Pet food for sensitive stomachs featured on BBC’s Dragon’s Den to be stocked in select Central England Co-op stores

Posted by james brindle | Published: 15/08/2019


Gourmet pet food for furry friends with sensitive stomachs – as seen on BBC’s Dragon’s Den – is set to be stocked at a select number of Central England Co-op stores from next month.

Scrumbles co-founders Aneisha Soobroyen and Jack Walker entered Dragon’s Den with their dog Smudge in tow to look for investment in their fast-growing responsible pet food business.

However, despite receiving an offer from dog lover Deborah Meaden, the brave couple decided to politely decline and continue to go it alone.

Viewers heard how Aneisha and Jack were inspired to go into business by their own pet’s tummy troubles, which saw them quit their corporate jobs to develop a range of probiotic dry food, single source protein wet food and guilt free treats, using 100% natural ingredients, with nothing artificial and no added sugar or salts.

Prior to their primetime television appearance, Central England Co-op had already agreed to launch a range of Scrumbles products in a select number of stores.

Jennifer Hargrave, Local Buyer at Central England Co-op, said: “At Central England Co-op we continually strive to offer our customers and members varied and distinctive ranges, as well as supporting local, independent businesses which produce quality, carefully crafted products.

“We are delighted to work with a business like Scrumbles which not only offer great homemade products, but which also share common values with ourselves around sustainability and concern for the environment.”

An accredited B-Corp, Scrumbles take sustainability seriously and has set out ambitions to have a net positive impact on the environment and the communities they serve.

To that end the company’s range of guilt free treats are baked in ovens powered by woody biomass and packed in plastic-free, compostable packaging.

Aneisha Soobroyen, co-founder of Scrumbles, said: “We’re really excited to be working with Central England Co-op – we love their business ethos and their drive to support local businesses.

“Serving cats and dogs with gut friendly food that’s kind to tummies and to the planet is our mission and being able to pick up Scrumbles from your local Central England Co-op makes this possible for thousands more.”

Scrumbles products will be available in the following Central England Co-op Food Stores from Monday, 2 September:

  • Bakewell supermarket, Derbyshire
  • Eccleshall supermarket, Staffordshire
  • Kibworth supermarket, Leicester
  • Lichfield Boley Park supermarket, Staffordshire
  • Oakham supermarket, Rutland
  • Oundle supermarket, Northamptonshire
  • Thrapston supermarket, Northamptonshire
  • Whetstone supermarket, Leicestershire
  • Wildwood supermarket, Stafford

 

Notes to editors

About Central England Co-operative

Central England Co-operative is one of the largest independent retail co-operative societies in the UK. 

It is a modern, forward-looking organisation employing over 8,000 staff, with the Society’s principal areas of activity being food, funeral services, travel shops, and property investment.

Central England Co-operative has over 400 trading outlets across 16 counties including; West Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.  The Society has an ambitious food store development programme for 2019.

Central England Co-operative is proud of its reputation for ethical business practices and corporate responsibility.  It is a member of Business in the Community, the membership organisation that stands for responsible business, and has also won many business awards for excellence.  The Society supports a number of charities including Dementia UK and invests a percentage of its trading profit into local communities.

Becoming a member of Central England Co-operative offers a whole host of benefits ranging from collecting points every time you spend in store to earn a share of the profits, access to members activities and community initiatives including the Community Dividend Fund, which hands out grants of up to £5,000 to charities and good causes across the Society’s trading estate.

Find out how to become a Central England Co-operative member by calling 0800 0501 601, emailing members@centralengland.coop or visiting https://www.members.coop

For more information visit www.centralengland.coop, follow Central England Co-operative on Twitter: @mycoopfood, and on Facebook: facebook.com/centralenglandcooperative

Rob Smyth and James Brindle at Central England Co-operative on 01543 421390

Email – publicrelations@centralengland.coop