Chickenguard, the company behind chicken coop door openers, has been awarded the Queen’s Award for International Trade for outstanding short-term growth in overseas sales over the last three years.
And it’s a double celebration for the British firm as it has just reached a key milestone after selling its 100,000th unit to a customer based in Sussex.
Founder Ben Braithwaite said: “This is an absolutely fantastic honour…The team and I are delighted to be recognised for our successes here and overseas by the most prestigious award in the UK. It’s a huge boost for us and goes to show that even the smallest businesses can grow to have the biggest impact.”
The Cambridge-based business started trading in 2013 and has since seen exponential growth after expanding sales to 48 countries worldwide. With more than a million chicken-owning homes in the UK alone and 60 million globally, ChickenGuard believes it is well placed to continue growing its reach.
Ben Braithwaite said: “I started ChickenGuard at my kitchen table nearly a decade ago, turning my own negative experience into something that helps chicken owners across the world keep their poultry safe from predators.
EXCITED
Founder Ben Braithwaite
“I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved so far and the fact that we’ve just sold our 100,000th unit goes to show that there is a real need for our products. We’re excited to continue growing our global presence and find innovative ways to outfox all predators, no matter how cunning.”
The idea behind ChickenGuard came about 10 years ago, when Ben was given a flock of chickens by his mother. Unfortunately, lack of experience led to him losing a few of his hens to a cunning fox. Determined to find a better solution to ensure his ‘pets’ were safely shut in at night and let out in the morning, he created his first automated chicken coop door opener. Today, the innovative has grown into a full range of products.
ChickenGuard has worked closely with customers, taking their feedback on board and incorporating it into various iterations of the product range. Currently, this includes the Standard, Premium and Extreme automated chicken door openers, the world’s first self-locking door and Combi Kits, which combine smart automated door openers with either the self-locking door for extra protection or the firm’s classic door with oak wooden runners.
All ChickenGuard units are made in the UK.
