Vet product retailer set for global expansion as sales soar

INTERNATIONAL expansion is on the cards for a Yorkshire-based online veterinary supplies business which is seeing sales fly high after launching its own brand of products.

Established at the end of 2005, VetUK, based in a 16,000 sq ft unit in Europark, Thirsk, has continued to see organic growth year on year.

Founder and managing director Iain Booth, who is also a qualified vet, said: “We’ve seen organic growth since 2006 and profits have grown every year. Our balance sheet has increased each year and I don’t think there is any reason we can’t continue to do this further afield with the model we have got. We are currently growing at 20%/30% per year.”

Only two weeks ago, VetUK, part of the £2bn pet industry, launched its own branded products with a number of items including licensed products such as flea treatment.  It sold 20,000 units in its first ten days and to continue broadening this part of the business, more products are launching at the end of the year.

VetUK, which bought competitor business Nutrecare in 2012, employs 29 people and sells 7,500 products online. It has a turnover of £20m and over the coming months, the business will be working on its plans to launch into Europe.

“Next year’s great plan is to roll out into the EU,” Booth said.

“A significant amount will be invested in the project and we will look to team up with distributors in other countries.

“We’re targeting France, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands and Germany and new jobs will be created as we grow.

“I’m confident that the EU will continue driving growth. There’s no reason why we can’t do exactly what we do in the UK in another country.

“We’re excited about the coming years and even if it is challenging, it will be interesting and certainly not dull.”