Nutribyte penetrates market

17 Aug 2021

Responsible dog breeding presents a clear-cut value chain that local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can tap into.

Good animal welfare is considered in terms of health principles being; good feeding, good health and appropriate behaviour, which reflect the animal’s underlying welfare needs.

Mr Sello Motseta,managing director of Mosotswana is one entrepreneur who has tapped into the opportunities  presented by the dog breeding value chain.

Speaking in an interview with BOPA recently, Mr Motseta,  who is South African Boerboel Breeders Society (SABBS) registered breeder, revealed that other than breeding dogs, he found business opportunity in distributing dog feeds.

Mr Motseta highlighted that experience showed that a growing puppy ideally needed dog food with a protein content of about 29 per cent.

Protein is critical because it works to supply the amino acids necessary for the dog’s body to build hair, skin, muscles, cartilage and ligaments, he said.

Mr Motseta said as part of his business diversification strategies he considered forging ties with South African dog and cat food manufacturing company, Nutribyte as an agent and sole distributor of the brand in Botswana.

Most retail brands in Botswana and around Africa use basic formulae often resulting in dogs suffering from inflamed skin, and increased scratching caused by imbalance in levels of Omega 3 and 6 along with insufficient levels of essential fatty acids like DHA and FPA, he said.

Mr Motseta expressed that the demand for premium dog food Nutribyte was consistent with international market trends, which showed both developing country and the wealthier nations experienced similar behavioral patterns in consumer tastes in highly competitive pet food market.

Meanwhile, BOPA reached out to  Nutribyte Pet Foods, managing director, Mr Marko Botha who explained that Nutribyte believed in using the best available raw materials with the best digestibility for pets.

Nutribyte focuses on using science along with very high quality raw materials to formulate, and make diets for each life stage, whilst considering the breed size and growth tempo, said he said. Mr Botha indicated that not all dog breeds were the same, thus it was important to formulate diets that could accommodate and support their growth and overall health.

“Nutribyte started in the late 2015 with only one recipe, Adult Maintenance. Six years later we can now offer our premium Genesis range with eight different diets for dogs and cats.

Our Super Premium range consists of Endurance and Mother Miracle. These products are free from wheat, gluten and corn,” he said.

Mr Botha added the Buddy Range product as one other type specifically focused to offer quality formulas at a more affordable price.

He said currently it only offered an Adult diet, but there was a plan to launch Puppy and Adult Cat diets in this range soon.

Mr Botha indicated that Nutribyte was fully registered for global export to numerous African countries including Botswana, Ghana, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola, and Swaziland.

“Nutribyte is very excited to grow the Botswana market and to make use of the Free Trade Area to encourage Intra-African Trade. It is very important for Nutribyte to grow business within Africa,” he said.

Dog breeder, Mr Eddie Phofedi  said ever since he started using Nutribyte, he did not buy excess meat to supplement the product he used to feed his dogs.

Mr Phofedi said the introduction of Nutribyte in local shops had made it convenient for dog owners and breeders as they no longer needed to travel across the border in search of the product.

He added that people looked for diets that would not just meet nutritional needs, but boost a pet’s health to avoid costly and numerous visits to the veterinary clinics.

In Botswana, Nutribyte is available at Sefalana stores around the country in Francistown (Hyper and Cash & Carry), Pilane, Gaborone (Mogoditshane, Setlhoa, Mogoditshane, G/West, and Broadhurst), Mahalapye, Kanye, Palapye, Lobatse, Serowe, Orapa, Maun Kazungula, Molepolole and Jwaneng. ends

Source : BOPA

Author : Marvin Motlhabane

Location : GABORONE

Event : Interview

Date : 17 Aug 2021