Gilbertson & Page

What Gilbertson & Page does

Gilbertson & Page is a UK family-owned pet food manufacturer based in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, producing complete dry foods for dogs, cats and ferrets. Founded in 1873 and operating continuously for over 150 years, the company is one of the longest-established pet food makers in Britain and has held a Royal Warrant since 1884 and ISO 9001:2000 accreditation since 2000. Its product portfolio is organised under three sub-brands: Dr John (a premium range covering hypoallergenic, grain-free, puppy, senior, performance, and ferret formulas); Arkwrights (complete dry foods for adult working and sporting dogs with beef, chicken, sensitive and sporting variants); and Gilpa (value-oriented dry dog food including Gilpa Kennel for large breeds, Gilpa Super Mix, and Gilpa Umami cat food).

Underlying technology is nutritional rather than digital: proprietary kibble formulations incorporating protein sources at 18–24%, joint-support ingredients such as New Zealand green-lipped mussel extract, prebiotics (FOS) for digestion, and life-stage-specific nutrient balances, packaged in recyclable packaging without added artificial colours, flavours or sugars. The company sells directly to consumers through a WooCommerce-powered storefront at gilpa.co.uk with Stripe payment processing, and indirectly through a UK network of physical stockists and third-party online resellers. Marketing combines content on the website, organic social on Facebook and Instagram, email newsletters, and event presence at shows such as Crufts, supported in 2026 by a partnership with farmer-broadcaster Adam Henson promoting the Dr John hypoallergenic line.

The business model is straightforward: unit-priced, pay-as-you-go kibble sales in 4kg and 15kg packs, shipped UK-wide with delivery restrictions to the Scottish Highlands and offshore islands. The customer base is predominantly UK pet owners segmented by use case (working dogs, dogs with dietary sensitivities, life-stage nutrition, and cats/ferrets), with no enterprise B2B contracts and no disclosed revenue or fundraising. Pricing is positioned as competitive within the mid-tier UK kibble market.

Name

Gilbertson & Page

Legal name

Gilbertson & Page Limited

Website

https://gilpa.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1873

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Gilbertson & Page is a UK family-owned pet food manufacturer founded in 1873, producing dry dog, cat and ferret food under the Dr John, Arkwrights and Gilpa brands for UK consumers via e-commerce, physical stockists, and online resellers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pet Food Manufacturing

NAICS

Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing (311111), Other Animal Food Manufacturing (311119)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFADAFAA

Dry Pet Food (Kibble)

Agriculture & Food Production/Animal Feed Manufacturing/Pet Food & Specialty Companion Animal Feed

SECONDARYCRADAFAF

Functional & Veterinary Diet Pet Food

Consumer Products & Retail/Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) Manufacturing & Brands/Pet Food & Treats

SECONDARYAFADAFAI

Specialty Small Animal Feed (Rabbits, Guinea Pigs, Ferrets, etc.)

Agriculture & Food Production/Animal Feed Manufacturing/Pet Food & Specialty Companion Animal Feed

Keywords

• Pet food manufacturing
• Dry dog food
• Hypoallergenic pet food
• Working dog nutrition
• Complete pet food

Headquarters

HQ city

Welwyn Garden City

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Pet Food Sales: Primary revenue from manufacturing and selling dry dog, cat, and ferret food through direct online sales and retail stockists. Products are sold in various sizes and formulations across three main brands: Dr John, Gilpa, and Arkwrights.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Gilbertson & Page manufactures complete dry pet food for dogs, cats, and ferrets under three branded ranges (Dr. John, Gilpa, and Arkwrights) in pack sizes from 4kg to 15kg. The product portfolio spans life-stage formulas (puppy, adult, senior), hypoallergenic and grain-free diets, performance and working-dog formulas (with NZ green-lipped mussel for joint support), and value-oriented family recipes, distributed via direct e-commerce at gilpa.co.uk and a network of UK physical and online stockists.

Product overview

Gilbertson & Page Ltd is a UK-based family pet food manufacturing company operating since 1873, producing premium and value-oriented complete foods for dogs, cats, and ferrets. The company operates three main product sub-brands: (1) Dr. John — a comprehensive range including hypoallergenic formulas (Duck & Salmon, Lamb & Rice, Chicken & Oats, Activ performance formula), grain-free options, puppy food, senior/maintenance formulas, and ferret food; (2) Arkwrights — complete dry foods for adult working and sporting dogs with beef, chicken, sensitive, and sporting variants; and (3) Gilpa — the original brand launched in 1975 (as Gilpa Valu Mix) offering value-oriented dog foods including Gilpa Kennel for large/giant breeds, Gilpa Super Mix, and Gilpa Umami cat food. Products are manufactured in the UK with locally sourced ingredients where possible, feature recyclable packaging, and carry no added artificial colours, flavours, or sugars as standard. The company was awarded the Royal Warrant in 1884 and holds ISO 9001:2000 accreditation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dr John: Premium dog food range including hypoallergenic, puppy, silver, gold, titanium, and grain-free options for working and sporting dogs.
• Arkwrights
• Gilpa

Products and services

• Dr. John dog food range Premium sub-brand of complete dry dog and ferret foods from Gilbertson & Page, offering hypoallergenic formulas (Chicken with Oats, Lamb with Rice, Duck and Salmon, Activ performance), grain-free chicken and potato, puppy chicken recipe, senior Silver (low-fat) and Gold (chicken with vegetables and gravy), Titanium performance with NZ green-lipped mussel, Flake chunky with chicken, and Merlin complete ferret food. Targeted at owners of working, sporting, and dogs with specific dietary needs.
• Arkwrights dog food range Sub-brand of complete dry dog foods for adult working and sporting dogs. Includes Arkwrights Complete Beef (18% protein, 10% beef, wholegrain cereals), Complete Chicken, Sensitive Complete Extra Chicken (wheat-free, FOS prebiotic, 22% protein for sensitive stomachs), and Sporting Complete Extra Beef (24% protein for high-energy active dogs). Targeted at budget-conscious owners of working and sporting dogs in the UK.
• Gilpa dog and cat food range The original Gilbertson & Page value-oriented sub-brand. Includes Gilpa Kennel (formulated for large and giant breed dogs with larger biscuit pieces, higher bone and joint complex, and NZ green-lipped mussel), Gilpa Super Mix (the evolution of the original 1975 Gilpa Valu Mix), and Gilpa Umami complete cat food. Targeted at price-sensitive UK pet owners of dogs (including large breeds) and cats.
• Arkwrights Complete Beef Complete dry dog food for all adult working and sporting dogs: 18% protein, 7% fat, 10% beef, wholegrain cereals for slow energy release, no added artificial colours/flavours/sugars. Available in 15kg or 4kg packs at £25.96 (15kg) or £6.49 (4kg / 4 x 4kg).
• Arkwrights Sensitive Complete Extra Chicken Dry dog food for adult and senior dogs with sensitive stomachs: wheat-free recipe with FOS prebiotics for digestion, 22% protein, 10% fat, 14% extra chicken, wholegrain cereals. Available in 15kg packs at £19.99.
• Arkwrights Sporting Complete Extra Beef Balanced dry dog food for adult working and sporting dogs requiring high energy: 24% protein, 10% fat, 14% beef, wholegrain cereals, crunchy bite-sized kibble for active lifestyles. Pricing on request.
• Dr. John Titanium Chicken with Vegetables High-performance dog food for junior and adult working dogs, with New Zealand green-lipped mussel extract for joint and cartilage support (omega-3 EPA, DHA, ETA and glycosaminoglycans).
• Dr. John Puppy chicken recipe Puppy food for optimum growth and development, with omega-3 fatty acids, balanced bone minerals, and DHA for neural and brain development.
• Dr. John Grain-Free Chicken and Potato with Vegetables and Gravy Grain-free dry dog food for dogs with digestive issues or grain sensitivities, made with chicken and potato.
• Dr. John Hypoallergenic Chicken with Oats Hypoallergenic dry dog food with chicken and oats, formulated for dogs with sensitive stomachs and dietary sensitivities.
• Dr. John Hypoallergenic Lamb with Rice and Vegetables Hypoallergenic dry dog food with lamb, rice, and vegetables for dogs with food sensitivities.
• Dr. John Hypoallergenic Duck and Salmon Hypoallergenic dry dog food with duck and salmon for dogs requiring limited ingredient diets.
• Dr. John Hypoallergenic Activ Performance dry dog food for highly active dogs including sled dogs and greyhounds, optimized for nutritional requirements during intense activity and including joint support ingredients.
• Dr. John Silver Chicken with Vegetables Senior/maintenance dry dog food with lower fat content (below 10%) for older dogs or dogs prone to weight gain, also suitable for dogs with pancreatitis. Chicken with vegetables formula.
• Dr. John Silver with Beef and Vegetables Senior/maintenance dry dog food with lower fat content (below 10%) for older dogs. Beef with vegetables formula.
• Dr. John Gold rich in Chicken with Vegetables and Gravy Premium adult dry dog food rich in chicken with vegetables and gravy for adult dogs.
• Dr. John Flake with Chicken Chunky flake dry dog food with chicken for dogs preferring textured food.
• Dr. John Merlin Ferret Food Complete dry ferret food with non-oblong kibble shape specifically designed for ferret digestion and balanced high-quality protein and fat for ferret nutritional requirements.
• Gilpa Kennel Dry dog food specifically formulated for large and giant breed dogs, with larger biscuit pieces to suit larger mouths, higher bone and joint complex to support the skeleton, beneficial herbs, and NZ green-lipped mussel extract for joint health.
• Gilpa Super Mix Value-oriented complete dry dog food and the modern evolution of the original Gilpa Valu Mix launched in 1975, offering quality complete nutrition at competitive prices.
• Gilpa Umami Cat Food Nutritious complete dry cat food from the Gilpa range, formulated for cat nutritional requirements.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Adam HensoncoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 January 2026Adam Henson, respected farmer, broadcaster and animal welfare advocate, has partnered with Gilbertson & Page to support their Dr John hypoallergenic dog food range. The partnership combines Gilbertson & Page's expertise in nutritionally balanced dog food with Adam's trusted voice in British farming and animal care, helping to raise awareness of the importance of high-quality nutrition in supporting health, performance and wellbeing in working dogs. Adam will appear at Crufts on March 7th 2026 to meet customers and discuss the range.

Scale indicators3 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Arden Grange: UK manufacturer of premium dry dog and cat food (including sensitive/grain-free ranges) sold via stockists and DTC. Comparable on product structure (hypoallergenic/life-stage focus) and on UK-based independent manufacturing versus multinational brands.
• Forthglade: Devon-based UK pet food maker of natural wet and dry dog and cat food sold via independent stockists and DTC. Comparable as an independent UK pet food manufacturer with DTC and stockist distribution.
• Bob Martin (UK): Long-established UK pet food and pet care brand with dry dog food ranges stocked through supermarkets and online. Comparable on heritage UK brand positioning and broad dry dog food portfolio across life stages.
• Barking Heads: UK-founded premium dry dog food brand emphasizing natural, grain-free and tailored recipes. Comparable on premium UK dry kibble positioning targeting health-conscious dog owners, overlapping with Dr John and Arkwrights Sensitive.
• Burgess Pet Care: UK-based family-owned pet food manufacturer producing dry dog, cat, rabbit and small animal feeds (Excel, Supadog, Supacat). Closely comparable as a heritage British pet food maker serving similar stockist and farm-store channels.
• Harrington's (inspired by P&H): UK dry dog and cat food brand positioned as affordable natural nutrition, sold through major UK grocery multiples. Comparable on mainstream UK kibble offering with natural ingredients positioning overlapping Arkwrights and Gilpa Super Mix.
• Skinners (Skinner's Pet Foods): UK family-owned dry dog food manufacturer with strong working-dog and sporting credentials (Field & Trial). Highly comparable as a heritage British kibble maker focused on working, sporting and active dogs — direct overlap with Arkwrights Sporting and Dr John Titanium.
• Wagg (part of Inspired Pet Nutrition): British dry dog food brand with a working-dog and family-dog range sold through UK grocery and pet specialists. Directly comparable mass-market UK kibble positioning to the Gilpa and Arkwrights ranges.

Broad incumbents

• Nestlé Purina (UK): Global pet food leader behind Bakers, Felix, Purina ONE and Pro Plan, with extensive UK distribution and veterinary-channel reach. Represents the scaled competitor that G&P must position against across all price tiers.
• Mars Petcare UK (Pedigree, Royal Canin): Global pet food incumbent whose Pedigree, Whiskas, and Royal Canin brands dominate UK grocery and specialist channels. Sets pricing, shelf and marketing benchmarks that Gilbertson & Page competes against in mainstream kibble.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/gilbertsonandpage
• Instagraminstagram.com/gilbertsonandpage
• Xx.com/gilpapetfoods

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gilbertson & Page