Former Pets At Home CEO Peter Pritchard invests in BIOME9

Former Pets at Home Group CEO Peter Pritchard has invested in Biome9 the UK’s first gut-health test and personalised supplement programme for dogs.

Following the investment, Pritchard has also been appointed as chairman of the advisory board.

In his new role, Pritchard will support the business in pursuing its vision of “precision pet health” advising on product development including BIOME9’s nutrition recommendation engine, retail strategy and international expansion.

Pritchard joins other high-profile investors to the business including Jonathan Warburton (chairman of Warburtons bakery) and Richard Chapple (former CEO of THG Ingenuity and former CMO of Gymshark).

In recent years, there has been an influx in research surrounding gut health and microbiome imbalance in humans. However, over one third of dogs suffer from diseases and conditions of the skin, joints and digestive system that can be linked to microbiome imbalance. Research has revealed that more than 50% of dog vet visits are for skin and digestive conditions – and that these conditions are often associated with poor gut health.

Backed by a team of scientists and veterinary expertise BIOME9’s InvisibleHealth AI takes two seconds to analyse over 1 million data points from your dog’s sample.

TV vet Dr Joe Inglis, head of Veterinary Science and Nutrition at BIOME9, said: “Every dog is unique and now we have the science to help take the guesswork out of diet, nutrition and many other aspects of health. This simple at-home test is signalling a new era for how we look after our pets.”

Asher Nathan, seasoned entrepreneur, gut-health enthusiast, co-founder and CEO of BIOME9, added: “We are delighted that Peter Pritchard is joining the business with a wealth of experience in the pet industry. The investment is testament to the growing awareness of the need for BIOME9 to support our dogs’ gut health.

“The mission for the business is to re-define pet health through the application of cutting-edge life sciences and bioinformatic AI. Understanding your pet’s microbiome is a great tool to understand sources of imbalance and how that may be affecting their wider health. We look forward to helping and supporting many pet owners in improving their pet’s health and wellbeing.”

Pritchard concluded: “I am delighted to be joining BIOME9 as chair of the advisory committee. For many years I have worked to improve the health and wellbeing of pets.

“Understanding gut health is an exciting area of development which I believe will unlock better health outcomes for the nation’s pets, helping pet owners make better decisions for feeding and caring for their pets. BIOME9 is leading the way in this fast developing area and I believe will revolutionise the way we think about food and nutrition.”