A Midlands-based sustainable pet brand that is behind the production of a low carbon pet food has secured contracts with retailers in the UK and globally just six months after business support from Coventry University helped get its product to the market.
Percuro Primal Pet Food is named after the Latin for ‘heal completely’ and key to its sustainability credentials is the use of black soldier fly larvae as its protein source.
The makers say dogs and cats alone consume 20% of the world’s animal-based sources of protein such as meat and fish but, as the edible insect protein in Percuro’s pet food uses only a fraction of the land, water and energy, it is a ‘climate change positive regime’ for feeding pets.
All of Percuro’s plant-based ingredients are 100% sustainable, with no hidden animal fats or derivatives, and 95% are sourced within close proximity to its manufacturing site in mainland Europe, which further limits its carbon footprint.
RESEARCH
The funding Percuro secured from the European Regional Development Fund through the Innovate EDGE UK ‘Proof-of-Concept’ programme, which is delivered by Coventry University, enabled it to carry out a full feasibility study to establish market demand for the product through extensive consumer research among pet owners in the UK and Germany.
The study found quality of ingredients was the most important factor when choosing food product for their pet. Though many respondents were not aware of products that used insects as a source of protein, they were willing to at least try the product after reading the concept.
Others showed a positive response towards pet food having limited impact on eco-systems and said they would prefer a brand having a proactive stance towards the environment and would spend more for it.
Percuro is now selling direct to consumers in Europe via its own website, and has secured supply contracts with big name UK brands such as Pets at Home, Monster, Waitrose, Ocado and Amazon, as well as others overseas in Italy, Singapore and South Korea.
INNOVATION
The company was founded by Denise Saber, who has a background in investment management, working with family and institutional investors around their sustainability agenda, and chief executive Brett Vye, who has a background in the pet and brewing industries. They are part of a five-person executive team.
Denise said: “We believe that this is innovation at its best because of the positive impact it can have on animal health and life expectancy, and also climate change.
“Through having 100% sustainable insect protein and plant-based ingredients that are traceable and 100% livestock-free, this is a business that can scale up and become a leading brand globally.”
Brett Vye, of Percuro; Martin Lucy, operations and development manager at Innovate UK EDGE at Coventry University; Denise Saber, co-founder of Percuro; and Reg Brown, chief financial officer of Percuro
