54 August 2012 BTM Most successful business ideas seek to address a need or a problem. For Ahmed Al Sharaf, the idea stemmed from loss. Tunica was a top notch showdog he had brought from France. At seven, the Doberman developed a cancerous tumour that grew out of control within weeks; she died on the vet’s surgery table. It was months before Ahmed could pass by his vet’s office again. Soon, he launched a quest for answers into Tunica’s illness. “Dogs are not exposed to many health risks inside a house or in a garden. I realised the exposure came mainly from food,” he says. What Ahmed says he eventually discovered will come as chilling information to any animal lover. “The pet food industry is a US$11 billion business worldwide; but, unregulated operations in countries such as China mean pets can be fed processed garbage that would otherwise end up in a landfill,” he says. “This includes unwanted meats from sources that could include road kill, rotten meat from supermarkets, dead and diseased farm animals and even euthanised pets from vet clinics. The last charge was established by a group which found sodium pentobarbital in processed dogfood; the chemical is commonly used in commercial animal euthanasia injections.” Taking a leap of faith in 2010, Ahmed quit his job with a leading telecom company to launch his own pet food brand, Tails, with business partner Najat. He’d been making pet food at home for months and found his dogs responding well to the changed diet. Having consulted nutritionists in the United States and Australia before setting the menu, Najat believes they provide a balanced diet for pets, be it dogs or cats. Dog meals involve processing boiled chicken or beef with cereals and vegetables such as broccoli, pumpkin, carrots, apples and green peppers to add essential vitamins and amino acids. Also available are gluten-free meals where grain is substituted with sweet potatoes. Cat food has different components as they are "obligate carnivores" and, therefore, do not require carbohydrates. “All our meals are preservative- and chemical-free and keep for nine months in a freezer. We’re presently in talks with leading supermarket chains in Bahrain for distribution tie-ups,” she says. Operating primarily through home delivery at present, the couple realise they need to build the brand further if they are to expand outside Bahrain. “We’re in the process of trade-marking the brand. With interest from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait, we’re working on the details now and hope to start exports in early 2013,” says Ahmed. The couple can often be seen at the weekend markets on Amwaj Islands and at Durrat Al Bahrain; they have also participated in the animal production show and the GCC Future Entrepreneurs Forum to heighten the brand’s visibility. “We’re also active on the social media scene, uploading events and promotions on Facebook and Twitter on a regular basis,” says Najat, who handles customer relations. A seasoned clicker trainer (animal behaviourist), Ahmed also offers counselling and training to pet owners, besides disseminating articles on pet care. Simi Kamboj The images on the can look tempting and the labels promise ‘gourmet’; but who really knows what we’re feeding our pets? businessentrepreneur Pet Food Conundrum xxxxx Unregulated operations mean pets can be fed processed garbage that would otherwise end up in a landfill Najat and Ahmed
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