Simpsons Premium is a family-run, holistic petfood business that was established in 2009 with one goal in mind: to provide pet parents with an affordable, superpremium, nutritionally complete dog food. "Our dogs are more than pets to us, they are part of the family, and it was important that we knew down to the last ingredient what went into their diet," says Lisa Simpson, co-founder of the dog food brand. "We are only too aware that feeding dogs using poor-quality ingredients may lead to many health and behavior problems, including dietary intolerances, skin problems, lethargy and hyperactivity."
Lisa and her husband Craig worked with one of the UK's leading nutritionists, according to the company website, to create a range of foods with their own unique recipes using only natural and wholesome ingredients to provide dog owners with a superpremium food. The Simpsons decided to produce petfood themselves after becoming disillusioned with the products available for their own dogs. The dogs include Rosie, their Dogue de Bordeaux who sadly passed away from old age in 2012 but who still appears on all Premium packaging, keeping her spirit alive. Craig and Lisa now employ their daughter Lauren and a full-time warehouse assistant, and their son Jamie will join the company when he leaves school in 2015.
Since the family-brand launch five years ago, Simpsons Premium has become especially popular with show dog owners and breeders, dog trainers, groomers and veterinarians, says the company. Their specialization in natural, hypoallergenic, holistic and organic dog foods seems to particularly appeal to those who work with companion animals on a daily basis. All of their formulas have a high meat content for extra palatability, no artificial colors, flavors, preservatives or genetically modified ingredients, and are guaranteed cruelty-free, since no products are tested on animals, states Simpsons.
The company's range of dog foods, which caters to puppies through seniors, uses human-grade, free-range chicken, lamb, salmon and duck. Glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, prebiotics and cranberries are all added to their line of dry products, and their Sensitive, 80/20 and wet food ranges are grain-free formulations.
"It is important to us that we support our economy, and therefore all our dry food is British-made and the ingredients sourced in the UK whenever possible," explain the Simpsons. The wet dog food range is made in the EU as the company felt no one in the UK could make a product that was up to its high standards.
"Our brand is one of the most affordable in the UK and Europe, and we soon began getting inquiries from overseas," said Craig in a late 2013 interview. "We contacted UKTI (UK Trade & Investment) in January 2013 and they signed us on to the Passport to Export Program for new exporters." Simpsons Premium received funding towards exhibiting at the PATS show and a grant to translate their packaging and labeling, as well as help with marketing their products overseas. "As a result, our export turnover has gone from zero to 15% in just nine months, and we export to the Netherlands, Greece, France and Poland and are currently in talks with an importer in India," says Craig. "Our future plans are to grow even further and to appoint distributors to take us into global markets."
Clive Drinkwater, regional director, UKTI North West, said of the company, "Simpsons Premium is a great company that illustrates the fact that you don't have to be big to export. With the right product and attitude and an informed approach to exporting there is no reason why small firms cannot succeed overseas, and I am sure that Simpsons will continue to expand and wish them all the best for the future."
