Start-up Sniffe & Likkit has launched a range of premium dog grooming products designed to capitalise on the on-going humanisation of pets and the Petcare category’s continued growth. The range has already scooped Health & Grooming ‘Product of the Year’ from PetQuip – the international trade association of pet equipment manufacturers.
Set up by two Soap & Glory veterans, the range takes inspiration from the fine fragrance and personal care categories. This includes the notion of ‘masstige’ (prestige quality at affordable prices), which is a major growth driver in beauty and men’s grooming, but not yet seen in petcare.
Well-being is at the heart of the firm’s approach, with its luxurious shampoos, fragrances, balms and wipes based on all-natural aromatherapy oil scent and a focus on natural ingredients – specially formulated to be pH-balanced for dogs’ skin.
The ‘Hound Pound’ in the UK is booming and will be worth £1.1bn by 2021, with 300,000 homes a year acquiring a new dog and a third of Brits now owning one. Within 3-5 years, it’s estimated that the UK dog population will have grown by 1.5m to 10m (source: Mintel, October 2018 and Euromonitor, 2019). This boom has been accelerated by two COVID-19 factors – firstly, during Lockdown, pet stores were classed as ‘essential’ and therefore one of few retail outlets that people could still visit. Then, with people spending much more time at home, pet ownership soared as they sought companionship (or an excuse for a daily walk).
Sniffe & Likkit’s signature scent ‘Woodland Wonderfur’ was created by pet aromatherapists using high grade essential oils – renowned for their calming and soothing qualities. Containing a unique blend of cedarwood, vetiver, petitgrain, juniper berry and ho leaf, the scent imparts a woodland aroma (‘fougere’ in fine fragrance circles) that appeals to both hounds and humans – and which helps calm dogs when washing and grooming. Highly efficacious, the multitasking formulas deliver high-quality grooming results at home or on the move.
Working hand in hand with the scent is what the firm calls a ‘powerhouse blend’ of actives and botanicals – including organic aloe vera leaf juice, quillaja soap bark and white willow bark extracts – formulated to deliver optimum fur and skin care benefits. Products include ‘No Rinse Charming’, a dry shampoo perfect for a speedy spruce-up (£14.00 RRP/90g) and ‘Give A Dog Cologne’, a fine fragrance with natural essential oils, conditioning agents and botanicals designed to refresh fur fast (£14.00/125ml). Completing the launch line-up are ‘Fab Paw’ a naturally conditioning and soothing protection balm (£14.00/75g), Fragrant Fur Coat, a 3-in-1 brightening and conditioning shampoo (£14.00/250ml) and ‘Wippets’, individually packed cleansing wipes that are perfect to grab and go (£7.00/10 sachets).
Lee Sargent, MD and ‘Head Human’ at Sniffe & Likkit, said: “We’ve put ourselves at the heart of the British pet-boom to really unleash the opportunity in the premium petcare category. With 67% of ‘pet parents’ willing to pay more for better quality, more natural, products (Source: Euromonitor, 2018), our range appeals to those who treat their dog like one of the family. And for them, we bring an innovative, fresh take on familiar product categories.”
Each Sniffe & Likkit product is vegan-friendly and presented in striking yet practical silver aluminium packaging (recyclable/reusable) and easy to use tubes. The range is available at Ocado, Fetch.com and independent pet shops around the country, plus via sniffeandlikkit.com and @sniffeandlikkit
Trade stockists: Pedigree Wholesale or hello@sniffeandlikkit.com
