Ryan said: “We’ve had an additional freezer installed in Camberley so we’re able to store even more food. It’s given us the injection that we needed to increase our turnover and get our products out there. We’re a growing business.
“At the moment we’re working on brilliant plans for a new range of diets, to be released in spring 2017. Watch this space!”
Stocking BARF Products
Nutriments products are available from around 400 outlets around the UK and the company expects to see more growth over the coming year.
Ryan encourages retailers who don’t yet stock raw food to think about stepping into the expanding market: “It’s all about having the right knowledge, training the staff about raw feeding and opening conversations with customers. Once you begin you do see the benefits fairly quickly, and many report ‘now I’ve tried raw I won’t be going back to processed food’.”
“Have a look at the different ranges available then think about how they’d appeal to your customer base. In my opinion, the best thing really is to offer variety. We provide a range of different proteins including chicken, turkey, beef, salmon, duck, lamb and venison across our several ranges. It means that there’s something for everyone.”
For more information on stocking Nutriment’s range call 01276 63554 or go to www.nutriment.co.
Raw Food Tips
Do you stock raw food in store? Nutriment explains why, with a little bit of know-how, it’s easy to support customers and their pets throughout the raw feeding process: “All of our foods and treats are frozen, and should be kept frozen until the owner is ready to use them. To defrost the product, we suggest leaving it somewhere cool (not warm) overnight.
“Please bear in mind these simple points when handling any raw meat, to keep your family healthy:
- “Always use separate utensils for raw meat and cooked foods
- “Keep raw meat covered and store it at the bottom of the fridge
- “Open and dispose of packaging carefully
- “Wash and dry your hands thoroughly after handling raw meat
- “Always wash the pet’s food bowl in hot soapy water after each meal
- “Never leave raw meat where it can become warm – always defrost somewhere cool or in the fridge overnight”
