Golden Pet Brands, a multi-brand marketer and manufacturer of freeze-dried and air-dried pet food formerly part of Golden Hippo, has appointed Apu Mody as chief executive officer and John Meloun as chief financial officer.
Apu Mody, CEO, Golden Pet Brands; Jersey, Golden Retriever. Lee Jameson (PRNewsfoto/Golden Pet Brands)
Prior to that, he served as president of Mars Food Americas and Middle East and as senior vice president and managing director of consumer products at Del Monte Foods, where he oversaw a nine-figure acquisition of pet food and food assets. His experience spans strategic leadership, brand development, operations and multi-channel distribution across retail, e-commerce and wholesale. Mody holds an MBA from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.
John Meloun, CFO, Golden Pet Brands. Lee Jameson (PRNewsfoto/Golden Pet Brands)
Meloun also served on the board of directors at WellBiz Brands Inc., a beauty and wellness platform. He holds an MBA from Arizona State University's W.P. Carey School of Business. As CFO, Meloun oversees financial operations for Golden Pet Brands, including the company's vertically integrated manufacturing and direct-to-consumer business.
Golden Pet Brands' portfolio
Golden Pet Brands' portfolio includes three brands — Dr. Marty Pets, Badlands Ranch and Ultimate Pet Nutrition — each developed in partnership with veterinarians and advocates who lead product development and consumer education. Each brand offers minimally processed food, treats and supplements for dogs and cats. The company produces long-form educational content across national television and digital platforms.
Dr. Marty Pets was created in partnership with Dr. Marty Goldstein, an integrative veterinarian with a Cornell University DVM and more than 50 years of clinical experience. Goldstein is the author of The Nature of Animal Healing and The Spirit of Animal Healing and the subject of the documentary The Dog Doc. The brand offers Nature's Blend, a line of freeze-dried raw recipes for dogs, and Nature's Feast, a freeze-dried raw food for cats. Dog behaviorist Cesar Millan, host of Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan, serves as brand champion.
Badlands Ranch was created in partnership with Katherine Heigl, actress and animal welfare advocate who co-founded the Jason Heigl Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to animal protection. The brand features air-dried recipes and functional treats for dogs. Superfood Complete, an air-dried recipe in the Badlands Ranch line, is made with 87% beef, beef heart, beef liver and salmon, and includes pumpkin, blueberries and turmeric. Dr. Ambika Vaid, DVM, serves on the Badlands Ranch veterinary advisory board.
Ultimate Pet Nutrition was created in partnership with Dr. Gary Richter, DVM, founder of Holistic Veterinary Care in Oakland, California, and author of The Ultimate Pet Health Guide, Longevity for Dogs and Longevity for Cats. The brand offers Nutra Complete, a freeze-dried raw food for dogs with 95% animal-sourced ingredients, and Nutra Thrive, a veterinarian-formulated supplement for dogs and cats. Actor Rob Lowe, known for The West Wing and 9-1-1: Lone Star, serves as chief pet advocate for the brand.
Golden Pet Brands owns and operates Golden Pet Manufacturing, a facility in Germantown, Wisconsin, that produces freeze-dried and air-dried pet food and treats. The facility holds a BRC AA+ food safety rating, and the company manages its supply chain from ingredient sourcing through production and safety testing.
