The nonprofit Companions and Animals for Reform and Equity (CARE) has launched Soul Phood, a pet food brand co-founded with veterinarians Dr. Vernard Hodges and Dr. Terrence Ferguson, stars of the National Geographic reality series "Critter Fixers: Country Vets."
The brand operates under the organization's social enterprise model and is intended to expand access, representation and economic opportunity within the pet care industry, the nonprofit said.
CARE said its research found that businesses owned by people of color account for a small fraction of revenue in the $147 billion pet industry, with fewer operating in the pet food sector.
Affordable pet nutrition, workforce development opportunities
The Critter Fixers team will lead veterinary and nutritional oversight for the brand, which CARE said is designed to provide affordable pet nutrition while creating workforce development opportunities and reinvesting profits into the nonprofit's programs.
"The launch of Soul Phood represents a new model for how community impact and business innovation can work together," said James Evans, CEO of CARE. "This is about building ownership, creating opportunities, and ensuring that underserved communities are represented in every part of the pet care economy."
Hodges and Ferguson's television series has run six seasons and treated more than 20,000 animal patients, earning a Critics Choice Real TV Award and an NAACP Image Award nomination. Their "Vet for a Day" mentorship program has expanded into a multi-city initiative serving more than 1,000 students interested in veterinary medicine and animal care careers.
CARE's plans for Soul Phood include creating jobs, supporting supplier diversity and establishing a manufacturing and workforce development hub in Camden, New Jersey. The organization also plans to pursue impact investment to scale the brand and sustain its programs.
CARE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on addressing organizational and personal biases in animal welfare and advancing a more inclusive path to pet adoption.
