Unipet International has been at the heart of the Swale business community since relocating to Sittingbourne in 1999.
In that time, the business has grown from a single farm unit in Grovehurst to the eight-unit, two-and-a-half acre site that it is today. Located on the Trinity Trading Estate, the 60-strong company manufactures suet-based wild bird food, wildlife food and poultry treats; supplying retail chains and independent stores through an extensive network of wholesalers.
Finance Director Luke Rouse discussed what Unipet brought to Swale “We are a big employer in the area and have a very low staff turnover, meaning that we are obviously doing something right for our employees. We offer them a number of benefits, including training and financial incentives. Every element of our service is based “in-house”, and we therefore strive for excellence in all areas of our business from product development, manufacturing, design, packaging, sales, marketing, fulfillment and customer service. Each and every department is key to providing a premium product and a world-class service to our customers, whom are based across the UK, throughout Europe and the USA.”
One of the reasons the company has been so successful is that it has continued to innovate and respond to the needs of its customers. After noticing the increased expansion of discount retailers, Unipet recognised that many products were being purchased by more price conscious consumers, and decided to make the strategic decision to enter that market. After investing in the marketing team and manufacturing system they were able to create a “value” product range using the same high standards they adopt for the premium products.
Luke discussed why he felt that Unipet should be recognised at the Swale Business Awards. “We have been part of the Swale business community for seventeen years now, and are a moderately big employer in the area. We export our products across the world and continue to develop and grow; we are launching a new website later this year and are growing our marketing and operational teams to meet the growing business – which means more jobs in the area. We have worked hard as a company to ensure that we provide the best environment and standards that we can for our staff, without whom we would not be in a position to enter these awards. We have weathered a turbulent market to see great growth over the past 5 years and we hope to continue this trend over the coming years, all the while striving to enhance and improve the environment for our staff and the local community in which we serve.”
Unipet International Limited
Unit L
Trinity Trading Estate
Tribune Drive
Sittingbourne
Kent
www.unipet.co.uk