Grant Rogers director of 3P Enterprise, talks to pbwnews editor Justine Thompson
1. How did you get started in the pet industry?
I was working as a design engineer in the automotive industry, which involved a lot of travel. I wanted to leave the corporate world and, having lived in London since my university days, wanted to move out of The Smoke. In 2002 I moved back to my roots in Monmouthshire and whilst deciding what to do next, started building dog kennels in the garage, selling them online.
The demand proved there was a possibility to scale up the business and led to me sourcing and importing pet accessories from the USA.
2. Where does the name 3P come from?
The first website was called Pet Play Pads, a bit of a mouthful, so when the business incorporated the name became abbreviated to 3P.
3. What is the ethos behind 3P?
I have a love of good design and a passion for the outdoors, having grown up on a dairy farm. As a business we have always sought out products with a practical use and which solve problems associated with keeping pets. My creation of the Henry Wag brand is a result of our family lifestyle and active rural living with dogs, three daughters and all the muddy wet challenges this presents.
Through Henry Wag I have been able to reflect our lifestyle and offer products with good design and practical solutions, enabling a more active outdoor life for people and pets.
4. Where are your products manufactured?
USA, Vietnam and China. Henry Wag products are made in China, though we are actively looking for alternative sources for some lines.
5. How do you keep coming up with the innovative ideas?
There are really only two sources: personal experience in keeping pets, finding solutions to the problems we encounter on a daily basis, and talking with our customers, both trade and consumer.
Everyone who keeps pets has a problem to solve.
6. Do you enjoy going to shows…and do you miss them now (with covid restrictions)?
I used to find shows really challenging, both on a personal and professional level. For so many years I felt self-conscious being so public about what we were offering, probably because we were distributing products from overseas brands.
Trade shows are an opportunity to meet our lovely customers and to shout about what we do but also a time when I feel scrutinised by competitors and the trade.
Since the launch of Henry Wag I am much more confident about our offering, market position and objectives, which makes shows much more enjoyable.
7. How do you support your stockists?
For stores who list the Henry Wag range we offer POS banners, Facebook local boosted advertising, seasonal offers, a stockist listing on the Henry Wag website, stockist of the month and customer case studies.
In late 2020 we are launching some free standing display units (FSDUs) of our better selling items, giving stores the chance to maximise return on display space. For stores wishing to join the Henry Wag family of stockists we offer a discounted package of products with a branded header board.
8. How has the company fared through 2020?
Henry Wag exists to enable greater levels of exercise by providing products that remove the barriers to outdoor activity.
During the early part of the pandemic two of the team were furloughed and we focused on driving online sales. The lockdown allowed pet parents to spend more time with their dogs and build their relationship by encouraging daily exercise, so we saw demand from online retailers soar during lockdown with increased volumes on many lines.
Many retailers have taken the time during lockdown to review their offer and are now listing Henry Wag. With the change in season we have seen good replenishment orders from stockists and, provided stores are allowed to remain open, we should finish the year in a relatively strong position.
The 3P team has been really supportive throughout the year and I owe so much of this year’s success to their resilience.
9. What is your vision for the future of 3P?
With the trend for more active lifestyles and the recent increase in pet ownership I want to continue to provide solutions for the next generation of pet parents to spend more time outdoors with their animals. We still have a lot of growing to do.
I have a number of new product concepts for Henry Wag for 2021, there is the development of our mainstream brand Lilly and Jake, plus we have been working on growing our export sales.
10. Do you own any pets yourself?
In no particular order, we currently have a dog called Lola, who features in much of our imagery, four chickens, 11 sheep, a hive of bees, three goldfish and a hamster.
With talk of puppies and lambs these numbers are likely to increase!
