Mars Petcare

Fulfilling a 900% increase in orders for James Wellbeloved/Mars Petcare

Overview

Mars Petcare has been providing a jumbo menu of tasty pet food for many generations of four-legged friends.

Cupboards across the UK contain brands like Pedigree, Whiskas, Royal Canin and James Wellbeloved – all from Mars Petcare – and there are probably paw marks on the door!

Innovations in pet nutrition, veterinary care and technology makes Mars Petcare leaders of the pack. With a network of veterinary clinics and hospitals across the world, a strong presence as advocates for responsible pet ownership, and charity support for pet homelessness – they are considered by many to be best in show in the pet care industry.

James Wellbeloved is one of their newer pet food brands and Fullers Fulfilment is their chosen fulfilment partner.

Challenge

Pet ownership has increased dramatically since the global COVID pandemic hit in 2020, particularly in the 24–35-year-old age group. Research from Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association shows that over one third of young adults are now pet owners.

Their pampered pets might have social media accounts, wellness rituals, diet and fitness plans and wardrobes that would rival an A-list celebrity. The origin of the ingredients in their food is of great importance.

The James Wellbeloved range of cat, dog and ferret food from Mars Petcare is natural and free from added artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. That makes it a highly desirable choice for increasing numbers of health-conscious pet owners with a keen interest in their pet’s wellbeing.

Since the the James Wellbeloved range has grown in popularity, Mars Petcare has needed help to store, pick, pack and dispatch a booming number of orders, especially as many more consumers are ordering their pet care online.

Actions

Fullers’ slick onboarding process helped this division of Mars Petcare to get up and running within just two weeks.

That meant they wasted no time in capitalising on the major window of opportunity that increasing pet ownership has presented for businesses in the pet food industry.

• Systems experts from Fullers Fulfilment integrated James Wellbeloved’s eCommerce platform (Shopify) with our Warehouse Management System (WMS), so that all their customer orders can come directly to our Slough warehouse
• All orders received before 2pm are picked by our pet-mad team of fulfilment experts, packed in recyclable poly bags and dispatched the same day, via one of our trusted courier partners, DHL
• Every pallet is batch-numbered with an ID according to the ‘best before’ date, and subject to the regular quality checks required for pet food

A dedicated Account Manager is on hand for frequent catch ups and to respond to any ad-hoc fulfilment queries about orders, inventory etc.

Results

• Quality fulfilment processes and smart technology have supported a 900% increase in orders in under 18 months
• The Mars Petcare/James Wellbeloved brand has benefitted from our expert consultation on fulfilment efficiencies and our recommendations for environmentally friendly packaging
• A monthly KPI report gives Mars Petcare/James Wellbeloved strategic sales insights and full confidence in all aspects of quality control, offering peace of mind that they can pass on to customers and their animals