Brett Podolsky went from struggling stand-up comedian to head of a multimillion-dollar food and nutrition empire. The 31-year-old admits he didn't embark on his unlikely career path on his own; he was inspired by a friend—one with four legs, big brown eyes and a wet nose.
"It's all because of Jada," Podolsky said, referring to his 7-year-old rottweiler. Shortly after the pair moved to Manhattan in 2013, Jada developed major health problems.
"I tried every brand of dog food, from kibble to freeze-dried to raw," Podolsky said. "Nothing helped." Jada went from boisterous and robust to listless and skinny. When the veterinarian recommended home-cooked meals, Podolsky didn't hesitate.
By night he performed at open mic events and comedy clubs; by day he taught himself to cook.
Jada started eating more, and her symptoms subsided. As she gained weight and energy, Podolsky searched for a nutritious commercial dog food but came up dry.
"How come when I cook it looks like food, and when they make food, it comes out as hard brown balls?" he recalled wondering. "I realized there were no brands out there that I'd be comfortable feeding her."
Seeing a possible business opportunity, he dove in, talking to veterinarians and pet nutritionists and persuading a friend to join him in launching The Farmer's Dog, a meal-delivery service for canines. Their mission? "To completely change the way people think about dog food," Podolsky said.
He and co-founder Jonathan Regev each invested $5,000 and launched a website. Within days they had a waiting list of dog owners who were ready to subscribe.
The pair rented a kitchen and started cooking. Eighteen hours later, they delivered two weeks' worth of meals for eight dogs. "We were exhausted," Podolsky said.
The Farmer's Dog now has 50 employees, uses human-grade commercial kitchens and ships all over the country. With 2018 revenue in the eight figures and 500% growth year over year, the company has raised $49 million in venture capital.
Meals are customized to each dog's size, age and activity level and delivered ready-made in frozen pouches. Feeding a 10-pound terrier could cost $17 to $24 per week, while a 65-pound Labrador could run $31 to $63—triple the cost of dried food.
When his prices raise eyebrows, Podolsky points to the cost of fresh beef, pork, turkey and vegetables.
"The question you should be asking," he said, "is what kind of ingredients are the dog food companies using to make kibble so cheap?"
