Recently-founded animal health and wellness business Pickles has launched a members-only vet practice in West London, where subscribers pay an annual subscription to access exclusive use of its services.
Pickles offers pet owners personalised care for their pets through the membership scheme and a companion app, making vets and nurses exclusively available for their members for a fixed annual membership fee of £120.
Pets can receive yearly vaccinations and unlimited in-person consultations at a set price with no waiting, as well as video consults, dietary plans and other pet care services directly through their app. The technology supporting the experience also enables data-driven, personalised and breed-specific treatment advice.
The 3,000sq ft animal clinic in Fulham Road, London SW6, features large consultation rooms and operating theatres, as well as the inclusion of dedicated spaces for conversations and the use of scents, lights and colours to create a calming atmosphere.
Pickles was founded by entrepreneurs Richard White, Paul Jakimciw, Andrew Francis and Nick Player, who between them have extensive experience with Goodlord, Paw Squad, Medivet, Skype and GiffGaff. Investors to-date include Tom Singh, Jon Oringer, Edward Lando and Butternut Box.
Chief executive Richard White said: “After several months operating online only, we are thrilled to launch Pickles’ first ever physical practice, as this is a core component of our offering.
“We chose West London for our first space, in response to the high concentration of pets, and the high demand for vet support in the area. We’re using tech to fix a tangible pain point for both vets and pet owners – the platform allows us to make sure medical professionals aren’t overstretched and are able to provide a better level of care for all the patients they see. The goal is to massively reduce the friction at both ends, and to offer an enhanced experience and greater transparency in the end costs for pet owners.”
Pickles’ ambitious plans include opening another 5-7 sites in London over the next 12 months, before eventually expanding out to more than 80+ locations nationwide as well as broadening its services into pet insurance, food, and other products.
White added: “So far we’ve seen that vets love working with us, and pets love coming in, so it’s firmly within our sights to create a brand and platform that is number one in a variety of verticals, and create a home-grown UK company worth billions of pounds.”
