Australis Aquaculture and ButcherBox begin selling pets featuring seafood.
Greenfield, Massachusetts, USA-based Australis Aquaculture, which is in the midst of expanding its barramundi farming operations in Vietnam, has launched Barra Barrk, a Fair Trade-certified, single-ingredient, human-grade pet treat that made of barramundi fish skin .
Australis’ Barra Bark, sold under its Better Fish brand, is now sold at all BJ’s Wholesale Club stores located in the eastern United States. The treats are made from Australis’ Aquaculture Stewardship Council- and Best Aquaculture Practices-certified farms and are hand-rolled and air-dried, offering “countless nutritional benefits and endless fun for furry friends.”
“Filled with omega-3 fatty acids, these fish skins support everything from agility and health of pets’ teeth and joints to their cardiovascular system and vision,” the company says. “Sustainable practices used at The Better Fish farms guide every step of the fish-to-treat process, ensuring that every bite nourishes dogs with human-grade food ingredients from a completely which is a certified food production facility.”
Australis Aquaculture CEO and Co-Founder Josh Goldman said as the pet treat market continues to evolve, his company is differentiating itself by offering “a viable alternative that meets the need for with natural and sustainable products made to the highest standards.”
“The versatility of barramundi continues to excite and amaze us, and we couldn’t be happier to bring it and all of its benefits to a wellness-worthy group – your best friend,” said Goldman. . “This launch represents not only a new product innovation but a new chapter in the bond between pets and their people.”
Separately, Watertown, Massachusetts, USA-based ButcherBox, a direct-to-consumer meat and seafood brand, announced a move into the pet space through its ButcherBox For Pets line of dry food, treats, and hip and joint supplements for dogs.
B-Corp certified ButcherBox, which delivers grass-fed beef, free-range organic chicken, heritage breed pork, and wild-caught Alaskan salmon by mail to customers across the US, it developed the ButcherBox For Pets line “within a clinical vet environment with the same high quality standards as ButcherBox by sourcing humanely raised, sustainably harvested beef and chicken that are never given antibiotics or added hormones – ever.”
“What we’ve learned through this process is that most food or meat companies don’t want to put their branding on the label of the pet food or treats they sell,” said ButcherBox Founder and CEO Mike Salguero. “We’re proud of the work we put into sourcing high-quality, humanely raised meat for this line of products, and we want consumers to know that by seeing our brand front and center on the package, it means that they can trust where and how it was taken.”
ButcherBox For Pets treats and hip joint supplements have been exclusively available to ButcherBox customers for the past 12 months, generating USD 750,000 (EUR 691,000) in sales to date, according to the company. It is now adding dry food by subscription and plans to expand its pet food line next year with additional treats, supplements, meal toppers, and product offerings for cats, among others other food products
“This rollout marks the complete line as well as a new way to purchase on ButcherBoxForPets.com’s standalone website,” the company said.
ButcherBox For Pets President Bobby Quirk said internal research showed that nearly 60 percent of ButcherBox customers have a dog in their home.
“As a business, we pride ourselves on being able to take customer feedback and implement it into our research and development process. Customers have told us they are equally interested in feeding their pets, particularly in dogs, a quality product similar to their diets,” Quirk said. “This is a prime example of this feedback loop coming full circle.”
And in January 2024, Boston, Massachusetts-based North Coast Seafoods introduced its new Boat to Bowl pet food line featuring fish-based dog and cat food formulas and treats.
The line, which includes three Fish-First Dry Kibble Recipes, two Food Toppers, and a Fish Oil Omega-3 Topper for added flavor and nutrition, became available in all Target stores on January 1, 2024. Each of the products includes upcycled Marine Stewardship Council-certified fish byproducts.
“We are thrilled to bring Boat to Bowl Pet Foods to Target visitors across the country,” said North Coast Seafoods Pet Foods Director Jon Wooner. “Our mission is to offer sustainable, natural, and healthy seafood options. Boat to Bowl reflects our commitment to quality for 65 years, now extended to beloved pets. “
