An entrepreneur secured a £50,000 funding in her pet smoothie drinks business when she appeared on final evening’s episode of hit BBC present Dragons’ Den. Louise Toal, alongside along with her husband Ian, struck a cope with trend retail entrepreneur, investor and actuality TV character Touker Suleyman for a 35 per cent share of their firm.
Louise, who was introduced up in Congleton, is behind the award-winning Furr Boost which sells a spread of smoothie drinks for dogs. She now lives along with her husband – who she set the business up with – in Shropshire.
However, the warehouse amenities for Furr Boost are primarily based over the border in Cheshire. For greater than 20 years Louise was a technical supervisor within the meals business.
READ MORE: Spectacle on Chester canal as colourful narrowboats gather for Easter celebrations | Historic narrowboats will fill the Tower Wharf in Chester on Good Friday
READ MORE: Cheshire just experienced its hottest year on record, Met Office figures show | New Met Office information reveals 2023 was the most well liked 12 months ever recorded in Cheshire
Her Beagle, Phoebe, turned unwell with bladder issues at simply 18 months and following investigations along with her vet, the problems have been linked to the her meals. Using her technical meals background, Louise then began experimenting with protein shakes to assist flush out Phoebe’s system and to supply her with the hydration that she wanted when she was refusing to drink sufficient water, notably in the summertime months.
This led to the creation of the Furr Boost vary of smoothie drinks. The couple have been searching for funding to increase their business into additional main shops together with supermarkets, to export to extra nations and to launch a spread for cats.
Louise stated: “It was fairly nerve-wracking having to current our business to the Dragons they usually definitely put us by way of our paces, however we have been delighted with the end result.”
Each of the Furr Boost recipes incorporates an actual meat, fruit and vegetable, together with added oils and nutritional vitamins, so it’s greater than a hydration drink, it helps the canine’s wellbeing in areas corresponding to digestion, pores and skin and coat, nervousness, metabolism and immunity.
The drinks may be served straight from the carton, frozen as an icy deal with and a preferred technique to serve the drink is as an Ultimutt Furr Boost Puppuchino. They are available in seven tasty varieties.
Furr Boost received Best New Product on the PetQuip and Pet Industry Federation Awards in 2022 and made the regional finals of the Start-up Awards final 12 months. Their merchandise are available to purchase on-line and in pet retailers throughout the UK together with Pets at Home and Jollyes.
NEWSLETTER: Sign up for CheshireLive email direct to your inbox here
