Who is the CEO of just for dogs
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Pet Food Disruptor JustFoodForDogs Puts Fresh Ingredients on Menu
It was the kitchen not the corner office that enticed Carey Tischler to take the helm as JustFoodForDogs CEO. And its a unique business model that bolsters his confidence that sales at the small-batch, fresh pet food business will double in the coming 12 months.
The brands pet meals are sold in 180 locations today, and the company projects its retail footprint will grow to 500 locations in four years.
The ambitious milestones are attainable, Tischler said, given sales momentum, new market entries and JustFoodForDogs signature kitchens, where pet food recipes for dogs and cats are prepared and cooked in open-to-the-public exhibition spaces. The kitchens operate almost as a showroom, a point of discovery for our brand, he told CO.
The companys nine kitchens produce about 50 million pet meals annually, and Tischler aims to double that output to 100 million meals in the year ahead. The newest exhibition kitchen will open in Chicago this fall with more kitchens opening in Boston and Texas next year.
Tischler said the kitchens serve as a hub for JustFoodForDogs retail ecosystem. Outfitted with gleaming, state-of-the-art stainless steel appliances, the open-design kitchens attract consumers some traveling great distances who are curious about transitioning pets from commercial food to entrees such as Venison & Squash and Turkey & Whole Wheat Macaroni, prepared with fresh ingredients that are USDA-certified for human consumption.
Other retail locations, such as shop-in-shops inside Petco, Pet Food Express and at veterinary clinics, are strategically located within an expanding geographic radius of the kitchens, giving shoppers options to purchase JustFoodForDogs meals closer to home. Online ordering and home delivery complete the ecosystem for the Irvine, Calif.-based company.
I saw a wide chasm between what was being said on TV, shelf packaging and messaging and what was really going on in [pet food] product development and into the products.
Carey Tischler, CEO, JustFoodForDogs
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JustFoodForDogs sets itself apart by emphasizing human connection, providing qualified pet experts for pet parents to consult. Read on for more ways your business can connect further with your customers.
The aha moment
With degrees in engineering and experience in private equity and military settings, Tischler is measured and precise when it comes to word choice. The timbre in his voice is subdued even as he recalls the aha! moment when founder Shawn Buckleyintroduced him to the kitchen concept.
I took one step into the first kitchen in Newport Beach [Calif.] and I was utterly convinced that this was the future of how people were going to feed their pets, Tischler told CO. It was a question of when and not if this was going to happen.
Displays of golden squash and bright green broccoli provide vivid reminders that produce and meat ingredients are USDA-certified for human consumption. On-duty nutrition consultants freely banter with consumers to answer questions and explain how to wean pets off a highly processed diet and transition to a whole-foods regimen.
Tischler said the companys commitment to whole foods and nutrition advice available at every customer touchpoint intrigued him. Still, he said he was uncertain whether the shift to fresh pet food would catch on quickly or in 20 years, not because he was ill-informed but because he was well-acquainted with production of commercial pet food, what some call Big Kibble.
Prior to JustFoodForDogs, Tischler was a go-to pet expert at L Catterton, which frequently dispatched him to pet companies funded by the private equity firm. His job was to become embedded and get an insiders look at L Cattertons investments. Through focus groups and tours of 25 pet food factories in the U.S. and across Europe, Tischler got an insiders view to mass-produced dry kibble, canned, freeze-dried and raw pet food. The takeaway: While fresh and premium claims were heavily promoted, commercial pet food ingredients and processing fell short of that promise, he said.
I saw a wide chasm between what was being said on TV, shelf packaging and messaging and what was really going on in [pet food] product development and into the products, he said. It was heavy on marketing topspin, very light on true change.
That was the big aha for me, Tischler said. JustFoodsForDogs could usher in that change, he said, and following that kitchen visit, he resigned from his senior vice president post at L Catterton to become JustFoodForDogs CEO in 2015. Two years later, his former employer would invest capital in the company.
In short order, Tischler would learn the momentum of fresh, clean eating for pets would grow faster than he expected as upstarts like Ollie, NomNomNow and PetPlate entered the market. Sales of fresh pet food sold in U.S. stores rose 70% to more than $546 million between 2015 and 2018, according to Nielsen, and $33 million was spent on pet food made with human-grade ingredients in the past year. Total U.S. pet food sales in 2018 were $30 billion, according to the American Pet Products Association.
Terms like fresh and human-grade ingredients give some pet authorities pause because the words are imprecise about ingredients, cooking processes and quality controls. It is on this point, Tischler said, that transparency and education are vital and why all JustFoodForDogs locations including in-store shops at Petco, Pet Food Express, veterinary clinics and online customer service staff are educated in pet nutrition. Staff receive 25 hours training with JustFoodForDogs chief medical officer to start, with periodic updates that follow. Eleven on-staff veterinarians formulate nutritionally balanced meals and supplements.
Tischler said the company routinely declines to partner with retailers that are eager to carry its products, but unwilling to accept on-duty nutrition consultants in stores.
This is a new way of feeding pets that requires a transition, a detox, as we like to say, so it really helps to have someone there to walk pet parents through what it means to feed with fresh, whole food, Tischler said.
Research is another priority, Tischler said, and the companys protocols for testing new recipes exceed industry standards. While guidelines from the Association of American Feed Control Officials call for six months of testing, JustFoodForDogs tests new food formulations for a full year, he said.
There are a lot easier ways to do what we do, Tischler said. We dont have to have certified nutrition consultants on-site and answering the phone. We could have robochat. But the human connection with someone who is uniquely qualified to help the pet parent that takes a significant investment.
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Published
JustFoodForDogs Appoints Eric Kufel as Chairman and CEO
(PRESS RELEASE) IRVINE, CA JustFoodForDogs (JFFD or the Company), a leader in the fresh human-grade food movement for pets, announced that Eric Kufel has been appointed chairman and CEO. Mr. Kufel succeeds Julian Mack, who will remain a member of the Companys Board of Directors.
Mr. Kufel brings more than 25 years of executive leadership experience and a proven track record of delivering significant growth for a wide range of consumer-focused brands. Since 2018, Mr. Kufel has been a member of the Board of Directors of Leslies, the leading direct-to-consumer pool and spa care brand, and supported the Companys successful public offering in 2020. He has also served as CEO of several L Catterton portfolio companies including Vans Natural Foods and Corepower Yoga. Previously, Mr. Kufel served as CEO of Inventure Foods for more than 10 years after various roles in brand management at The Coca-Cola Company, Kelloggs, and Henkel.
Since L Catterton first partnered with JustFoodForDogs in 2017, the Company has benefitted from the firms deep experience in the pet category, including through enhancing its partnerships with key retailers and broadening its distribution. Under Mr. Macks leadership, JFFD has continued to build out its omnichannel platform across owned multi-unit retail as well as through e-commerce and wholesale partners, leading to significant topline growth.
Mr. Kufel commented, As a lifelong dog owner, I admire JFFDs dedication to improving and extending the lives of our trusted companions through the power of fresh, better-for-you food and am honored to join an organization whose values align so closely with my own. My passion for health and wellness has made an instrumental impact on my personal life, and just as I do with myself, Ive been highly focused on ensuring that my pets receive the proper nutrition. Im pleased to be working with L Catterton in this role and look forward to benefiting from its extensive industry expertise as we work together to harness the opportunities ahead for the brand. I cant wait to get started and do my part to help as many dogs as possible live longer, healthier lives through our scientifically-backed, nutritious offering.
Mr. Mack said, We are pleased to have someone with Erics proven history in leading high-growth businesses step in as CEO at this point in JFFDs growth trajectory. Im proud of what weve accomplished over the past three years, and I thank our talented team for their hard work and dedication to pets and pet parents. Our team is what makes JustFoodForDogs special, and I look forward to spending more time on Unconditional, the senior and special needs dog shelter I co-founded with my wife Amy, and continuing to support Eric and the team as a member of the Companys Board.
Eric is a highly strategic and respected leader, with significant multi-channel, multi-unit, and brand marketing expertise. His successful track record of building best-in-class businesses gives us confidence that hes the right next leader to continue the strong momentum at JFFD, said Matt Lischick, a Partner at L Catterton. We thank Julian for his dedication to the brand and its customers and are pleased that we will continue to benefit from his insights as a member of our Board. Over the past few years, JFFD has accelerated sales, broadened its product assortment, and deepened relationships with key retailers and other partners. As we continue to see pet adoption increase and pet parents prioritize high-quality, better-for-you fresh ingredients, there are numerous opportunities for us to leverage Erics expertise to capitalize on the compelling opportunities ahead.
AdvertisementAbout JustFoodForDogs
Founded in 2010, JustFoodForDogs revolutionized the fresh whole food movement for pets when it opened the first open-to-the-public kitchen cooking food for dogs. It was started with one simple, primary objective to increase the quality and length of life for as many pets as possible through a clinically proven, balanced, whole food diet. All food is made from ingredients inspected and approved by the USDA for human consumption, with necessary nutrients added to make the meals complete and balanced, and its recipes are developed by an internal team of experienced veterinarians (including specialists in nutrition, toxicology, and dermatology) and a cadre of pets and pet parents. JFFDs dedication to research and innovation sets it apart from other companies in the fresh pet food industry.
Today, JFFD has been built into a high-touch, omni-channel platform so that pet parents can access the best food and advice wherever they wish to shop: at their local JFFD kitchens and pantries, at their veterinarians clinic, at their favorite retailers (both in-store and online) or grocers, or on JFFDs digital platform. Its offering includes daily meals, shelf-stable products, supplements, and treats, in addition to custom formulations designed to address specific health needs. To learn more about JustFoodForDogs, visit JustFoodForDogs.com.
