25. Nutriment

Founder: Suzanne Brock
Founded: June 2013
Website: www.nutriment.co

Surrey-based Nutriment believes that pets deserve good quality, nutritious food, but more than that, they think they should be served food of the same quality as their owners! Returning for the second year to the Startups 100, the brand produces biologically-approved pet food, made from ‘human-grade’ meat, vegetables and superfoods such as coconut, salmon oil and spirulina.

Targeting vets, ‘in-the-know’ breeders and independent pet stores, Nutriment’s meals are all raw, meaning they retain far more natural goodness than their over-cooked, over-processed rivals – cats and dogs were once wild carnivores after all. With Brock claiming other raw pet ranges were either “dowdy and crude or flouncy and hippyish”, Nutriment aims to bring the sector back to life as a premium product.

Launched with no external finance and after being let down by the bank at the eleventh hour, founder Suzanne Brock – who’s eclectic background includes stints as an army officer, a city operative and a project manager – deservedly took home the prestigious Lean Start-up of the Year at the Startups Awards 2015.

And the business is now really flying. With 40 employees, January 2016 saw the opening of a second factory to enable the business to keep up with thriving demand, which is now hitting an impressive 2,000 tonnes a month. In the coming months, Nutriment will release a new organic and free range dog food in partnership with Laverstock Farm – which will help turnover for 2016 reach £4.5m.