Naturaw hungry for fresh growth after funding boost

A raw pet food supplier has fed its growth appetite with six-figure support.

Naturaw Pet Food has been backed by NPIF II – Mercia Debt Finance.

Bosses at the Wetherby-based business say the cash will help fit out new Thorp Arch Estate factory space and support increased production.

It comes after the firm secured a King’s Award for Enterprise for excellence in sustainable development and nearly doubled its team to 35.

A registered B Corp company, it supplies what officials describe as “high-welfare” meat to more than 15,000 customers that include pet owners, pet shops and grooming parlours.

Jess Warneken – who founded the business in 2014 after noting the effect of a fresh meat-based diet on her Rhodesian Ridgeback Louis, which had been suffering ear and skin problems – said the funding will deliver huge benefits.

She said: “It was clear we had outgrown our existing premises, and we had no option but to take on and fit out a second unit.

“Together with the funding from Mercia and NPIF II, we now have both the space and the finance we need to continue growing.”

NPIF II – Mercia Debt Finance is managed by Mercia Debt, as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II.

Gary Whitaker, of Mercia Debt, added: “Naturaw has quickly built a following among pet owners and become a leader in its field.

“Access to funding is vital for fast-growing firms like these, as they are constantly having to invest in bigger premises, new equipment and staff, and they need more working capital.”  

The £660 million Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II provides loans from £25,000 to £2 million, and equity investment up to £5 million, to small and medium-sized businesses.

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