Shamelessly Sustainable | Current Issue | petbusiness.com – Pet Business Magazine

Tell us about Shameless Pets. How did the company get started? What inspired the creation of the company’s upcycled treats? As a corporate food buyer at Target, James Bello saw, firsthand, how much food was going to waste. When he realized over 63 million tons of food get tossed out every year and that global food waste accounts for eight percent of greenhouse gas emissions, he realized food waste was a big problem. James took this problem to someone who really knows food. His puggle Mina would constantly try to eat leftovers from family meals. During dinner, James realized he could rescue unused ingredients and turn them into healthy dog treats that Mina and her pals would devour. 
At a start-up event, James met Alex Waite, who also shared a passion for the environment and was a dog lover and a food scientist. Alex whipped up four tasty flavors that were all-natural, packed with superfoods to provide health benefits, and included upcycled ingredients. In October 2018, the pair launched Shameless Pets with retailers nationwide, and they have since expanded to four lines of dog treats and one line of cat treats—all while constantly seeking out more upcycled ingredients to include. 
 
What is upcycling? How does it help set Shameless Pets’ approach apart from other pet treat manufacturers? Upcycling is an innovative solution to food waste. Shameless Pets takes misfit or surplus food items and upcycles them into high-quality pet treats. We work with farmers, processors and suppliers to take produce that’s not pretty enough for retail shelves (think jumbo blueberries or mini sweet potatoes) or surplus ingredients (what’s left of a butternut squash after it’s been zoodled away) and work with those partners to safely preserve those ingredients and bake them into healthy treats. 
Because of these specific upcycled ingredients, we are always putting together innovative, delicious flavors that are packed with superfoods and pet-adored ingredients. Each of our flavors has a health benefit associated, so pets are getting a health boost with every treat. Additionally, consumers get all the joy of treating their furry friends while knowing that they are making a sustainable choice for the planet. 
 
What are Shameless Pets’ best-selling products? What makes these products so popular with pets and their owners?Consumers (and their pets) especially love our soft-baked dog biscuits, dog jerky & dental sticks, and our crunchy cat treats—especially the flavor Catnip N Chill. Our treats are popular first and foremost because dogs and cats truly love them; we always make sure we taste test with several pets before adding a new flavor to our product line. Secondly, we have a lot of fun naming our treats and crafting unique flavor combinations—after all, treat time is a delightful moment in someone’s day.  Finally, pet-owners feel good knowing they are giving their pet something special they’ll like, while also fueling their pet’s health and choosing a sustainable treat. 
 
What are some of your latest product introductions? What are the key selling points of these products? We are thrilled to launch air-dried cat treats this fall. Our air-dried cat treats are gently dried low and slow for superior taste and nutrition. The air-dried method works to safely preserve ingredients without losing any of the nutrients that sometimes get lost with high heat cooking temperatures. We have some fun new flavors we can’t wait for cats to try! 
 
How does Shameless Pets help drive customer awareness about its brand and the whole concept of upcycled treats? What types of sales and marketing support does the company offer retailers? Over the past few years, we have seen consumer demand for sustainable products continue to increase, so our experience has been that consumers are excited to learn more about Shameless Pets’ upcycled treats. We have an engaged online community with brand ambassadors who love to post pictures of their pets with our treats, and we love to see the cute furry friends! 
We launched our first multi-channel brand awareness campaign in 2021, and have amplified those messages across partnerships, giveaways and social channels this year. Whenever we partner with a new retailer, it is important to us that we do everything we can to set the partnership up for success, including sharing with our community. Depending on the retailer, we have a variety of additional tools we use to support whether it’s education to staff, special offers, displays or sampling. 
 
Tell us about Shameless Pets’ channel strategy. What role do independent pet stores play in this strategy? We know consumers love to discover new brands at independent stores and rely on the knowledgeable staff for recommendations and suggestions. We love partnering with independent pet stores and helping to educate the staff about our upcycled treats that come packed with superfoods for health benefits. 
Our ultimate goal is to be present where consumers are shopping. We have a good mix of online and brick-and-mortar sales channels, as we know that’s how our consumers like to shop.
 
What does the future hold for Shameless Pets? Do you have any new innovations in the pipeline? What direction do you see the company going in the months and years ahead? We are so excited to make an even bigger impact on reducing food waste as our company grows. So far, we’ve upcycled over one million pounds of food, and plan to surpass three million by 2025. We are thrilled to launch our new line of air-dried cat treats this fall, and we have a few more innovation items in the pipeline for both our cat and dog customers. We hope to continue delighting consumers and their pets with our fun flavors and healthy ingredients, all while making a positive impact on the planet. That’s us —joy on a mission.  PB
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