Project Blu stand at PATS Sandown earlier this week
A company that makes pet beds and other pet products from recycled plastic and used textiles has received the support of global giant Mars Petcare and aims to raise more than $2m (£1.5m) this year.
Project Blu, which launched in the UK at PATS Telford and distributes its products through wholesaler Kennelpak, has been identified by start-up accelerator Leap Venture Studio.
Leap Venture Studio was launched by Mars Petcare’s Kinship division and Michelson Found Animals Foundation, and is supported by Los Angeles-based consulting company R/GA.
It identifies start-up pet companies with innovative ideas and helps them achieve maximum success by connecting them with award-winning strategists, technologists and designers through a 13-week course split between Los Angeles and New York.
The program accumulates at a conference in May, with the candidates presenting to the senior executives of the three companies as well as external investors.
GLOBAL VISION
Project Blu founder and CEO Geryn Evans told pbwnews: “We will be working with the experts at MARS, RGA and MFA to analyse our existing business and focus on key strategies and actions that will help our business grow.
“Project Blu will be focusing on our goal of being the number one sustainable pet brand in the next five years. To achieve this, we will need to put a strategy in place for global brand management, logistics and scalability, to name but a few considerations.
“We will also be introduced to a wider network of business with the ability to increase global distribution and collaborations.”
Made in Italy, Project Blu distributes its products in the UK, Germany, France, Scandinavia, Italy, Dubai and South Africa, with launches planned soon in North America and Japan.
He added: “Project Blu is growing at a rapid pace on a global scale. There will inevitably be challenges as the business grows and Leap Venture Studio will provide us with a solid foundation and help us achieve our goals.
“The project will also allow us to expand our business and distribution network on a global scale.”
As part of the programme, Project Blu will become ‘investment ready’ through which it will ‘hopefully close a seven-figure investment by Q3 2020’. This will enable the company to build its team and invest in global marketing.
ON A MISSION
Based in Wales, Project Blu’s mission is ‘to revolutionise the global pet market by offering consumers a sustainable, affordable and eco-friendly choice of products that help clean our planet’.
He said: “We have bold ambitions to revolutionise the pet accessories business and offer top-quality products that are kind to mother earth.
“I need to keep our R&D activities top secret, but we are already looking at new sustainable designs that help combat a number of issues that face our global eco-system.
“We originally focused on reducing polluting plastic materials, as this is a huge issue facing our natural environment. As the brand grows, we will be incorporating new processes and technologies to develop market-leading sustainable products.”
