SUCCESS has been a walk in the park for one Rosyth firm as they show no signs of slowing down.

Bella & Duke develops raw food for pets, having been founded in 2016 by Mark Scott and Tony Ottley following the premature deaths of their own dogs, who were diagnosed with cancer before the age of 10.

They believe this was down to a kibble diet, comparing dog biscuits to a constant reliance on fast food.

In just 18 months, they have seen their staff numbers grow from 20 to 145, following the development of their manufacturing plant in Inverkeithing and new headquarters in Rosyth.

"We are not one of the largest raw pet food companies in the UK," Mark told the Press.

"It's more expensive but the vet bill is even higher if you are feeding them highly-processed food all the time.

"When people see the difference in their pet, they realise they will do anything to make sure their cat or dog is healthy.

"I always say the family hierarchy is cat or dog, mum, kids, garden furniture, then dad!"

But, despite this growth, they have not been immune to recruitment struggles, having advertised around 20 new positions in the past few months Mark says there is still several left unfilled in customer care.

However, they feel their new base, named Parklife, is a huge draw for job-seekers.

"We have brought the park inside," Mark explained.

"We hired an office manager and gave her the title of 'Park Ranger', the attitude makes the place.

"I have never had a business grow so fast, and most of it was during lockdown, but the team have done a phenomenal job."

Their goal is to change people's understanding of pet food, saying that current outlooks create a "false economy" when opting for cheaper alternatives.

"99.999 per cent of all animals naturally eat raw, we get people saying all the time, for example, that their cat has been sick and then went on our food and got better," Mark continued.

"My first dog, Morpheus, died at 11-years-old, but Trinity was 16-and-a-half; people couldn't believe how old she was.

"It is a pet wellness business really, we provide advice on end-of-life care as well.

"The Facebook group is also a beneficial community, their stories are more powerful than anything I can say about it."

Bella & Duke started life in Blairgowrie, and then Perth, before moving to Rosyth to be closer to courier companies.

Mark says that their biggest market is England but that they have developed a strong Scottish following due to their close involvement in the community with events and door-to-door visits.

Dunfermline and West Fife MP Douglas Chapman paid a visit to their new headquarters recently, praising the firm for "taking the lead" in the market.

He said: "I’m grateful to Mark and Tony for taking the time to show me their HQ and manufacturing sites.

"Since it was first founded, Bella & Duke has gone from strength to strength, and there’s no question in my mind it’s now taken the lead in the UK’s raw pet food market.

"Not only that, but the firm has also created good jobs and a truly excellent working environment for its staff here in West Fife."

The SNP's small business spokesperson continued: "It’s obvious to me that Mark, Tony and the rest of the Bella & Duke team are truly passionate about their business, and the benefits their product can bring to people’s most beloved companions – their pets.

"I wish all the staff well and have no doubt that if they keep up their good work then there will be no stopping Bella & Duke from growing."