A NEW unique raw dog food company with a passion for what they do is opening in Maldon.

They Love It was founded in March 2013 by Richard Cranston alongside a poultry business which he had been running for 32 years.

In 2017, Richard closed down the poultry business and focused on the raw dog food company with wife Lucy.

In December of 2017 they opened an onsite shop at their DEFRA-approved factory on the Manor Trading Estate in Benfleet.

Maldon and Burnham Standard: Opening: owners Lucy and Richard inside their new Maldon shopOpening: owners Lucy and Richard inside their new Maldon shop (Image: Lucy Cranston)

The business owners believe that raw food is the only appropriate diet for dogs and cats, and aim to produce affordable products for customers.

In order to keep costs down, they keep their packaging to a minimum and make the majority of their products in their own factory.

After success with their first shop and online store which delivers to all of mainland UK, they decided to open a second shop in Heybridge at Galliford Road.

Maldon and Burnham Standard: Products: refrigerated products at the shopProducts: refrigerated products at the shop (Image: Lucy Cranston)

Director Lucy Cranston said: “We quickly outgrew our factory at Benfleet and started looking for a new suitable premises in 2019.

“This turned out to be a very long and difficult search to find somewhere for sale that was suitable for us.

“In March 2022 we found Unit 4, Galliford Road, which was the perfect location to open our second factory and shop which we finally got the keys to in December 2022.

“We spent just under a year turning an empty warehouse into a bespoke raw dog food production factory and shop to specifically suit our business.

Maldon and Burnham Standard: Items: toys and items for sale in the new shopItems: toys and items for sale in the new shop (Image: Lucy Cranston)

“Although the factory will not be complete and in working order until the end of January, we will finally be opening our new on site shop for business at 9am on Friday, December 1.

“We are extremely passionate about what we do and strongly believe that raw food is the only species-appropriate diet for our dogs and cats.”

The business offers a next-day delivery service to all of the mainland UK as well as a click and collect service from their Benfleet and Heybridge shops.