1. HOW DID THE PETFELLAS COME ABOUT?
It all started with a challenge from our parent company in Thailand – they are successful in pet in the Far East and have a significant growing business there. They came to us with a challenge: what would we do/recommend as an approach to enter the pet market in the UK?
In response we looked internally at our business here in the UK to establish what we’re good at and where our core capabilities reside. Two of the residual needs/issues I knew from my time at Pedigree were that of a long list of brands looking to get a foothold in the UK and the time and resource available to tell the brand story and bring retailers along with them was in short supply, so we developed the PetFellas concept and road tested it with several brands at Global in Orlando in the spring of 2025. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and we came back and engaged some specialist pet retailers to assess the customer view.
2. WHO IS BEHIND THE NEW VENTURE TO GIVE IT SCALE AND REACH?
The PetFellas sits as part of the UK business The FoodFellas. The FoodFellas, alongside our partners Westbridge represent CPF, a Thai owned business that specialises in food production and processing, here in the UK. CPF’s global turnover is about $18bn.
This gives us the perfect foundation to build on. Internally we say we ‘stand on the shoulders of giants’.
3. WHAT MAKES THE PETFELLAS DIFFERENT TO OTHER DISTRIBUTORS IN THE PET CARE SECTOR?
We’re looking to address a number of the challenges the market faces with introducing and developing brands in the pet space and to summarise this we talk about the “L.I.D.” framework, which stands for: Limited brand focus, Investment in marketing, and Demand creation.
Three things set us apart – a curated portfolio, a focus on partnership rather than just supply, and simplicity through low pricing, reliable delivery, straightforward communication, and a focus on building long-term trust. Our goal is not to be the biggest distributor, it’s to be the best partner.
4. WHAT BRANDS ARE YOU BRINGING TO MARKET?
We are launching with a portfolio of complementary, premium-positioned brands spanning treats, accessories, and wellness. These are brands chosen specifically for their quality, strong identity, and ability to create category value for independents.
We’ve already announced Earth Animal, Platinum, Playology, Boost and Be Loved with more to follow as we continue through 2026.
5. WHAT CATEGORIES ARE YOU ACTIVE IN TO START WITH?
We cover brands where there is a natural fit with the destination need state within specialist pet and ones where they can drive incremental value and differentiation in store.
So, from this month we will be in dog and cat food and treats (Platinum and Boost); natural chews (Earth Animal); poop bags and accessories (Adios); wellness (BeLoved) and toys (Logical Brands, with Playology to follow in March).
As we grow, we fully intend to extend into adjacent categories where we see innovation that genuinely benefits retailers and their customers.
6. HOW IMPORTANT ARE INDEPENDENT PET SPECIALISTS GOING TO BE FOR YOUR BUSINESS?
They are the heart of the UK’s pet community – trusted by owners, leading on advice, and often the first to champion new, high quality products. If we believe a brand has a legitimate role and position in pet specialist, then we will look to support it and accept that this does not necessarily mean that it must be exclusive to pet specialist. Our success depends on helping specialist pet independents succeed.
7. WHAT KINDS OF SUPPORT WILL YOU BE MAKING AVAILABLE FOR INDEPENDENT RETAILERS?
We’re committed to going beyond simple distribution. Support will include instore training and product education and sampling; merchandising support and range recommendations; digital assets for social media and online presence; launch plans and promotional activity; clear communication on availability, pricing, and newness as well as strong aftercare and relationship management.
8. HOW DO YOU SEE THE PET CARE SECTOR EVOLVING AND DEVELOPING IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS?
The trends I see going into the future remain similar to what they are today – premiumisation, humanisation (as well as human-grade ingredients), continued segmentation, the search for alternative proteins and more brands developing in the Wellness categories.
Direct to consumer will continue to grow and thrive. This offers in my opinion one of the key threats that the specialist pet sector needs to focus on as it’s the direct to consumer brands that are stealing the position in the market that the specialist pet sectors used to own.
9. WHAT CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE FROM THE PETFELLAS IN FUTURE?
Our long-term vision is not about scale, we don’t want to be the biggest, we want to be the best and will work hard to develop partnerships with great passion and pet driven brands so we can become the UK’s most trusted partner for specialist pet retailers, known for quality brands, exceptional service, and a genuine commitment to the sector we serve.
10. HOW DO RETAILERS GET IN CONTACT WITH YOU?
Retailers can contact us directly via email: [email protected]; via the website www.thepetfellas.co.uk or by phone:
- Gerard: 07876 446238
- Chris: 07757 656954
- Nel: 07789 502804
We’re also available for in-person visits, virtual meetings, or store walkthroughs. We’d love to hear from any retailer interested in partnering with us.
