Dan Schaefer, our CEO, wanted the best for his Labrador retriever Louie, as all pet parents do. But what he discovered, upon closer inspection, was that there was a jarring mismatch between “all-natural” marketing on pet food packaging and the actual ingredients listed in the fine print on the back.

As such, he became equally educated and aware when it came to the food he fed Louie. And while this clean label “mis-match” was common on pet food packaging, Dan discovered that there was even a larger discrepancy when it came to supplements, treats and functional foods.

Why were pet food companies making supplements out of 17 ingredients or more, but when it came to human supplements, the ultimate goal was simplicity and efficacy?

Dan called longtime friend, groomsman and the more entrepreneurially inclined Pat Baron, who like Dan, had a passion for food systems, entrepreneurship, and of course, pets. Pat saw an opportunity to do something great for pets, quit his job and launched Native Pet with Dan, a company with a mission to make pet food simpler and with a cleaner label.