Wildlife supplies firm spreads it's wings and targets major growth

Background

Ark Wildlife is a Hitchin-based company that sells high-quality food, feeders and other products to attract, stimulate and nurture garden wildlife. The company was founded by Sean McMenemy, a landscape gardener who spotted a gap in the market after clients sought his advice on creating wildlife havens.

The Challenge

Initially growing steadily through word of mouth, Sean ran into problems during the Covid pandemic, with high levels of sickness affecting his workforce and isolation amplifying the day-to-day challenges of running a small retail business.

For help, he turned to our consortium partner, Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce, which put him in touch with Hertfordshire Growth Hub and the Get Growing 2 business programme. Through the programme, Sean was able to receive funded support from our expert advisers.

The Solution

Sean accessed professional training courses and worked closely with external consultants part-funded through the grant element of the Get Growing 2 programme. This enabled him to develop a fresh new brand for Ark Wildlife, which was more in line with the company’s values and customer ethos. The funded support also gave Sean the space to focus on key priorities and next steps, which led to the development of a detailed, four-year marketing strategy and implantation plan.

The Impact

The plan anticipates a 20-25% a year increase in turnover to around £10m and a substantial increase in full-time employees. Sean has already taken on one new employee and plans to add another three in the near term. The company has also outsourced some of its sales and logistics functions, creating efficiencies and further local employment opportunities.

Having a structured plan in place gives Sean and his team a clear roadmap for growth and the tools to measure performance.

Client Quote

“Get Growing 2 has provided a practical solution to problems that I was aware of but wasn’t sure how to address. Being able to claim financial support took away the element of risk which otherwise would have been too great.” Sean McMenemy, founder and Managing Director of Ark Wildlife