Food fit for a future king ... but it’s really a dog’s dinner
THERE was a time when Fido would make do with a bone, some leftovers or – if it was really lucky – a tin of pet food for dinner.
But the family dog has developed a taste for the finer things in life, it appears, as Britain’s pets increasingly enjoy food fit for a future king.
Now Lily’s Kitchen, an organic, ecofriendly pet food company, has been granted a Royal Warrant by the Prince of Wales.
The company, which specialises in creating pet food from steamed vegetables and top cuts of meat, was yesterday unveiled as the latest recipient of a Warrant, after the Prince and Duchess of Cornwall used its products to feed rescue dogs Beth and Bluebell for the last five years.
Founded a decade ago, in a home kitchen, the business is now estimated to be worth £50 million, with 30 per cent growth in the last year.
Its success reflects a trend for British dog owners to treat their pet as one of the family, feeding them just as carefully as the humans in the house.
Henrietta Morrison, the company’s founder, said all dogs deserve proper food, not just the royal ones. “We’re absolutely delighted to have that recognition that we’re working to a higher standard”.
A spokesman for the company noted that “the market is seeing significant growth in the premium natural pet food market”.
This echoes a countrywide trend, with a study published by Mintel reporting that the total value sales of cat and dog food grew by 13.2 per cent over 2013-18 to an estimated £2.7 billion.
“The ongoing premiumisation of pet food has pushed up average prices above inflation,” the report found.
The Royal Family is known for its love of dogs, from the Queen’s corgis and dorgis to the Cambridge’s dog Lupo and the Duchess of Sussex’s beagle Guy. When Beth and Bluebell were adopted from Battersea Dogs Home by the Duchess of Cornwall, she joked they had “landed on their paws” in their comfortable new lives.
Since 1996, dry and wet dog food manufacturer Judge’s Choice has held the Royal Warrant for the supply of pet food to the Queen.
While other food is described simply as “lamb” or “chicken and tripe”, Lily’s Kitchen’s offerings include “fishy fish pie with peas” and “venison and wild boar terrine”.
The brand is noticeably in line with the Prince’s fundamental beliefs, extending his penchant for sustainable, organic produce to the family pets.