By: Staff
When Renaldo Webb's dog Winston was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Webb, a business analyst for pet food brands, was disappointed to find that many products on the market were not providing proper nutrition for pets. Determined to find a solution, Webb educated himself on whole food nutrition and began making his own dog food, which eventually led to the creation of PetPlate.
PetPlate is a subscription-based service that delivers healthy, human-grade pet food to customers nationwide. The company is committed to quality, safety, science, and exceptional taste while providing inclusive pet nutrition. As a Black pioneer in the $147 billion pet food industry, Webb has secured more than $21 million in funding and delivered over 15 million meals and treats to dogs all over the country.
One of the things that sets PetPlate apart is their commitment to making healthy, human-grade nutrition accessible to all pet owners, regardless of income. PetPlate aims to provide affordable, healthy options for all pet owners. Additionally, PetPlate has made a conscious effort to take a different approach in terms of representation and inclusivity in their products, staff and marketing.
Webb's journey to creating PetPlate began when he was researching which foods would work for his dog Winston, who had been diagnosed with IBS. He found that most of the products on the market would not only aggravate Winston's condition but could lead to other health issues. As a business analyst, Webb had first-hand knowledge of what was really going into the meals that were being produced and sold by pet food companies. "While I was on the factory floor, I saw all the ingredients go into what was supposed to be premium kibble, but they were anything but that," Webb stated. "What was actually being put into the food were the four D’s: dead, dying, diseases and disabled animal parts. Pretty much scraps of the human food chain. Think cows that have mad cow disease or cancer that you’re not allowed to feed the people, is what ends up in pet food."
Fed up with the lack of healthy options, Webb started to cook for his dog, leading to his knowledge of the power of whole food nutrition. "From that point on, I realized that there are pet parents across the country that would want the same things for their dogs," Webb said. "Whether their dogs are suffering with some of the similar ailments that my first dog was suffering with, or they were dealing with the dog being a picky eater or themselves, were very passionate about what they put in their bodies and wanted to do the same for their pets. So, that was really the thesis and the motivation for me to launch PetPlate."
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