Grimsby-based Skippers Pet Products has relocated to larger premises thanks to financial support from Finance For Enterprise and the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF).
Over the past 12 months, the dog treat manufacturer has seen demand for its products increase by 500% in the UK and overseas, and more than doubled its workforce. The new facility at South Humberside Industrial Estate will enable the company to improve efficiencies in its manufacturing processes as well as creating the additional working space needed to recruit up to 10 new members of staff.
Working with senior business lending manager Tim Daniels, Finance For Enterprise helped the business to successfully secure an investment package worth £150,000, delivered through a £75,000 NPIF Microfinance loan backed by the Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS), and £75,000 directly from Finance For Enterprise.
Skippers Pet Products was launched by former fish merchant Steve Moore in 2013, after he spotted an opportunity to re-purpose co-products from high quality fish destined for the dinner table. The company uses a traditional preserving technique to dry fish slowly at a low temperature, resulting in a nutritionally dense source of protein. All fish used by Skippers are ethically sourced using sustainable fishing practices.
Moore said: “I’ve worked in Grimsby’s fish industry since I was just 17 years old, and I recognised that when fish are prepared for human consumption, there can be large parts of the animal that simply goes to waste.
“I began to realise that as well as offering a tasty treat for dogs, there can also be health benefits when fish is incorporated into their diet, so I felt the business offered a golden opportunity to reduce the amount of waste being produced within the fishing industry, as well as improving the health and welfare of much-loved family pets.
“The funds and help we have received have been transformational for our business and, through the support we’ve received from Finance For Enterprise, we’re not just helping to improve the lives of much loved pets across the world, but we’re also doing our bit to improve sustainability, as well as creating additional new jobs within Grimsby’s fishing industry.”
Headquartered in Doncaster and operating across Yorkshire, the Humber and East Midlands, Finance For Enterprise provides a range of tailored business loans up to £250,000, aimed at helping small and medium-sized businesses overcome barriers to growth. The not-for-profit organisation acts as a delivery partner for the Government-backed Recovery Loan Scheme and is also a fund manager for the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund.
Tim Daniels, senior business lending manager, Finance For Enterprise, added: “Skippers Pet Products is a great example of a business that has built on the heritage of Grimsby’s historic fishing industry by finding new and innovative ways of bringing new products to market.
“Having met and supported Steve and his business previously, the business has a bright future ahead of it, not just by achieving growth in the UK, but also tapping into new international markets.”
