Poppy’s Picnic, Wiltshire-based raw pet food company, has secured over £600,000 through crowdfunding to launch its new production plant.
The company secured a new 4,000sq ft manufacturing facility in Melksham, Wiltshire which will be operational in Q4 and support the production of online orders, enabling the business to expand its retail order capabilities. Later this year the company will expand its product range further, by launching raw cat food as well as expanding into Asia following high numbers of sales in Hong Kong.
Founder Dylan Watkins is part of NatWest’s Entrepreneur Accelerator Programme which helped him to raise the capital in 18 months. The company, which launched in October 2016, is now valued at £4.8m.
Watkins said: “I’m proud at just how far Poppy’s Picnic has progressed this year. My mentors on the NatWest Accelerator Programme have been fantastic; they have helped me channel my energy in the right directions, empowered me to build a strong team, and enabled us to make strategic decisions for our future growth.
“Our new production facility is in the advance stages of planning and we have already brought new and innovative products to the market. The NatWest Accelerator Programme has been invaluable in focusing our vision for an even more exciting future and has helped us to become an award-winning company.”
Sharad Verma, business growth enabler at NatWest, added: “Dylan opened his first NatWest account at the age of 11, and since joining NatWest’s Entrepreneur Accelerator Programme, it is clear he has an entrepreneurial spirit. It’s been a pleasure to support Dylan on his business journey and I look forward to continuing to do so as his businesses goes from strength to strength.”
