Vital Pet Group owner Sunny Sharma says he could not be happier with the progress this year after what was a very tough 2018.
He said: “I’m so proud of our teams who have continued to drive improvement, no matter how significant the obstacles. This is a transformed business and the improvements are still pulling through. We have some fantastic relationships with great suppliers whose commitment to the independent pet trade matches our own.
“The old Vital had strong foundations supporting a crumbling edifice. With new Vital we’ve taken the best of that – the history and the relationships – and restored the walls with better infrastructure, technology and new thinking.
“We’re looking forward to ensuring that the pet trade receives the support it needs with a strong wholesaler adding strength at the core of the supply chain.”
NEW SUPPLIERS
Vital has also brought on board new suppliers.
These include Natures Grub treats for small animals, poultry and aquatics, supplement maker Missing Link; poultry company Guan; and Vodafone GPS tracking for dogs.
Also new is Loving Pets treats and bowls, Sneyd’s best-selling Wonderdog recipes and Purely Fish treats.
DISTRIBUTION AND SUPPLY
Following investment in technology and two senior appointments in customer service and supply chain management, two new business development partnerships have been finalised which benefit from Vital’s strong distribution network.
Theresa Knowles joined Vital in April to head up contact and service centre operations. With her background in distribution, she appreciates the challenges that come with on time, every time delivery.
In another senior appointment, Lucy Cook has joined from Wilkinson to head up the supply chain.
As a result of continued investment in technology throughout warehouse operations and transport, service levels are consistently hitting target.
Almo Nature has now confirmed that it will partner with Vital Pet Group as the distribution partner for all their UK clients.
Vital divisions, which focus on the development of opportunities in the retail environment, continue to grow.
Farm & Pet Place has recently chosen Vital Retail Solutions team to form a dedicated supply partnership to service all their stores with Vital’s new delivery infrastructure.
NEW WEBSITE
May sees the new trade website go live, delivering ‘a new and improved experience for retailers’.
The new website has been in development for some months as the company wanted to offer its customers full functionality which meets all their needs.
There’s the full spectrum of features you would expect from online shopping with offers, comparisons and product information all clearly displayed.
There are live stock updates so retailers know exactly how much they can order right now and how much remains in stock if they need to follow up with a prompt top up.
Each retailer will have their own dashboard where they can set up multiple shopping baskets, see favourites and past orders, review back orders and pay invoices.
A personal messaging facility will provide a direct contact route to customer services with the user’s details automatically populated.
Vital Marketing Manager, Paul Walker, says his team has worked hard to ensure that the needs of users were at the heart of the website development. “It’s easy to have a good-looking website these days but much harder to think about the user journey and specific requirements.
“We’re very happy with the end result and look forward to our customers enjoying a great online shopping experience that will help them identify the best deals and place their order faster and more efficiently.”
Retailers can visit the new website as it rolls out in May at www.vitalpets.co.uk. A simple registration process for existing or prospective customers will trigger an alert to the Vital team, who will issue log-in details for full access to the new site.
