Talking trade

Talking Trade… with Lynne Hopwood

About Lynne

Lynne is a veteran in the pet trade industry, with over 20 years’ experience. She was once a Store Manager at Pets at Home, and is now the National Sales Manager at Su-Bridge Pet Supplies Ltd. With an unparalleled knowledge of the Specialist Pet Wholesale Industry, and a wide experience in frontline sales, Lynne’s versatile expertise makes her an industry leading Sales Manager with an uncompromising work ethic and understanding of the pet industry.

Tell us about Su-Bridge’s back story — how long has it been in the pet wholesale industry?

Su-Bridge Pets Supplies are a second-generation familyowned business based in Saham Toney, Norfolk.

From its humble beginnings as a boarding kennels, today it services its core customers in East Anglia and Suffolk from a fl eet of nine lorries. Over the last 10 years, we have attracted new customers from across the UK who are supported by a dedicated fi eld sales team and supplied by third party couriers on a next day or two-day delivery service. More recently, our fl eet has been extended to incorporate an 18-tonne lorry and a fl eet of vans covering the Midlands and the South East with a weekly delivery service. Su-bridge achieved a sales turnover of £44million in 2021.

Since Brian and Sheila Manning sourced and gifted Value Dog Mix in the 1970’s to all dogs through their boarding kennels, and then went on to supply local pet shops, Su-Bridge is now run by their son Ian. He has continued to manage the development and launch, with huge success, of a comprehensive range of wild bird food, small animal feed and bedding, pond food, natural dog treats, and toys under their Extra Select brand, and recently introduced a Nature Range, including Squirrel, Hedgehog, Swan, and Duck, in a variety of sizes which are proving to be very attractive to retailers.

To add to the own brand portfolio, in 2013, Su-Bridge developed and launched Lovejoys Pet Food, a UK-sourced and made premium range of hypoallergenic and grain free premium dog and cat food range, in both wet and dry feeding options. In 2017, the company introduced an extensive natural dog treat and feeding range under the Second Nature brand. In January 2022 — launched to the trade in full at PATS Sandown — there is now a range of Pure & Natural Dog treats available in prepacks or 1kg boxes for pick and mix retail options.

Su-Bridge provides a great range of products.

How big is the range of products you offer?

Su-Bridge caters for all pets, small animals, and ponds, and offer a comprehensive range of wild bird food and nature products for all our garden visitors.

In addition to our own brands of Extra Select, Lovejoys, Second Nature, and now Pure and Natural (which is 2000+ SKU), Su-Bridge are also exclusive UK distributors for International brands Ziwi, True Leaf, Farm Foods, Animonda , PLAY, Nobby, as well a UK brands I Am Natural, Poochiful, and Broadreach Nature. Like other distributors, we also supply all well-known pet brands from leading manufacturers such as Mars, Skinners, and Burns to Natures Menu, James and Steel, and Pet Munchies to name but a few. We can supply an extensive product portfolio of over 20,000 lines.

Su-Bridge are unique within the trade, and what sets us apart from our competitors is we do not have a banded price list as we recognise all retailers, pet shops, and country stores are unique so we offer instead a bespoke negotiated account pricing option (Every Day Low Price) so the retailer always gets the best price on what they actually buy. In addition to this, we also supply a two-monthly offer book sent direct to store which includes all manufacture agreed offers and transfer orders, as well as own brand and exclusive trade less offers and bulk pallet deals, so hopefully something for everyone.

How easy is it to open a Trade Account with Su-Bridge?

To open an account with Su-Bridge is easy, either through our website www.su-bridge.co.uk or through our telesales team or area sales managers.

We offer proforma or account terms, and confi rm delivery options available to customer location. For example, if delivered on our fl eet, the minimum order is £200. If it’s third-party courier delivery up to 30kg, the minimum order is £150 and pallet deliveries are £400 minimum order. This can be mixed and packed. (There are some postcode and product restrictions, see website for details.)

How important is your relationship with independent pet shop owners?

Su-Bridge Pet Supplies success is not only due to their extensive own brand portfolio, product innovation, and actively seeking new categories and ranges to put in front of their customers. Whereas a number of suppliers and leading food manufacturers no longer have representation, Su-Bridge know that the key to continued growth and success is to be in front of their customers and both the telesales and fi eld sales teams are dedicated in supporting and growing their customers’ businesses, having this year reorganised to deliver an improved service that ensured every territory has a dedicated sales manager for instore support and then telesales support for order processing or enquires. Su-Bridge also on their delivered fl eet carry in deliveries as part of our standard service for all stores, so no stock left on the pavement.

How have you found the industry over the last couple of years with the challenge of Brexit and Covid?

Su-Bridge, like everyone within the pet sector, found the impact of Covid to be hugely challenging. Fortunately, pet and animal feed were deemed priority and given key worker status so we were able to continue to trade. We had the impact of panic buying in the early days and the adjustment to changes within category sales. Supplier and factory closures led to restricted supply for some products, like mealworms and suet, and that was followed swiftly with supply issues from the Far East pushing lead time from 12 to 24 weeks and load after load increased shipping costs. Raw material supplies, like animal protein, became short in availability and we started to get multiple price increases notifi cations.

Post Covid and Brexit, the world is out of balance which unfortunately is going to be impacted further with the war in Ukraine. I don’t think anyone knows quite what is going to happen or when things will return to normal — if ever. What I do know is that Su-Bridge will focus on what we do best which is to support our customers and supply pet and wild bird food.

What sets you apart from other pet wholesalers?

Su-Bridge are family. Our service and customer support are key and it’s what drives us daily to deliver the best. Everyone within Su-Bridge, from production to e-commerce, purchasing to warehouse, goes the extra mile to do the best we can — that was evident over the last two years with Covid and the resulting supply issues. As a business, we are streamlined to be able to fl ex quickly and adapt to most circumstances or impacts so as to not let our customers down.

At Su-Bridge, we think outside the box and when faced with extended lockdown and restrictions continuing into 2021, we were the only wholesaler who embraced the virtual show concept and hosted a V Fair two-day show. The whole event was online with virtual and interactive manufacturer show booths and real supplier show offers for our customers. Having been isolated for over a year, this allowed them in a safe environment to check in, explore what’s new, and take advantage of some great offers.

Our USP is: We are Su-Bridge Pet Supplies — we offer great terms and pricing, fl exible delivery, special orders, own brand and exclusive products, staff and nutritional training across multiple brands, category, range and merchandising instore, and the experience and dedication to support our customers to continue to grow.

What are your aims and targets for the business in the next few years?

Su-Bridge has just fi nalised a business development plan to deliver continued growth over the next fi ve years and achieve £60million in sales. We are due to fi nish a £2million, on site pallet depot extension in May 2022 and install a state-of-the-art production unit for our prepack and bucket production. We have planned investment in key staff to ensure the continued, if not improved, level of service and invest in the continued expansion of our delivered fl eet.

In 2021, Su-Bridge were delighted to have been nominated and recognised as fi nalists for the Wholesaler of the Year in the PPM Retailer Recommended Awards. I know it’s an ambition of the whole Su-Bridge team to be recognised by their peers and customers for the service that they have delivered over the last 45 years and would consider winning Wholesaler of the Year as an absolute honour, but now we need their help in making that happen.

If you have any enquiries about Su-Bridge, please call Lynne Hopwood, National Sales Manager on 07500 905739. You can also visit su-bridge.co.uk