WILMINGTON, Del. – JustFoodForDogs (JFFD), a California-based company that invented and launched the fresh, whole-food movement for pets, is coming to Delaware. JFFD opened their first dog kitchen eight years ago in California and is advancing its mission to provide pets a better quality of life, more years and more love through a significant expansion in 2019.
The company, which currently operates more than 70 retail locations, including kitchens, pantries and store-in-store formats within California, as well as provides their food for purchase online and through veterinarian offices, opens across the country in 2019. JustFoodforDogs, the breakthrough innovator in offering highly nutritious pet meals has experienced a 400% increase in sales in the past three years, now serving more than 40 million meals annually.
The CEO of JustFoodForDogs, Carey Tischler, detailed their plans to invest $2m in a 21,000 square foot kitchen in New Castle County. The company’s plans include employing up to 50 employees with an estimated payroll of $2.24M. The first Delaware kitchen is expected to produce 30,000 pounds of food daily to be distributed direct-to-consumer via online sales, as well as to JFFD pantries throughout the United States. The company requested a $170,000 performance-based grant at the November 26 Council on Development Finance meeting.
“JustFoodForDogs continues on a rapid growth trajectory as more pet parents choose fresh, nutritious, whole-food over kibble,” said Carey Tischler, CEO of JustFoodForDogs. “Our expansion across the country requires an East Coast facility to support the demand of our customers and we are thrilled with everything Delaware has to offer. We are thankful for the collaboration from the Delaware Prosperity Partnership for making it so attractive to do business here. We look forward to becoming part of the business community.”
“JustFoodForDogs choosing Delaware reflects our state’s reputation for welcoming innovative businesses of all sizes, as well as Delaware’s solid experience and expertise in the food industry,” said Governor John Carney. “We are proud to be the first East Coast kitchen and we’re excited that their presence will create new jobs in New Castle County.”
“Attracting JustFoodForDogs is the model for how we will win the future through sustainable job creation,” said Matt Meyer, New Castle County Executive. “We are elated that JustFoodForDogs has chosen New Castle County as the place to further their innovation success story.”
Established in 2010, JustFoodForDogs, which is headquartered in Irvine, California, emerged as a disrupter in the industry when it debuted its high-quality food. Serial entrepreneur Shawn Buckley founded the company with the idea of developing an alternative to commercial grade kibble, which accounts for most of the nation’s sales of dog food. JFFD offers the only food on the market proven healthy by two independent universities, who conducted year-long trials proving their recipes boost the immune system of dogs in a healthy way. A team of in-house veterinarians formulates the meals using only fresh, whole-food ingredients USDA certified for human consumption, in recipes nutritionally balanced for dogs as well as cats.
JFFD plans to unveil kitchens in flagship retail locations, including New York City, Seattle, Boston and more, as well as open pantries offering the company’s pet food and supplements in hundreds of locations nationwide over the next several years.
To learn more, visit www.justfoodfordogs.com.
Delaware Prosperity Partnership is a nonprofit that leads the state of Delaware’s economic development efforts to attract, grow and retain businesses; to build a stronger entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem; and to support private employers in identifying, recruiting and developing talent in the state of Delaware.
Michele Schiavoni
Delaware Prosperity Partnership
External Relations l Marketing
302.576.6573
Maggie Rubenstein
JustFoodForDogs
maggier@justfoodfordogs.com
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