A dog-lover who struggled to find good quality treats for his own canine companions has turned his poochy passion into a thriving business.
Natural dog food treats outlet K9 Deli has been a popular sight at the Findhorn Bridge for a couple of years. Kenny Beaton worked from a converted horsebox in the car park of 42HQ when the cafe was open and stayed when the cafe closed down in the wake of the pandemic
Now Kenny has moved into the former cafe and says he is now one of the largest suppliers of natural dog treats in the north of Scotland.
Kenny explained: “Nowadays people are more aware of what they feed their dogs and the natural treats are what people want due to the health benefits naturally found in them.
Natural dog treats
“They are slowly dried so they maintain and lock in all the goodness and essential oils needed for a healthy pup. Natural Treats help with mental and physical stimulation, dental care, skin and coat care, joint aid, gut digestion and so much more.
“At K9 Deli we sell premium quality natural dog treats, kibble, raw food, supplements and anything else dog related that people want. We offer one of the largest selections of natural treats in the north of Scotland, so there is a wide range for our customers to choose from.
“It started in 2019 when I struggled to find good quality natural treats for my dogs locally, so I did plenty of digging, searching for the right products, then people wanted to buy them from me. From there I started going around the shows to get my name out there.”
Kenny has just taken delivery of new freezers and has started stocking raw dog food and treats.
Kenny said he chose to set up at Findhorn Bridge as customers had become familiar with his branded horsebox outlet.
“We used to be there on a Saturday with our converted horsebox for about a year selling a small selection of treats,” he said.
“Our customer base grew so much that we had to expand and decided to open a shop in the same location, it was a no-brainer.
“We have had a great response from our customers, excellent reviews on Facebook, Instagram and our website. We have customers coming from all over the north of Scotland and we also post orders UK wide.”
Four new businesses
He added that the presence of other businesses at the location has made it more of a reason for people to stop. The site lay empty after the Bervie Chipper closed down, but was revived by local businessman as 42HQ. Following a lengthy closure during lockdown, 42HQ closed and was split into two units, the other now being occupied by Route 96, a takeaway specialising in wood-fired pizza.
Housby Motors (Kinloss Garage), also has a car lot and there’s a new mobile snack vendor called Because of Coffee, which also operates from the car park.
“I think with the three businesses working together, we can all benefit from local and passing trade, making it a place for people to come and walk their dogs by the river, buy some treats, have a coffee and grab a pizza for the way home.”