Walker & Drake, a pet food manufacturer, has recently injected £900,000 ($1.1 million) into the development of a state-of-the-art production facility.
To address challenges in exporting to Europe and meet the growing demand, the UK-based company has invested in the production of “cold pressed dog food,” aiming to enhance gut health for dogs.
According to David Taylor, the Director of Walker & Drake, the company’s investment in an in-house packing and production capability will safeguard and enhance its future productivity.
“Our cold-pressed dog food is a premium product focussed on gut health and we are constantly talking with our customers to understand what they want for their dogs,” he said.
“The ability to develop new products in a dynamic fashion is fantastic, and the relationships we have already nurtured with our suppliers means we get the access to the best ingredients available at any time.”
Established in 2019, the company based in Yorkshire relocated to expanded facilities in the previous year to accommodate the increased space necessary for their new factory and warehousing operations.
According to Tim Matthews, the sales director, Walker & Drake stands out as one of the rare dog food companies in the UK that is constructing a fresh pet food facility.
He stated, “Just like the ingredients we use in our products we’ve sourced the equipment, fabrication and installation from UK companies wherever possible. In fact, apart from one item, all the major components, the design and installation team are from within a 25-mile radius of our site.
“By starting with an empty space we’ve been able to create an efficient workflow from goods-in, through the production process to bagging, warehousing and then back out the door as finished product,” he added.
