Elland pet food manufacturer expands with new chief financial officer appointment

The Elland-based firm, which manufactures natural pet treats for customers including Pets at Home and Jollyes and hundreds of independent retailers, has recruited Peter Harrison to head up its finance department.

The appointment follows a £1.75m investment Sniffers secured last September from the Yorkshire-based private equity house Traditum to support the rollout of new brands and product ranges, as well as invest in manufacturing and distribution roles at its site in Elland.

Peter brings with him over 15 years of FMCG and manufacturing industry experience, having held senior positions with Morrisons, Asda and Victoria Plum. He joins from Aviva Bus where he was head of commercial finance. His experience of both Plc retail and private equity backed firms will play a crucial role in scaling Sniffers and its own recently launched natural dog food brand, NAW.

His responsibilities at Sniffers will include strategic and financial planning, working across all areas of the business to provide financial and commercial support to help Sniffers build on its established position and continue its growth.

Speaking about his appointment to chief financial officer, Peter said: "After spending several years in large corporations, I am excited to apply my knowledge and expertise in food retail to a high growth, PE-backed SME once again.

“The UK pet food sector is an exciting place to be right now, and Sniffers is ideally placed to achieve significant growth and deliver new product propositions.

"Our newly launched NAW brand, offers all-natural, no additives, and recyclable dog treats and aligns perfectly with the needs of the market, and I am eager to contribute to its success."

Simon Brown, the CEO of Sniffers Pet Care, added: "We are thrilled to welcome Peter on board as our new chief financial officer. With the calibre of his financial and commercial experience, coupled with his deep understanding of the FMCG and retail industry, we believe he will help us propel forward our vision for Sniffers to become one of the UK’s leading natural pet treat manufacturers."