The start

In 1999 Greenfields Care Products set out to develop a new, pet care range .

This was not a simple task as the market was sceptical about yet another range of shampoos and grooming products. Also the message from veterinarians was a reluctances to wash pets frequently as it removed the natural oils which keep the skin in pristine condition. With this brief in hand, and over a period of 2 1/2 years together with a team of chemists the Greenfields products were developed.

The Brand and distribution

To set the products apart from others she company included the finest ingredients to protect not only the coats but also the skin of the animals allowing the customers to shampoo and groom their pets much more frequently than before .For this reason their products can be found in many leading veterinarian clinics world wide.

Once the concept was completed production commenced in the United Kingdom and products became available in veterinarian clinics and selected pet retailers in England as well as The Netherlands.

From the onset it became clear that it was no easy task to build up a brand in the ever fickle pet market place.

MD Tony Timmer believed from the onset that the market was open to a premium range of products not only in light of the unique ingredients but also for the high standard of packaging. This in particular evolved to portray the uniqueness of the products and clearly sets Greenfidlds apart from the competition. Distributors and retailers alike realise that Gueenfields products feature well alongside another lowest priced brand offering the public a choice.

'The old fashioned image of the so called corner shops is changing ever so rapidly Retailers worldwide need to adapt to the new trends or fall behind as their competitors are adapting to new trends. Thanks to the media and advertising the public themselves are becoming more aware of products and whilst out shopping wish to be spoken to by informed and well trained staff in clean environments.

An approach already successfully adapted by some of the leading international chain stores.

Service and knowledge coupled with more of a minimalist approach to the product lines they stock is key to the success if retailers if tomorrow '.

They will continue with their philosophy to manufacture products that excite their distributing partners around the globe.

New challenges

They decided to use the Interzoo 2002 as the official launch pad for their range of products. This exhibition led to the range being distributed in 15 countries internationally.

With all the new countries came new challenges .New challenges .New languages and import restrictions for instance .It is this period in the company, that Managing Director Tony Timmer, looks upon as a vital learning curve 'When we were suddenly confronted with entering all these new territories over-night in 2002 we needed to adapt and adapt swiftly. This capability we now have and it is one of our greatest assets and one that has directly contributed to Green-fields being so strongly positioned in today's market'

Today

Now Greenfield care products can be found not only in the Veterinarian clinics and pet retailers as mentioned, but also in the leading chain stores and in some countries even feature in fashion department stores! On the back of this success the company realised that a dramatic change needed to take place .It was therefore decided to found a new plant in the The Netherlands and to invested in the latest state of the art machinery to keep more efficient quality control over its own products.

At the recent Interzoo 2004 MD Tony Timmer had the following to say 'the overwhelming interest on our stand has been reassuring .We launched innovative products and met many new interested parties from around the world.

Over the last few years the company has seen a dramatic change in the market place and with our dynamic approach we aim to become a true global force as purveyors of the finest pet care products'

For further information: www.greenfieldscare.com

PETS International Magazine ISSUE 5.