Forthglade

Leading premium dog food manufacturer in the UK

Forthglade is a fast-growing natural pet food brand producing premium wet and dry dog food and treats.

Based in Devon, Forthglade was founded in 1971 and employs approximately 150 people in the UK, distributing across supermarkets, independent specialist pet retailers and online retailers, including its own website.

The Company’s award-winning recipes are valued by customers for their natural ingredients, high meat content, gentle cooking methods, and grain free recipes. Forthglade has been led by Gerard Lovell and Chris Brooking since their management buyout in 2011.

IK Partners acquired Forthglade from Piper Private Equity in August 2020.

What Attracted Us to the Business

• Product offering with significant consumer appeal
• Well invested manufacturing operations
• Breadth of distribution network
• Highly experienced management team

Our Value Creation Strategy

We are working alongside management to:

• Increase brand awareness to drive distribution gains and revenue growth;
• Expand the product range, particularly within dry food and treats, to appeal to a broader base of consumers;
• Invest in digital capabilities to accelerate the development and growth of the online channels; and
• Invest further in Forthglade’s factory operations to drive margin benefit over the life of the plan.

Responsibility Highlights

• Focus on recyclability of materials, including sustainable packaging policy
• Leading environmental credentials at Okehampton manufacturing facility, including: 20 million litres of water recycled per year; all food waste used to generate electricity; and ongoing initiatives to reduce energy consumption (for example, electric forklifts used to reduce emissions)
• Predominantly local supply chain
• Adherence to all appropriate food safety and quality requirements
• Ongoing monitoring of Health and Safety risks and key performance indicators