In this first episode of Pet Business Disruptors, Clayton speaks to Hugh Petit, the co-founder and COO of Grub Club Pets, an insect pet food company. Hugh discusses the journey of starting an insect-based dog food business and the challenges and successes they have faced. Together, they delve into the unique selling points of insect protein for pets, the challenges of introducing insect-based products to consumers, and the strategies they have used to overcome skepticism. Hugh also shares insights on their product development process, fundraising efforts, and the importance of brand differentiation in the competitive pet food industry.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Invest heavily in building a strong brand as it is a core part of the IP that cannot be easily copied.

• Pay attention to customer feedback and use it to drive product development and decision-making.

• Consider expanding product offerings to cater to different customer needs and preferences, such as introducing wet food and new treat options.

• Tailor product offerings and marketing strategies based on the channel, with subscription models working well online and specific products like dental sticks performing better in retail.

• Be willing to pivot and make strategic decisions based on market feedback and performance data, such as shifting focus from treats to food based on customer demand.

BEST MOMENTS

"Dogs are fun, silly characters. They're not all pedigree labs in a field. So why not communicate that through a brand as well and say, yeah, we try and have a bit of fun."

"You can get grants and schemes through the government, or even loans, business loans. So there are ways of getting money on board without it being an investor pitch."

 "All of our products will still have a functional benefit and certainly all contain insect protein which has a lot of functional benefits to it."

"Would you buy crisps online? Would you buy chocolate bars online? Not really, you know? But if you're online, you're buying your dog food and they've got treats, yeah, man, I'll chuck that on."

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.
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