Featured Startup Pitch: PetPlate – A homemade food subscription service for pets

COMPANY: PetPlate

ELEVATOR PITCH

Homemade pet food subscription service—Blue Apron for pets.

PRODUCT/SERVICE DESCRIPTION

PetPlate is a homemade pet food subscription service that brings freshly made meals with premium ingredients to health conscious pet owners. All of PetPlates’ meals are made with ingredients you’d eat yourself, with fresh meats, vegetables, and fruits. PetPlate works like other subscription services—you choose your plan, pick your meals, and then select your delivery day and window. PetPlate offers delivery windows from 1:00-to-9:00pm every day, and will have your pet’s meal delivered within an hour of your window.

DIFFERENTIATORS VS. THE COMPETITION

We compete with leading pet food brands in the raw and fresh food space that are trying to give pet owners alternatives to traditional pet food (kibble). PetPlate, however, wins on three levels:

Ingredients – We only use food you’d eat yourself. Other companies use by-products, preservatives (to increase shelf life) and organ meats.
Freshness – All meals are made-to-order and delivered within two hours of being cooked. We don’t make our meals in large factories and pack them with preservatives to ensure they don’t spoil.
Convenience – Delivered directly to your door at a regularly scheduled time of your choosing.
Safety – Competitors focusing on raw pet food have recalls due to Salmonella outbreaks.

FOUNDER’S STORY

Renaldo Webb – founder

McKinsey & Company (2010 – 2012) – Business Analyst: Joined McKinsey in their operations practice in L.A. and focused on manufacturing and supply chain. Spent four months consulting for pet food companies.

Catterton Partners (2012 – 2015) – Senior Associate: Joined Catterton Partners (a leading consumer private equity fund) in their operations practice. Spent one year consulting for leading pet food companies.

BUSINESS MODEL

We have three plans. The Daily Meal Plan and Sick Pet Plan vary by your pet’s weight ($60-to-$200 plus per month) and the Weekly Treat Plan is $50/month. Committing for multiple months decreases the price.