Taking our pets wellness to heart...
In my opinion - we're in such a great food & wellness movement. What does this mean to me? We as a Nation, City & Community continue to become more aware of what we consume, apply to our skin, the products we use in our homes...less toxins, whole foods and natural skincare. But what about what we feed our pets? Most people I know that have pets (myself included), treat them as full fledged family members...so shouldn't we be as concerned about what they're eating and ingesting?
Open Farm is a new pet food line, that sources ethically raised proteins for their line. No fillers, sustainable and local when able. My dog - Boots already was pretty spoiled when it came to his food; grain free, no by-products, raw food at times, etc. Once I introduced him to Open Farm, he was crazy with joy! We were able to sit down with owner Jacqueline & ask her some of our top questions..
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| Open Farm Food Line for your favorite pup! |
1.
When and how about's did Open Farm Pet food come along? Was it due to the
lack of locally & sustainably made pet food in the city?
I am a vegetarian and a huge animal lover. I wanted to feed my dogs a meat-based diet but there was no
humane option on the market, so I never felt good about the pet food I was buying. Beyond that, I have always felt that meat ingredients that come
from animals that are raised humanely are much higher quality and better for
the people or pets that eat them. My goal was to create a pet food where
sustainability and transparency transcended every part of the product,
which you can see today with our Certified Humane meat and poultry, sustainably
ocean-caught fish, locally sourced vegetables and extensive environmental program.
I also own Canada Pooch, which
is the leading brand of pet apparel in Canada, so I know the pet industry
very well and I really felt the market was ready
for this type of product. That's how Open Farm came
about!
2. Is there a special dog or cat that
was your inspiration?
My pugs, Bella and
Maddie, were definitely a driving force behind Open Farm. It was really
my personal experience feeding them that got me thinking about the idea in the
first place.
3. Where do you see the brand going? National?
Raw food line? Treats etc? Open Farm
launched in Eastern Canada in early November and will be launching in Western
Canada in early January. We are currently working on a wet and dry cat
food, there has been a huge amount of demand from stores and consumers for cat
food since we launched. Down the road you can definitely expect some more
flavours of our dog foods and treats from us!
4.
We love that you're a local & thoughtful company! Especially
now in this movement that people are away of what they're consuming themselves
- as well as their pets. I feel like this movement is just getting
started... What are you thoughts?
Absolutely,
this movement is at the early stages for "people food" and
accelerating very quickly, and we are of course at the very beginning in pet.
People want to have a better understanding of where their food is coming
from which is why we've seen the resurgence of the "local meat shop"
and of course the amazing growth of WholeFoods. I think that people understand that meat and ingredients coming
from a good place are better for them and their families.
5.
Are you finding Torontonians receptive to your products?
YES! We are a month in and already seeing incredible store pick-up
and a tremendous surge in pet parents switching their pets to Open Farm.
As you said, a lot of people are thinking about food this way for
themselves already and they're excited that, for the first time, they can feed
their pets the same way. It feels good to buy a bag of dog food and know
that you're feeding your pet the best, but also making a positive impact for
farm animals as well as family farmers and the environment. Plus, dogs
absolutely love the taste so it's a very easy transition.
6.
Has social media been a big push & aid into your brand
awareness and sales?
As a young company with a young
audience, social media is at the core of how we reach consumers. Our
social media is pretty different, because it is all focused around our core
"do some good" value, which means that everything we do aims to help
animals. Right now we are running a contest to give away 1,000 pounds of
Open Farm food to two animal shelters. So far we have had 140 shelters
entered and over 15,000 votes! Every month we will be running similar contests to
give away much needed food, supplies or services to animal shelters. This
company is built around a love for animals, so it makes sense that everything
we do be focused on making a real and meaningful impact on their lives.
Thanks so much Jacqueline & Open Farm Pet Food! Click here to find where you can buy for your loved ones! Here's my little guy loving his first bite! #loveatfirstbite
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Boots, Open Farm Pet Food's newest MODEL :)
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Happy Friday Y'all
rbn xo
