In the spring of 2020, Tailored Pet launched with a business plan that is currently gaining some attention in the pet food space: craft personalized recipes for dogs that focus on health and wellness, and get those individualized formulas directly to consumers’ doors. The company currently employs two veterinarians, a pet nutrition expert and a canine nutrition expert, and together they take the information provided to them by clients and use it to create a formula perfectly suited to each individual animal. The overall goal? To take the responsibility of wading through an increasingly complex set of options in the pet food market off pet owners’ shoulders.
“As pet parents ourselves, we understand that the pet nutrition category can be confusing, with hundreds — if not thousands — of options claiming to do different things for dogs,” says Tailored Pet CEO Steve Joyce. “It’s really difficult for pet parents to know if they are making the best choice for their unique dog. Through our three-minute quiz, which asks pet parents detailed information about their pup — from age, size and activity level to ingredient sensitivities and wellness goals — we take the guesswork out of choosing the right food by personalizing a recipe that contains the right nutrients for each dog’s unique needs.”
Tailored Pet’s formulas focus on the specific health and wellness needs of each pet, taking into account age, size, activity levels, sensitivities and any health goals as identified by the pet owner. | Courtesy Tailored Pet
The direct-to-consumer model
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) is a small but growing segment of the pet food market, and it’s one particularly well-suited to this kind of personalization model. Pet parents get the individualization of formulation alongside the convenience of having the final product delivered right to their doorstep. It’s also, perhaps, destined for even more growth than expected due to the robust year e-commerce options have had due to the pandemic.
“We’re proud that we’ve been able to successfully launch a new brand during a pandemic,” says Joyce. “Fortunately, our DTC model has leant itself well to these uncertain times, making life a little bit easier for pet parents doing their best to navigate life during COVID-19.”
Tailored Pet has seen significant growth in its first year, proving that the company is on the right track when it comes to meeting its customers’ needs.
“We have been thrilled to see very strong growth since we went live with Tailored in May of 2020,” says Joyce. “We have fed thousands of dogs, shipped to all 48 contiguous states and have received more than 550 glowing 5-star reviews. In fact, we currently have thousands of happy dogs subscribed to Tailored and are seeing double-digit month-over-month growth every month. We’re very proud of how far we’ve come so far and are excited to see what the future holds as we approach our first anniversary in business!”
The opportunity for a curated experience
One of the biggest benefits of a DTC business model is the ability to curate each customer’s experience, and Tailored Pet takes full advantage of the opportunity.
“We’ve already received such strong, positive feedback on the Tailored experience in only our first 11 months in business, so we really believe our biggest opportunity is simply to get our product into the hands (and mouths) of as many pets and pet parents as possible,” says Joyce. “In addition to our recipes, which have already helped thousands of pets live healthier lives, we believe our personalized quiz, unboxing experience — which always includes something extra for the pup or pet parent — and exceptional customer service set us apart from the competition and help our customers feel loyal to the Tailored brand.”
Each delivery of Tailored Pet dog food arrives in a subscription-style box which also includes extra goodies for both the dog and pet parent.
“Whether it’s an eco-friendly bamboo food scoop, a fun toy or personalized stickers, each delivery includes a little extra something that we hope keeps Tailored delivery day fun for everyone,” says Joyce.
The food bags themselves have the dog’s name, and customers can choose the color of their label, a particularly useful detail for multi-dog households. Overall, the experience is one of personalization and attention to detail — exactly what those drawn to a DTC business are looking for, especially when it comes to their pets.
Tailored Pet’s personalization extends beyond the formulas themselves to the company’s packaging, which has custom label colors and each pet’s name on their bag. | Courtesy Tailored Pet
The future of Tailored Pet: expansion in a growing segment
Tailored Pet entered the industry at an incredibly volatile time, but as pet food has proven in the past it’s not going anywhere.
“Pet food continues to be one of the only growing consumer categories, so we see this as an industry rich with opportunity,” says Joyce. “At the same time, we are seeing a surge in pet ownership as well as DTC shopping, so our segment is primed for growth. Considering the ‘new normal’ we are expecting to live with in a post-pandemic world, we believe more and more pet parents will be doing their shopping for their pets online, no matter what kind of four-legged friends they have at home.”
And while the company is currently very focused on building brand awareness, there is definitely an eye on innovation and expansion, as well.
“Our sales have indicated that the future is strong for Tailored and we are excited that our personalized, high-quality formulas are going to help more and more dogs live their best lives,” says Joyce. “We plan to branch out into other adjacent verticals, including treats and wet food, in the coming months. We also know that dogs aren’t the only pets that could use a healthy meal, so we see ourselves expanding into cat food in the future, as well.”
The company has grown a lot in a short amount of time, and the knowledge gained from that growth is not going to waste.
“Since our launch we’ve learned a great deal and made meaningful tweaks and changes to improve the customer experience and drive sales,” says Joyce. “We’re excited about the progress we’ve been able to make thus far and see a very bright future ahead for Tailored.”
Fast Facts
Headquarters: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Officers: Steve Joyce, CEO; Annina Silverman, CMO; Jason Plotsko, CFO; Ryan Hunter, chief supply chain officer
Brands: Tailored Pet
Website/Social Media: www.TailoredPet.com; @mytailoredpet on Facebook and Instagram
Notable: We might be the new brand in town but within the Tailored team, we have centuries of experience! In dog years, that is…
