Ghostdog Pets, based in the UK, launched its first brand, Sync, at PATS 2025 in Birmingham, England. The company was founded by Glenn Rankin, who established the insect-based pet nutrition company Yora.
Ghostdog Pets said it focuses on insect protein formulations and plans to expand its brand portfolio over the next 18 months through organic growth and targeted mergers and acquisitions. The company's team includes co-founders with backgrounds in pet retail, nutrition and fast-moving consumer goods marketing, all joining in 2025.
Rankin said Ghostdog Pets was born out of the desire to make insect protein accessible to all pets. "In 2024, the opportunity to launch my own group of brands presented itself, and I didn't need asking twice," he said.
Sync will be available for pre-orders starting September 2025, with full consumer availability in January 2026.
Company appointments
The company has appointed industry veteran Paul van der Raad as group senior vice president & chief commercial officer, effective October 1. Van der Raad brings more than 30 years of leadership experience across the global pet industry, including CEO roles at Vital Petfood Group, Best Friend A/S, Henne Pet Food and Petbuddy Group. He also served in a global new business development leadership role at Protix.
"Paul knows this industry inside out," said Glenn Rankin, founder and CEO of Ghostdog Pets. "He's sharp, practical and fully plugged into what makes a brand work in today's market. His experience with insect-based nutrition, functional health, and retail is exactly what we need as we grow. Having Paul on board gives us the commercial firepower and focus to build momentum fast and stay true to our mission."
At Ghostdog Pets, van der Raad will handle commercial strategy, retail partnerships, and commercial growth, beginning with the launch of Sync, a functional nutrition brand for sensitive dogs.
"Joining Ghostdog Pets is an exciting step for me," said van der Raad. "I've spent my career pioneering and building pet businesses, from ingredient level to brands. Sync is a great example of what happens when you combine deep pet nutrition insight with bold thinking. It delivers something new, not just to pets, but to the trade as well: functional nutrition and strong support for retail."
Rankin has also appointed Joanna Botwood as chief marketing officer to lead marketing and innovation. Botwood brings experience leading FMCG businesses and building sustainable brands.
"I've had the benefit and fortune to work on some incredible global brands across many different categories over my career," said Botwood. "But when presented with the opportunity to build something from scratch, I couldn't say no. While I don't have experience within the pet industry, I see an obvious opportunity to act, behave, and operate differently, ultimately benefiting pets, pet parents, and the planet in the long run."
