Natures Menu

Natures Menu, a rapidly growing raw pet food producer, was founded in 1981 and is now owned by Affinity Petcare. Natures Menu has undergone rapid growth in the last decade and now employs more than 250 people.

In early 2022, Natures Menu sought a solution to improve employee engagement and bolster their employee value proposition through a user-friendly platform. They wanted to offer their growing workforce access to employee benefits, an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and a discount marketplace. The initiative would also support employee wellbeing, while also helping to attract and retain talent during a time of rapid expansion. Additionally, there was a focus on addressing financial wellbeing as employees struggled with the heightened cost-of-living which was impacting almost every person in one way or another.

Personal Group's Hapi app would help to address many of the challenges that the company faced and back in 2022, worked together to launch an employee benefits platform tailored specifically to Natures Menu bespoke requirements. By putting their employees entire benefits offering in one place, on one hub, they could access them at anytime, anywhere via an app on their smartphones.

The platform was massively welcomed by employees, supporting both physical and mental wellbeing. Not to mention the financial stresses of the post-pandemic era resulting in low morale and a high-level of absenteeism.

Employees can now access wellbeing health resources through an online health portal including an Online GP and 24/7 helpline. There is further support from the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and financial benefits are also popular with the workforce. Employees can save money with retail discounts and there's the option to take up the popular Cycle to Work scheme. Over the last 12 months, employees spent £10,785.48 through their discount vouchers accumulating savings of £582.86.

Personal Group Employee Engagement Executives (EEEs) spent a total of 9 days with Natures Menu employees in 2023. It's a great chance for the EEEs to take employees through their benefits platform and offer employees the option to purchase our hospital, convalescence and death benefit plans. This has been popular with the employees. In fact, out of the 30% employees that the EEEs spoke to, 56% took out policies last year.

There is no doubt that this has had a really positive impact for the business and success. Employees rave about the retailer discounts and the Cycle to Work scheme is great for cost savings, employee health and the environment.

Engagement levels currently sit at around 60%, which is more than three times the industry average. What's more, HR teams have access to a direct communications channel via employees' smartphones – vital for staying in touch with their dispersed workforce.