Meet The Owner Of PetPlate—The Only Black-Owned Dog Food Brand In The Country

"Eight years ago, after finding nothing on the market that worked for my dog’s IBS, I realized the traditional dog food on the market was leading to recurring health issues for my dog," says Renaldo. "When I decided to start making home-cooked meals for him with fresh, whole ingredients, I noticed his health instantly improved. I realized that, similarly to humans, eating 100% human-grade, fresh-cooked meals would do wonders for a dog’s health and increase longevity, and thus PetPlate was born. I figured if my dog’s IBS could be corrected with his diet, millions of others could experience the same when they eat PetPlate as well."

"Growth!" enthuses Renaldo. "When I started the company eight years ago, I never would have imagined us at the place where we are today: closed a successful Series B funding round in December of 2021, opening our own office space, strategically building a team up to 50 employees, working with our own equipment in our production facilities, using fulfillment centers across the country, and delivering over 20 million meals across the country, and counting. I’ve had my own personal and professional challenges over the years, so for myself and the team to accomplish what we have and to see the growth from 2016 until now is exciting!"

"Building the foundation for a rapidly growing startup in and of itself was challenging," Renaldo recalls. "Between hiring the right team, finding the right suppliers, and developing new products, there’s a lot to do when starting and running your own company. Scaling the company after funding meant leaning more into brand and growth marketing as well as operations. We needed a full team to support and aid our awareness as a smaller startup. From email and affiliate to PR and owned social, growing a team with the right skill set and tenacity for the startup world, especially in the pet industry, was necessary but challenging. Additionally, we were put in a position to take more control of our operations, and while it was difficult, we tackled it head-first. We found new facilities to produce our food with the same chef quality as it always has had and needed more cost-effective ways to ship our meals to customers, which meant finding and fostering an ops team that could be down on the ground, often ensuring we’re meeting deadlines while maintaining quality."

"The great thing about PetPlate is that it takes the guesswork out of how much food to feed your dog and when. Every new customer receives a seven-day guide to transitioning to PetPlate so there are no surprises — especially knowing how sensitive some of our pups can be," Renaldo explains.

"Our food arrives flash frozen, and you can stick it right in your freezer until you’re ready to thaw it out in the fridge and serve. Since it’s 100% human-grade, it’ll last seven to 10 days in the fridge.

"On the first few days, you’ll want to combine a bit of PetPlate with their old food so as to not upset their stomach. As the week goes on, you’ll gradually build up to a full serving of PetPlate on its own. We also don’t shy away from the realities of transitioning food. You may see runny poop, and your dog may have an upset stomach. We also let pet parents know when symptoms are not normal, including persistent diarrhea, blood in stool, or lethargy."