Omni: Novel proteins for the allergy-prone pet

This UK-based company was started with the idea that pets with allergies deserve a delicious meal, too.

July 8, 2025

Omni

Omni was co-founded by veterinarian Dr. Guy Sandelowsky and banker Shiv Sivakumar, who both had the same idea: Help pets live healthier lives.

“The pet food industry is definitely changing — and we think that’s for the better,” says Sandelowsky. “At the moment, over half of dogs are suffering from obesity or are overweight, and many will die from preventable conditions like certain cancers. Plus, around an estimated 20% of all pets have allergies or sensitivities, which many guardians don’t realize. In many cases, this comes down to their pawrents’ food choices — which is why we want to provide something better than anything that’s come before.”

That “something” is Omni’s lines of dry and wet food, as well as its treats and supplements, made with novel proteins and with an eye toward being hypoallergenic.

Passionate about pet health

“Omni is unique because it's one of the only brands in the world fully focused on helping the millions of allergy-prone pets suffering from skin, gut and obesity problems,” says Sandelowsky. “By using novel proteins derived from yeasts, algae and pulses as the hero ingredients in our food, treat and supplement ranges, we not only deliver on health, but also enjoyment for the dogs and affordability for their guardians.”

When Omni began, its primary focus was on pet food solutions — a topic important to Sandelowsky since it was a novel protein diet that helped get rid of his own Black Labrador’s allergies (as well as the weight gained by trying other options to help with said allergies). However, the company founders soon realized that hypoallergenic food alone wasn’t enough.

“In time it became clear that if you fix the food but not the treats or the supplements being fed to the dog, the skin and gut symptoms persist,” says Sandelowsky. “This makes sense: If a dog is allergic to chicken and chicken is cut out of the main diet, but chicken fat is used in the supplement tablets they take, the allergy will still be triggered, right? This is why Omni now has a complete suite of products, all unified by suitability for pets prone to allergies and weight gain. This means pet guardians can find everything they need ‘under one roof,’ which is not only more convenient for them but also improves long-term compliance (which means pets do better).”

So, Omni expanded.

“We launched the Omni Rescue soft chew supplement range at the beginning of 2024, and already after just a year are helping tens of thousands of dogs around the UK,” says Sandelowsky. “Omni Rescue’s supplements are formulated by veterinarians and literally support dogs from head to tail: With everything from cognitive health to joints and mobility, stress and anxiety to anal glands, the Omni Rescue range is one of the fastest-growing on the market today. Importantly, we’ve made supplements part of people’s bonding ritual with their pets with our tasty treat-like chews. The inclusion of novel proteins and calorie-controlled ingredients ensure their application in allergy- and weight-gain-prone pets.”

Pandemic growth and investor partnerships

The company grew during the post-pandemic wave of pet-health consciousness brought on by humans hyper-focusing on their own health.

“Dogs have always been man’s best friend, but pre-pandemic most people didn’t really take the time to understand what they needed,” says Sandelowsky. “Now, we’re seeing a much more passionate and educated population in what is almost a new generation of dog guardianship. Novel proteins and allergy-friendly foods like Omni’s are set to take the lead over conventional market names.”

Omni has grown its revenue by over 350% from Year 1 to present, and has acquired a few big-name investors who believe in the company’s mission. On February 6, 2025, the company appeared on Dragon’s Den, the UK’s Shark Tank equivalent, where it secured a £75,000 (US$95,817.26) investment from celebrities Steven Bartlett and Deborah Meaden.

But it’s not just Omni seeing the growth.

“In our segment (the novel proteins sector), we’re seeing huge growth — not just in actual turnover, but also in simple awareness,” says Sandelowsky. “The idea of a dog on a novel protein diet is becoming more and more commonplace. Just a few years ago, almost nobody you stopped on the street would have recognized the idea that dogs can be fed anything other than raw or processed meats. And while not everything new is necessarily good, the pet food industry is so tainted by allergen-heavy and often highly processed animal byproducts that any shift towards novel proteins as a segment is probably a good one. All our forecasts predict a significantly greater shift in this direction.”

Omni's small, U.K.-based team has come together due to their desire to create more ethical feed solutions that address pets' health needs.Omni

Challenges and the company’s future

Omni plans to be hard at work in 2025, expanding in both the dog and cat spaces.

“We see opportunity everywhere we look,” says Sandelowsky. “At the moment, we’re really looking forward to bringing to market our range for cats — as well as expanding our dog offerings with more innovative dental care and weight loss support products.”

Cats had their time in the sun in 2024, as the industry finally caught up to what cat owners have been asking for alongside their dog-owning brethren. That time seems to be seeping into 2025, as well.

“We’re very excited to be expanding into the cat sector in 2025, creating a new line of novel protein, allergy-friendly soft chew supplements for cats,” says Sandelowsky. “On top of that, the Omni team has been working behind the scenes on an exciting new cultivated meat product that is able to replace the conventionally allergenic and meaty products on the market today.”

The company has big plans, and at the same time is very aware of its place in the market — with allergy-friendly claims and cultivated meat (as well as other novel proteins) on the docket, Omni must ensure that its customers trust the product they’re receiving.

“As with any pet care brand, people place the health of their furry friends in our hands every day — and that’s quite a responsibility,” says Sandelowsky. “One challenge we face on this front is making absolutely certain that every product we bring to market is as effective as possible. To do this, we do thorough post-nutritional testing and analysis with third-party experts at the University of Nottingham Veterinary School every time we develop something new. We’ve also had our products studied for peer-reviewed scientific papers before. This science is difficult, time-consuming and expensive — but we take solace in knowing that we’re doing right by pets every time we sell anything!”