VOICE(V): Why plant-based treats and toppers for dogs?

 

Zach(Z): We didn't want to create just another meat-based treat in an already saturated market. Factory farming is one of the major contributors to global warming, and with both the human and dog populations growing quickly, it's clear that factory-farmed animals - both on land and at sea-are not sustainable options. That's why we chose plant-based products for dogs, starting with treats. Most dogs are on a meat-based diet, but by adding more fruits and vegetables into your dog’s diet, you’re giving them additional vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and digestive enzymes so they can live their longest and healthiest lives.  

 

Riley(R): Dogs being true omnivores, do best when adding the right type of fruits, veggies and healthy grains to their mealtime. High-fibre, plant-based treats and toppers help your pup to truly thrive. I love hearing from our customers that our products complement their dog’s existing diets.  

 

Lisa(L): Plant-based treats and toppers help to balance raw and kibble diets. Raw-fed dogs often aren’t getting enough fibre in their diet, while kibble-fed dogs get overly processed nutrition. Our products help to bridge this gap with healthy, unprocessed options.

Sustainability also drives our plant-based approach. The pet food industry's environmental impact is staggering, and change is overdue. While we know most dogs’ main meals are traditionally meat-based, plant-based treats and toppers offer an easy path to sustainability. This simple choice boosts your pets health while helping the planet. Experts warn that by 2050, the pet industry will have no choice but to adapt and find more sustainable options. We’re very proud to be at the forefront of this shift, helping to shape a more sustainable future.

 

V: What sets Khyber's apart from other health-focused brands?

 

L: The thing that really sets us apart is our unwavering commitment to utilizing only fresh, human-grade ingredients chosen with purpose. Many health focused brands who market themselves as “natural” still often use questionable ingredients, like seed oils, brown rice syrup, glycerin, preservatives & natural flavours, (which can contain a food chemical called Propylene Glycol) 

Many brands also use the terms “fresh” or "raw" on their packaging, but their products are still dehydrated or freeze-dried. When we say “fresh and “raw”, we mean it - our treats are made with fresh ingredients and simply cold-pressed to preserve digestive enzymes. We are so proud to have created  Canada’s first fresh and genuinely raw treats!  

 

V: What criteria do you use when picking ingredients?

 

L: We source from Canadian suppliers whenever possible and many of our ingredients are also grown right here in Canada. While we could have taken a cheaper route, our commitment to high quality, human-grade ingredients is what makes our products among some of the best and healthiest on the market today. 

Because our treats are certified human-grade, we actually eat them all of the time and they’re seriously delicious! We always encourage people try our dog treats at events and we love seeing them realize just how different they truly are.  We believe if they’re not good enough for you, they’re not good enough for your furry best friend! 

 

Z: When choosing any of our ingredients we always scrutinize the health benefits for your pup, ensuring that every ingredient is safe and healthy for your dog. We have no interest in choosing cheap ingredients just for the purpose of becoming a filler in order to save money. Yes that would be the cheaper way to go, but that just not who we are. 

 

V: What drives your recipe ideas?

 

R: With our years of experience working with so many dogs, we’ve developed a deep understanding of the flavours dogs love while also focusing on their nutritional needs. As a health-conscious family and big-time foodies, we personally always strive to consume fresh, unprocessed foods made from scratch. Naturally, we translate our food ethos into all of the products we make because we strongly believe all dogs deserve the same care in order to help them to live their longest and healthiest lives. 

 

L: Coming up with new recipes is always fun! I have a strong background in cooking and baking, and I’ve always loved spending time in the kitchen baking for my boys, friends and family. My son’s are also amazing cooks – I always found ways to get them involved in cooking since they were just toddlers. We all share the same passion for learning about food, nutrition and how this affects every aspect of our lives and the lives of our pets. We love having the opportunity to not only share our healthy treats and toppers with the world, but also having a hand in educating our customers on how they can play such a vital role in helping their pets live longer, better lives. 

​

V: Has incorporating plant-based toppers and treats made a difference for your dog?

 

L: We've always fed our dog, Charlie – now a 13-year-old Golden Retriever – a healthy diet of real, homemade, unprocessed food. The one significant change we’ve made these past 3 years was to incorporate our Khyber's products into his daily diet. Since he's been on our food toppers, both our Flax, Fruit & Veg blend as well as our Organic Sea Kelp, we’ve seen a significant improvement in his overall health, the added fibre has been especially beneficial for his gut-health, especially as a senior dog.

 

R: The difference in Charlie's health has been huge! Our Flax, Fruit, & Veg Food Topper contains powerful natural anti-inflammatory properties, we’ve noticed a significant improvement with Charlie’s mobility. At 10, his joints were starting to become noticeably sore, and he was starting to really slow down on our walks, now he joins us for hour-long hikes in the forest. He's steadily gotten better over time. 

 

Z: Charlie is living his best and healthiest life as a 13-year-old Retriever. We've been fortunate to have the opportunity to care for so many amazing dogs over the years. This has given us a very unique insight into the causes of health issues, so much of it comes down to what goes into their diet and their bodies.

 

V: What’s it like running a business as a family?

 

L: This journey means everything to me, especially sharing it with my sons. I didn’t have an opportunity to grow up the way most kids did. I have been living on my own since I was 15. I had to start working to support myself from an unusually young age, but I’ve always had the drive to get past the cards I was dealt and come our stronger on the other side. I eventually earned my GED, went on to become a teacher, and dedicated my life to helping kids and teens. I’ve always believed no matter where you start, passion and perseverance can rewrite your story.

Between teaching, caring for dogs, and raising my boys on my own, I was constantly on the move. I’d rush home between classes for walks and playtime with the dogs. After school we’d head of to various sports activities but I never missed a game or skipped bedtime stories at the end of the day, no matter how tired I was. When my boys got older, I added a night job to the mix as life got more and more expensive. My days often started at 6 AM and ended at 1 AM. Looking back, I’m not sure how I kept it all up for all those years, but it taught me relentless determination. That same drive pushed me through every obstacle in building this business. I wanted to create something for my son’s, so they could have more freedom and time to enjoy their lives. 

 

Z: We get along unusually well as a family. Running the business together doesn't feel like a typical mother-and-son dynamic. We're all business partners, and when we discuss something, each of our voices holds the same weight.

 

R: Our mom has always treated my brother and I with respect, she always listened to us. In business, we all bring different strengths and complement each other well. Zach is highly organized and helps shape the company's processes, I love getting out to events and connecting with our customers and our mom has an incredible ability to connect with people in a way you rarely see. She reaches out to company owners and CEOs, builds genuine relationships, and makes them want to work with us because they genuinely like her.

 

V: What is the future vision for Khyber’s?

 

R: We aim to establish ourselves as the go-to brand for healthy dog treats and toppers in order to fuel your dog’s epic adventures! We are no doubt in the top 1% for quality and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

L: One of the best pieces of advice I have heard when building a company is to stay focused and avoid getting distracted by going in too many directions. Figure out what you want to do and do it well! We've seen success with both our toppers and treats, so our goal is to continue expanding both of these lines while making sure we’re doing it right and staying focused.

 

Z: We will always maintain quality and remain transparent in everything we do as we grow. We also look forward to looking for ways to utilize more sustainable packaging. This is a big pain-point in the food industry, we truly hope to see more innovative and sustainable solutions for companies like ours as we move into the future. This is a conversation that could be a topic in a whole new interview! 

​