Dragons’ Den winner from Much Wenlock celebrates major supermarket listing for flourishing dog smoothie brand
The Shropshire-based entrepreneur behind a Dragons’ Den pitch for a first-to-market smoothie hydration drink for dogs has revealed major expansion plans for its growing brand.
Furr Boost, the brainchild of food technologist Louise Toal, was showcased on the BBC show last March and attracted investment from dragon Tuka Solomon.
Turnover initially doubled and building on its wider exposure the product has now launched into 250 Sainsbury’s stores nationwide, bringing three of its most popular flavours - chicken, beef, and salmon - to the supermarket’s pet aisle.
Louise, who lives in Much Wenlock, was inspired to create the protein smoothies after her own beagle Phoebe fell ill at 18 months old.
Keen to support her dog’s hydration and overall wellbeing, she researched and created a drink formulated to support eight key pillars of dog health, including digestion, gut motility, metabolism, anxiety, appetite, immunity, skin, coat, and hydration.
The formula had a positive effect on Phoebe’s health and it inspired Louise to scale up her formula to help other health-conscious pet owners seeking functional, natural options for their dogs.
The Sainsbury’s listing represents a major step forward for the business and gives consumers access to functional pet products as part of their weekly shop or impulse top-up.
Louise said: “Like all dog owners, I love my dog dearly and would do anything for her. I wanted to help support Phoebe when she fell ill and drew on my professional nutrition experience.
“It was fantastic to tell our story on Dragon’s Den and it gave us some great visibility and opportunities in the veterinary wholesale sector and pet stores. But our ultimate aim was always to try to enter the grocery sector and expose the brand to the widest possible audience.
“We’re incredibly proud to be stocked in Sainsbury’s, this is a huge moment for us as we expand.”
In addition to the Sainsbury’s launch, Louise has masterminded new-look packaging to make the brand stand out even more in the supermarket pet aisle.
Louise added: “We’re staying true to our values, while making it easier for customers to understand what we do and why it matters, whether they’re shopping in-store or online.”
The refreshed look reflects the brand’s evolution, delivering a cleaner, more confident visual identity, making the product easier to shop for in retail environments, according to Louise.
While the new design has not yet launched into Sainsbury’s, it is now live across other retail and online channels, with a phased rollout planned through the end of the year as existing stock sells through.
A standout feature of the new packaging is the introduction of a 2D barcode, which acts as a digital passport powered by BuyerDock.
The platform translates all on-pack content into 84 languages, supporting the brand’s international ambitions and meeting the regulatory compliance for 2D barcodes by 2027.
Consumers can scan the code to access ingredient origins, veterinary insights, feeding guidance, and the story behind the brand.
