Dorset-based artisan ice cream maker, Baboo Gelato, the manufacturers of frozen dog treat, Doggy Doggy Yum Yum are celebrating this week as they receive their trophy for winning the Best Pet Treat for 2024 in the Pet Industry Federation (PIF) Awards which were recently held at a glittering presentation evening at the Double Tree Hotel by Hilton, Stoke-on-Trent.
Considered to be the Oscars of the Pet Industry, The PIF Awards attract the very best businesses and products in the pet industry from all across the world with the Best Pet Treat, being one of the most hotly contested categories. The PIF provides training, networking and business support services for its members and the PIF Awards are among a number of events that they hold each year.
Doggy Doggy Yum Yum is already a multi-award winner having won Silver in the PetQuip Awards in 2022 for its original recipe, and won Best New Product in the Pedigree Wholesale Awards. Pedigree Wholesale Ltd. is their major distributor to the pet trade. The treat is also stocked by a long list of dog friendly cafes, restaurants, hotels, tourist attractions and pubs as well as leading pet shops across the UK. The frozen treat is now manufactured in-house in new purpose-built premises at the company’s Dorset base near Rampisham.
Made with 100% peanut butter (with no xylitol) and bananas which dogs find hard to resist, this frozen treat uses coconut milk instead of dairy so it is kinder to dogs’ tummies. The winning new recipe also includes organic agave syrup (rather than refined sugars), Keepers Mix® Sensitive (0.25%) from herbal pet supplement company Dorwest and vegetable fibre.
If given as an occasional treat after a long walk in the countryside, the park or on the beach this tasty treat is perfect way to reward your dog. Doggy Doggy contains no artificial flavourings, colours or refined sugars. The new ingredient change means that any ‘ultra processed food’ emulsifiers or stabilisers from the product have been removed which the manufacturers are extremely proud of and is something that other dog ice cream manufacturers have not achieved.
Baboo Gelato was started by husband and wife team, Sam and Annie Hanbury after they moved to Bridport, Dorset in 2012 and purchased a house with an overflowing garden and orchard. Inspired by their fruit, Annie went to Bologna to train as a professional gelatiere, before setting up a small artisanal manufacturing kitchen.
They opened their first kiosk in West Bay Dorset and were overwhelmed by the wonderful response from the community. Local restaurants and pubs then wanted their product; other kiosks wanted to rebrand to carry Baboo Gelato and shops wanted them to make ice cream in tubs. They have now added kiosks in Lyme Regis, Weymouth and Swanage. The passion for the business lies in their use of quality ingredients, sourced locally where possible and not using flavourings, colours or pastes in the manufacture of their ice cream.
Sam Hanbury says: “Much of our sales come from our kiosks which help us to know exactly what customers want. This is how Doggy Doggy Yum Yum came about. We found that people were buying ice cream for their dogs, and we were concerned that dogs are lactose intolerant. We experimented with different ingredients, before creating an entirely lactose-free, emulsifier-free, stabiliser-free product.
“We are finding limitless demand during the summer not just from obvious pet retailers and specialist dog friendly places, but from ordinary cafés, pubs, restaurants, and tourist destinations. It just seems that most savvy people involved in Food & Drink want some of the poochie pound and we can help with a classy product, well supported with point of sale which includes, stickers, leaflets, posters and an A-frame sign which comes complete with space to put a dog bowl underneath it.”
Baboo Gelato has also given something back to the community through the sales of Doggy Doggy Yum Yum by donating 5p from every tub sold of the frozen treat to the Dogs for Good charity. Dogs for Good train dogs to help people affected by disability, dementia, autism, other conditions and mental-health challenges to live happier, healthier and more independent lives. These are dogs that open doors, that connect people and bring families together. Dogs that help make everyday life possible in so many ways. Their donations have already helped to put a new puppy through its training to become an assistance dog.
Commenting at their success at the PIF Awards Sam Hanbury said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this honour from the PIF. A big thank you to Su-Bridge who sponsored the award, our distributor Pedigree Wholesale and all our suppliers, employees and customers who have helped to make Doggy Doggy Yum Yum such a success.”
