In 2021, PETstock established the Petspiration Group as the parent companyfor its leading network of pet care brands, products and services.

Pet Industry News recently caught up with David Young, Managing Director ofPetspiration Group to find out about the businesses evolution and what thefuture holds.

Pet Industry News: How has PETstock evolved since that first store openingback in 1991?

David Young: Our family-owned and Ballarat operated business PETstock wasfounded in regional Victoria in 1991 as Ballarat Produce, and in 2002 becamePETstock.

In 2021 following significant business changes and year-on-year companygrowth, PETstock established the Petspiration Group as the parent company forits leading network of pet care brands, products and services.

Today the Group is led by my brother Shane and I and has evolved to include200 stores across Australia and New Zealand, five distribution centres, 150grooming salons, 25 vet hospitals, three cat boarding facilities, 3,000employees and includes 20 brands in the pet, hobby farm, veterinary andspecialty sectors. The Petspiration Group also distributes through a number ofowned and affiliated e-commerce platforms in Australia and New Zealand.

Pets bring us together and make us better people. The Petspiration Group iscommitted to growing the business in 2022 and beyond by leading with our corepurpose of ‘Coming together for the pets that inspire us’.

Our values are strongly centred around pets, people and the planet, Shane andI remain confident we can build a stronger and more sustainable pet carecommunity with a diverse portfolio of retailers, products, and services, inAustralia, New Zealand and beyond.

PIN: How does it feel to have now opened your 200 th PETstock store?

Young: This month we are excited to announce the opening of our 200thstore, which is to become our fourth retail store in our hometown of Ballarat,Victoria.

It made sense to open PETstock’s 200th store back where it all began andlooking back at the past three decades, it’s no surprise that we’ve been ableto open 200 stores thanks to our network of valued PETstock people that worktirelessly to care for furry, feathery, or scaly pets across the country. As afamily-owned and operated business, we wanted to celebrate our humblebeginnings and create another space where we could cater and care for Ballaratpets and their owners.

PIN: What’s the philosophy at The Petspiration Group and how does it differfrom its competitors?

Young: Built on family values and a passion for pets, Shane and I are bothproud of the culture of the organisation which is focused on treating itscustomers, pets, employees, and partners like family.

A key motivation for the establishment of the Petspiration Group parent brandwas to ensure all employees, no matter which brand they worked for, feel theybelong and can benefit from the career and business opportunities of theGroup.

As leaders in pet care, we know that we offer the best quality pet careproducts, services, and advice to all our customers, and help to make adifference to the lives of those supported by animals through our charityorganisation, The Petspiration Foundation (formally PETstock Assist).

The Petspiration Group is committed to supporting the needs of pet owners byoffering a market-leading ecosystem of pet care products and services,delivered by an exceptional team of talented staff.

Our point of difference to competitors is that the Group’s success is foundedin the care, commitment and culture that is modelled and lived by the entireorganisation. It is a truly purpose-led organisation focused on people, theirpets, and the planet.

What’s next for the Petspiration Group?

Young: The year ahead for the Petspiration Group is looking extremelypromising as we continue to be committed to providing the best in pet care.The work that we do within our stores, ‘best in the breed’ vet hospitals, andgrooming salons is what we do best, and we’ll continue to do that.

In recent years, the Petspiration Group has made several successfulacquisitions such as the Animal Tuckerbox business in Tasmania and Caribu, aleading Australian equine product brand. Shane and I are proud to becustodians of these brands and are focused on bringing together the best ofthese businesses with their industry knowledge and expertise. The company willcontinue showcasing new and existing products via its exclusives, privatelabel, and seasonal offerings.

We recently launched PETstock Country, where we also service the hobby farmeras well as domestic animals. There are three PETstock Country stores open nowwith more to follow.

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Tagged: Petspiration Group, PETstock

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