In this episode of Pet Business Disruptors, host Clayton interviews Alison Thomas, the founder of Smolzz, a unique pet food storage container company. Alison shares her journey of creating innovative solutions for storing opened wet pet food, highlighting the importance of proper food storage to prevent spoilage and cross-contamination. With a background in events and investment banking, Alison transitioned into the pet industry after realizing the lack of suitable storage options for her cat's food. The conversation delves into the challenges of marketing a new product, the logistics of sourcing materials from China, and the potential partnerships with pet food manufacturers. Alison emphasizes the growing awareness of pet food storage and the need for convenient, eco-friendly solutions, making Smolzz a timely addition to the pet care market.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Niche Market Opportunity: Smolzz addresses a unique gap in the pet industry by providing specialized storage solutions for wet pet food, which is often overlooked compared to traditional pet products like food and treats.

Sustainable and Practical Design: The products are made from food-grade silicone, making them reusable, recyclable, and easy to clean. This design helps prevent cross-contamination between pet food and human food, promoting better food safety.

Consumer Education is Key: Many pet owners are unaware of the importance of proper food storage for their pets, which can lead to issues like pet obesity. Educating consumers about the benefits of using specialized containers is crucial for market penetration.

Diverse Sales Channels: Smolzz is exploring various sales channels, including direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales, partnerships with pet food manufacturers, and retail placements in country stores. Collaborations with influencers have also helped raise awareness.

 

BEST MOMENTS

"I started Smolzz because I couldn't find anywhere in the world a way to store my cat's opened wet pet food." - Alison 

"It's really important that all wet pet food once opened is stored correctly and in the fridge." - Alison 

"It's just getting pet owners to understand how important storage is of food and making it easy and portion control." - Alison 

"It's a product that's never existed before, strangely." - Clayton

 

HOST BIO

Clayton Payne is an industry veteran of three decades of working in the pet industry. Brought up working in his parents' pet store, Clayton has seen the industry evolve over five different decades and has been on the cutting edge of the industry since the nineties. Building pet businesses from scratch, establishing multi-national distribution chains and having worked in every aspect of the industry, Clayton has a rare insight into the Pet Industry that is rivalled by few. 

Clayton has been the spearhead of many of the industry's changes and has introduced numerous new concepts to market with a trail of success behind him. He has worked in numerous countries within the pet industry, speaks four different languages and has established both import and export relationships on all continents (excluding Antarctica).

As well as being COO of one of the UKs fastest growing insect technology companies, Clayton is a Pet industry consultant who has consulted for many household brands and delivers sales training to pet trade professionals.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/clayton-payne-a6772244/

https://www.tiktok.com/@petbusinessdisruptors

https://www.youtube.com/@PetBusinessDisruptors