Success in a niche

In 1994, licensed veterinarian Dr. Mary Burns became very frustrated with the behaviour of one of her cats that would only drink water from a dripping faucet. As a veterinarian, she was well aware of the importance of sufficient water intake in cats to maintain a healthy kidney and urinary tract function. Low water intake will make a cat’s urine more concentrated than normal and create an environment where bladder crystal formation becomes more likely. This can lead to urinary tract obstruction and the infamous and potentially fatal Feline Urinary Syndrome. Based on this, Dr. Burns created her first prototype pet fountain and simultaneously established a new niche market in the pet industry. In 1996, Dr. Burns decided to market the pet fountain and founded Veterinary Ventures Inc. (VVI). In 2001, the company experienced such rapid growth that the needs of VVI had grown beyond Dr. Burns’ ability to successfully manage the company herself, and in 2002 she relinquished the company to Northstar Investors and Meridian Business Advisors. At this time, Sean Rowe, who worked as the consultant for Dr. Burns in the early years of the company, took charge of operations. He became the managing director and principal of Veterinary Ventures Inc., a role that he still occupies today. The company sells its products in the USA and several foreign markets. VVI has distributors for the United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium, Holland, France, the Czech Republic, Scandinavia, Germany, Australia, Italy, Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada, Japan and the United Arab Emirates. Its main export markets are UK, Germany and Japan. The products The success of the product and impressive sales growth over the years led to the redesign of the “Drinkwell” Pet Fountain, resulting in the addition of several new features: - The Drinkwell Original Pet Fountain was launched in 1999. Holding 50 ounces of water, it has a 5-inch falling stream of water that continually aerates the pet’s water with healthful oxygen. A charcoal filter also removes bad tastes and odours, giving the pet the best possible and most appealing way to stay hydrated. - The Drinkwell Big-Dog Pet Fountain was released in 2004. According to VVI, it holds well over two gallons of water (288 oz) with its integral reservoir and is perfect for multiple pet households. The Big-Dog Fountain has a 5-inch deep bowl to prevent splashing and spills while your dog drinks and features a filter that helps inhibit bacteria growth and reduce saliva…