Described as “Blue Apron for dogs,” The Farmer’s Dog is a personalized meal delivery service for canines. Customers fill out a questionnaire that takes into account their pet’s health and size. The pet owner can then order as many meals as they need for the week.
The food is sourced and produced to human-grade standards. Using USDA and FDA-inspected ingredients, the company said that the food is prepared in facilities with the same safety standards as human food. It is then shipped in pre-portioned baggies according to the dog’s nutritional needs.
Tech investors raised a total of $11 million from Shasta Ventures, SV Angel, and others in hopes that dog-moms and dog-dads want to shell out money for their pets to keep them healthy.
Jonathan Regev and his cofounder, Brett Podolsky, came up with the idea for the delivery service after Podolsky’s dog, Jada, needed home-cooked meals to stay healthy. They later began taking orders from friends, renting a commercial kitchen in New York to prepare bigger and bigger batches.
Only when they were unable to keep up with the demand did Regev and Podolsky seek venture capital to start The Farmer’s Dog.
“We’ve never doubted that this is the way that pet food is going to be in the future,” said Regev.
What many customers are drawn to from this food service is that fact that the dog food is good enough for humans to eat. Regev and Podolsky use whole ingredients like parsnips, chickpeas, broccoli, spinach, and real meat in every bag. But with wholesome ingredients comes a higher price tag. Meals run an average of $29 a week with the exact cost based on the dog’s size and activity level.
Despite the slightly hefty price, there is a waitlist of customers to get into the delivery service, proving that pet owners are willing to shell out the money if it means a healthier and happier pooch.
By: Maytinee Kramer
