Kendra Locke and Corene Petitpren first met while on travel health care assignments in Michigan, where they were frequently seen walking their dogs. The longtime animal lovers are now married and living in Cape Coral, where their four-legged friends are at the center of their burgeoning business venture, The K9 Kitchen.
It all started when they were working in California several years ago and they observed their dog walker making his own dog food. They wanted to get out of healthcare (they worked in sterile processing in operating rooms) and thought something dog-related would be a good move. So they started playing around with their own dog food recipes and testing them on their pets.
“We noticed a big difference just by removing some kibble and adding fresh fruits and vegetables,” says Locke, 40. “His energy levels improved; our black dog got rid of the dander on him. That’s when he clicked and we said, let’s do a dog food business.”
It has taken a lot of research and a lot of trial and error to grow the business, but today The K9 Kitchen is on the verge of great things. He now sells his fresh, all-natural, antibiotic-, hormone-, and steroid-free dog food nationally through his website (thek9kitchenllc.com) and is putting several pieces in place for future growth.
“Our slogan is ‘for the love of dogs,’ and we make them this really healthy food because they give us so much love,” says Locke. “That’s why we do it. We don’t want to be the biggest company; we just want to be the best. We’re not in this to be millionaires. We are in this to help dogs lead healthier lives.”
conquer challenges
Locke and Petitpren began by going to LegalZoom and establishing a business name, then researched dog food and labeling requirements. “We basically learned along the way,” says Locke.
Their vet recommended contacting a veterinary nutritionist to help them refine their recipes. After looking at options, they chose one based in North Carolina. Locke and Petitpren provided the ingredients they wanted to use, and the veterinary nutritionist made sure the recipes were nutritionally balanced and completely safe for dogs. “It’s very, very expensive, but it’s worth it,” says Locke.
The next step was all the necessary registrations and licenses to operate the business. Locke and Petitpren originally self-financed everything with their savings. K9 Kitchen officially launched in September 2019 and the company kicked off sales in January 2020 selling its two dog food recipes at four farmers markets in Southwest Florida.
‘We don’t want to be the biggest company; we just want to be the best. We’re not in this to be millionaires. We’re in this to help dogs lead healthier lives.’ Kendra Locke, The K9 Kitchen
That was a small start approach that made a lot of sense at the time. But then the pandemic, of course, shut everything down. “The world was turned upside down and we had to figure out if we were going to go out of business or move on.” Locke says.
They decided to use that time when the markets were closed to come up with a third dog food recipe; two types of dog treats; and six flavors of pup-sicles. “We just took that time and sent everything to the veterinary nutritionist, did all the labeling, and registered each product through the Florida Department of Agriculture,” says Locke. “By the time we were able to start dating again, we had more products to offer. So COVID really hurt us, but it helped us at the same time.”
The company developed some loyal customers. But sales weren’t as strong as they needed to be to sustain the business. The K9 Kitchen had a website, but it wasn’t working as well as it should have. So last summer, Locke and Petitpren found themselves at a turning point: they had to assess the viability of their business.
They began the process of shutting down the store, removing the company’s website and listing from Google. But when a regular customer could no longer find them online, she called and asked if Locke and Petitpren would be willing to talk to her and her husband about her business.
“We had never seen these people; they just made orders,” says Locke. During their phone call, the husband asked questions such as why they started the business and what kind of equipment they needed. “I was like, what is this guy referring to?” Locke remembers. “Then they said: ‘We are investors. Don’t close the business. There is a good amount of money here to keep it open.”
The deal is still in the testing phase and investors prefer to remain in the background. But if all goes well, they’ll put together a formal plan. “Basically, the ball is in our court,” says Locke.
spread the word
Currently, K9 Kitchen prepares and cooks its products at the Florida Culinary Accelerator in Immokalee. Their chicken, beef, and turkey recipes are made with fresh, human-grade meat, grains, fruits, and vegetables. “You could take a bite out of any of our foods,” says Locke.
The company uses ingredients from local farms whenever it can and is working to have its products certified organic. “I want people to know that when they see our logo or see The K9 Kitchen, they know it’s quality,” says Petitpren, 52. “Kendra and I work hard to keep chemicals out of our food. That’s why all the meats we use have no steroids, hormones, or antibiotics. We love dogs and want years to be added to their already short lives – happy and healthy years.”
Stefania Pifferi.Kendra Locke and Corene Petitpren founded The K9 Kitchen in 2019.
The company will soon be moving to a larger space at the Culinary Accelerator when another business moves in. That will give Locke, Petitpren and their part-time employee more space to prepare and store food, an important element since everything is made fresh and without preservatives, and will also allow them to ship orders from the commercial kitchen. (At this time that is done outside the owners’ house). The investor relationship includes the possibility of finding space and setting up the company’s own commercial kitchen at some point along the way.
There is a huge potential market for the company. According to data from the American Pet Products Association, 69 million American households have a pet dog. And it’s estimated that pet owners spent $44.1 billion on pet food and treats in 2021.
Locke and Petitpren declined to provide specific revenue figures. But from December 2021 to the end of February, website sales are up 261%, email subscribers are up 436%, Facebook engagement is up 115%, and Facebook followers are up 11%. “In the last few months we’ve definitely grown, which is incredible,” says Locke.
A new focus on marketing efforts is helping fuel that growth and introduce the company’s products to more people. In 2021, The K9 Kitchen began working with Jennifer Leach, president of Screaming Fans Marketing in Naples. “They had already built a great product line and had loyal customers, but they were really struggling to get the word out to a larger audience,” says Leach.
Since then, the company has conducted a pricing analysis, revamped and improved its website, and created new brand documents to better promote itself. “We had to present our message to everyone in a clear and consistent way,” says Leach. “That way people who see us can understand the brand and what it’s about…Making our messages clear and consistent has really been a big part of the key to helping shoppers understand the benefits of The K9 Kitchen, how to buy it and why. They should buy it.”
The company is also launching a new program to partner with social media influencers. “We know that people who are patrons of The K9 Kitchen are huge fans,” says Leach. “So we wanted to give those people an avenue to spread the word and earn a little while doing it.”
Locally, The K9 Kitchen products are sold at Farmer Joe’s in Cape Coral, various Dog Perfect locations, Little Paws Bakery in Fort Myers, and Burnt Store Animal Hospital in Punta Gorda. Darlene Sumner, owner of Little Paws Bakery and a certified canine nutritionist, appreciates that The K9 Kitchen’s dog food is human-grade and made with high-quality ingredients.
“They went out of their way to find the most nutritious sources for their food, and they are formulated and balanced,” she says. “You can’t have a healthy dog if you don’t feed your dog healthy food. I like the fact that they are local and I like to help small businesses because I am a small business.”
“It’s good to know the science is behind it, so you know your dog is getting a complete diet,” adds Nicole Kenedy, senior manager at Dog Perfect. “What I tell a lot of people… is yes, you are spending more money on your diet [than with traditional dry or canned dog food]. But you are not spending money on diseases. So with fresh or raw food or a good half and half mix, your dogs are less prone to allergies and less prone to upset stomachs. They have reduced shedding and cleaner teeth. There are many benefits to fresh food.”
Now, with the company’s improved website and the ability to serve customers across the country (except Alaska and Hawaii), the future looks bright. “Since we built the new website and launched it, it’s gaining more and more traction every month and sales are growing,” says Leach. “I have high hopes for them.”
