ROSYTH, EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND — Bella & Duke, a Scottish subscription-based raw pet food brand, announced an important leadership change on January 23. James Sturrock has joined the company as chief executive officer, replacing Mark Scott, former CEO and co-founder , who will move into a non-executive director role, according to the company.
“Since Bella & Duke with Tony [Ottley] in 2016, it has been a long but incredibly rewarding experience to see our vision grow year after year, and I will still be involved in the business,” said Scott. “As a purpose-driven business, which has an incredible team and loyal community, it’s really important to us to protect that, which is why James is the perfect choice with his great experience and customer centric approach. It’s an incredibly exciting time for the business, and I’m delighted to welcome James to Bella and Duke as we embark on our next chapter.
According to Bella & Duke, the company will provide more than 15 million meals to pet owners across the United Kingdom in 2023. In the coming year, the brand hopes to build its customer base and continue to educate consumers on the benefits of raw feeding.
Sturrock comes to Bella & Duke from Tapi Carpets & Floors, where he led significant growth and digital transformation, according to Bella & Duke. He brings previous experience with growing disruptor brands, including Moonpig and Eve Sleep.
“Joining Bella and Duke and taking on the role of chief executive is a privilege and incredibly exciting,” said Sturrock. “It has been great to witness the company’s growth over the past seven years… and my role will focus on building on this momentum.
“When I started my Spaniel on Bella and Duke and saw the health improvements, I was excited to get the message out to other pet owners about the benefits of raw nutrition, attracting new customer in the category, and building on our incredibly loyal community,” he added. “I’ve always been an advocate of finding improved solutions to consumer problems, so joining Bella & Duke to educate those with -pet owner on the benefits of raw feeding and changing perspectives seemed like a perfect fit.”
Since its founding in 2016, Bella & Duke has grown from a two-person team to over 133 employees. The brand has many accolades, including being listed among the Most Ambitious Business Leaders in the United Kingdom by the 2023 LDC Top 50 List, as well as earning the title of Manufacturer of the Year 2023 from the Pet Industry Federation Awards.
The company manufactures a range of raw dog food, raw cat food, and natural dog and cat treats made from human-grade ingredients in the United Kingdom.
Read more about personnel changes throughout the industry.
