One positive aspect of lockdown is that it has well and truly cemented the nation's love of pets. The last year has seen a significant rise in pet ownership, as many of us sought new companions to help us with our lockdown exercise and to support us when we were otherwise isolated. As such, it is timely that one of this month's ambassador spotlights is on pet product manufacturer Beaphar. Based in Gainsborough, but with headquarters in the Netherlands, this family-owned and run business stand for family, accessibility, and quality & care. These values are the three cornerstones of Beaphar and the very essence of the company. 

Lee Wallhead, Financial Controller at Beaphar UK, is a well-known Team Lincolnshire ambassador and regular supporter of our #TLC Coffee Clubs.  This month we caught up with Lee, who gave us an insight into what makes Beaphar one of the leading pet product manufacturers in the UK and internationally.

"As a family-run company and with 90% of the team within Beaphar having a pet as part of their family, we understand the significance pets play in improving the quality of life. We cherish the emotional bond between pet and owner, so everything we do at Beaphar ensures our pets are given the very best care and quality of life in return,” Lee said. 

"We research, innovate and create products that support the health and well-being of every pet. We constantly collaborate, both with our co-workers and with external organisations, and share our collective knowledge and expertise. All so we can help more families enjoy a healthy, happy bond with their pets.”

Beaphar’s products are widely available, whether that be from a high street shop or an online retailer. The team are also readily available via phone, email or social media to answer any questions. The company place product safety and effectiveness combined with sustainability at the heart of everything they do.  Using quality ingredients and strictly controlled production processes, customers can buy Beaphar products with confidence.  

Back in 2020 at the start of the pandemic, Beaphar also played a huge role in the distribution of much needed hand sanitiser. They took the decision to manufacture a batch to help combat the virus. Produced at the manufacturing site in the Netherlands, the one-off project produced 22,500 bottles of hand sanitiser which were sent to all Beaphar employees both in the UK and the Netherlands.

As Lee explained: “For many years, the group has manufactured disinfectants for pet use and once the pandemic started, Daan Aa - who is the third generation of his family to oversee the group - felt it was important that we did something to help protect employees and the wider community. Within Gainsborough, we helped support two pet retailers, five primary schools, the local High school, St. Barnabas Hospice and several local care homes. West Lindsey District Council also received bottles for use by their frontline workers.

“Having personally delivered the hand sanitiser to each location, it was obvious how much this was appreciated by every recipient at what was a very challenging time for them all. At the same time, we were also able to help support the Lincoln County Hospital by donating PPE which we use within the business.”

In addition to the community work above, Lee also told us about the work Beaphar had been doing to support The National Turtle Sanctuary which is based at Lincolnshire Wildlife Park.

He said: “With a range of aquatic foods and water treatments under the King British brand being a key part of what we manufacture at Gainsborough, we were pleased to start supporting The National Turtle Sanctuary with a promotional campaign at the beginning of 2020. We donated 20p from every sale of our King British Turtle & Terrapin Complete Food and King British Turtle & Terrapin Food Sticks to the sanctuary and made enough sales so that in 2020 they were able to build the King British Acclimatisation Centre. 

“The centre is hugely important; many of the turtles that arrive at the sanctuary have been kept in tanks much smaller than the ponds at the sanctuary. The Acclimatisation Centre has three ponds of varying depths, so the team can ensure the turtles have the strength and muscles to be able to cope in the water before they are moved to the bigger ponds. 

“In April 2021, members of the King British Team visited the sanctuary to help build a new turtle pond as part of the #DonateADay scheme run by Beaphar, which allows employees to donate their time during working hours to pet-related charities and organisations."

The collaboration hasn’t stopped there. King British and The National Turtle Sanctuary have teamed up to create a series of videos about key aspects of turtle care and popular species, helping to educate any current or future turtle owners about their needs. These will be shared on social media over the coming months and can be used by King British retailers to help educate their customers too.

With a family focus and a genuine desire to improve the quality of life of the nation's pets, it is no wonder Beaphar has won a number of awards, including scooping the Made in Lincolnshire, Sold Nationwide Award at the 2019 Made in Lincolnshire Awards. 

King British Turtle & Terrapin Complete Food has also won the Retailer Recommended Award for Reptile Product of Year. These awards are run by pet trade publication Pet Product Marketing and are voted for by retailers themselves.

They are certainly one of West Lindsey's most well-loved brands, and a core, active part of Team Lincolnshire!

On a personal note, Lee also wanted to thank his fellow members of Team Lincolnshire for the donations made to his charity event at the end of April, where he and another rider from the Giant Store at Doddington Hall climbed the height of Everest in under 24 hours using just their bikes, sore posteriors, a smart trainer and Zwift.

“Having only ridden once all year before the start of April and only giving myself 27 days to get used to riding on an indoor trainer again, it was certainly a challenge to complete the 8,848 metres of climbing to the ‘summit’ of Everest! Seeing the donations coming in throughout the day was a major motivator and we were both proud to help raise much needed funds for the local St Barnabas and the Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance.”

For more information please visit: beaphar.com or kingbritish.co.uk