Ask the Store - Taylors Pet Foods - Pedigree Wholesale Ltd

We spoke to Michael from Taylors Petfoods

Tell us about your store and team?

Our parents, Tony and Linda, opened the shop back in 1984 after originally doing market stalls. We (Michael and Richard) have now taken the reigns and have moved things in the direction of a Natural Pet Store. Most of the team are family, and those that aren't feel like it. Even our kids help out at weekends. We recently extended our store, adding around 50% more retail space. This has given us the opportunity to make much better displays and a little more variety.

How did you get started in the pet industry?

We both left school and pursued other careers but returned to the family business about 14 years ago. It's part of us, and we couldn't see it go.

Do you have any pets?

Michael has 3 cats from a local rescue centre, and Richard has a Border Collie. Our sister Sam works in the shop and always brings her dog and cat to work with her.

How do you stand out from the crowd?

Ten years ago, we kicked out some of the biggest names in pet food in favour of smaller brands with higher quality, higher meat content and, more often, a lower price. This gained us a lot of respect from local pet professionals and owners. We soon became the place to go for pet food. We now have a large tasting table and pet scales to give customers reasons to pop in rather than shopping online.

What do you feed your pets?

We feed raw or high-quality dry food.

What do you recommend to your customers?

We always recommend what's right for the dog and owner, even if it's something we don't stock. For example, if a dog needs to avoid certain ingredients in their food and the owner wants to feed dry but we don't stock something suitable, I would recommend a food that I know is suitable even though I don't sell it. This gets us recommended, so more customers come to us for honest advice.

What is the most frequently asked question from your customers?

Where's your cat food? Even when standing next to it. This is because we don't stock brands they recognise, and this gives us the opportunity to show them the difference between supermarket cat food and real cat food.

New Schesir Cat Food

Schesir Grill Wholefood Cat Can Sardines in Lobster Consomme 70g

SKU: 271954 Packsize: Cse 12

RRP £1.39

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Schesir Grill Pate Cat Can Mackerel and Sardines 70g

SKU: 271958 Packsize: Cse 12

RRP £1.39

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Schesir Tuna with Salmon In Jelly Pouch Complete and Balanced 85g

SKU: 272174 Packsize: Cse 12

RRP £1.49

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Schesir Tuna with Shrimps In Jelly Pouch Complete and Balanced 85g

SKU: 272171 Packsize: Cse 12

RRP £1.49

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Schesir Tuna with Cuttlefish In Jelly Complete and Balanced 85g

SKU: 272165 Packsize: Cse 12

RRP £1.49

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Schesir Tuna with Seabass In Jelly Pouch Complete and Balanced 85g

SKU: 272173 Packsize: Cse 12

RRP £1.49

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Don't stock foods and treats sold in supermarkets. This leaves space for better products that give customers a reason to come to you.

What are the biggest challenges for your business?

The rise in the cost of employees could be a difficult issue, and we hope it won't affect us too much.

Tell us your best (family-friendly) animal joke?

What do you call a deer with no eyes?

No idea

What do you call a deer with no eyes and no legs?

Still no idea

What's your best selling product?

Our best-selling single product would have to be Gentle Original Cold Pressed dog food. The quality and value of the food is fantastic. The company is a pleasure to deal with and works with us, not against us.

What do you think is the best new product of the year?

I would have to say Canagan Cat Soups. These have been a hit with every cat that's tried it.

What trends are you seeing come through?

We are seeing many customers buying online and often from suppliers who are offering large discounts to go direct. This is something we monitor, and it does affect our choices of what we stock. We prefer to work with suppliers, not against them.

Published on 26th Feb 2025

#Ask-the-Store