Butternut Box - Think Gousto but for Dogs
by Startacus Admin
The lowdown on the UK startup, Butternut Box that's providing a fresh food delivery service, but for dogs!
Dogs. Friendly, loyal, furry, a bit dim, loyal, and friendly. They are, or at least try to be, everyone’s best friend. However, when it comes to feeding them, we often take the ‘that’ll do’ route and get them food somewhere in the lower-middle price range.
After all, they don’t tell us they don’t like it or it doesn’t sate them properly or it gives them stomach ache, so it must be fine, right? Most mass-
produced dog foods laud themselves for being packed full of nutrients and real meat and real vegetables and...lentils? But they don’t mention that it’s the lowest quality meat possible (and needs only to contain 4% of that meat to be labelled as beef, chicken, etc.), or that it’s padded out with all manner of filler and then sprinkled with a generous helping of preservatives.
This leads to a poor diet and unhealthy dogs. We think if the dogs made us dinner they’d give us only the best, so why not do the same for them?
UK-based startup Butternut Box is here to ensure that we can do just that.
The startup came about when co-founder Dave brought home a rescue dog. She was unwell and on a lot of medication, and her stomach was continually upset. In order to help her with this, Dave and his mother cooked all of the dog’s meals at home, choosing ingredients carefully. When this worked wonders for not only their dog, but for friends’ dogs too, Dave and his co-founder Kev quit their jobs and made Butternut Box a fulltime job.
Butternut Box cooks meals to order, meaning that your dog always gets the freshest food, and that it gets a meal tailored - in conjunction with veterinary nutritionists - to a range of factors including age, size, breed, energy levels, allergies, and weight. These are then shipped every 2-4 weeks with a subscription option of either 50% or 100% of the dog’s recommended daily calories. 
Meals are made with ingredients good enough for - and tested by - humans, and include all necessary vitamins and minerals. They are also free from ingredients that often irritate a dog’s stomach, such as grain wheat, gluten, dairy, sugar, lactose, and more.
Butternut Box currently delivers to 99% of the mainland UK (they don’t yet brave the Scottish Highlands), ans the idea is a solid one, and one that will catch many dog owners’ eye.
It has already caught the eye of the likes of White Star Capital and Literacy Capital, who are among the backers who recently invested £5m in Butternut Box. So you would - and we know you’ve been waiting for this - be barking mad not to give it a go!
If you liked this Pet Tech themed startup feature, you might want to read our previous article on a number of innovative Pet Tech startups.
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you would like to receive our startup themed newsletter, full of the latest startup opportunities, events, news, stories, tips and advice, then sign up here.
With more companies turning to influencers to connect with their audience, we ask what makes influencer marketing have such a high impact effect?
Manchester fintech GoodBox, who helps charities embrace the rise of fintech through digital and contactless payments, have raised over £2m for UK charities.
The startup that has created a 3D product configuration and visualisation platform
.jpeg)
How exactly do you go about finding the best office for your startup? Here's some top advice on finding the right place for you.
We take a look at yulife, a new InsurTech startup shaking up the life insurance sector, with customers earning rewards for healthy activities.
A study recently carried out by Volteface, has been revealed that social media platforms are frequently being used in order to advertise illicit drugs.
When it comes to setting up a startup there are certain things to consider before you set up your business in the city.
The edtech startup that's helping students learn by putting the core syllabus to music
The startup that's creating a learning experience to inspire the next generation of STEM learners, starting with Maths.
Not having the right team is a common reason why startups fail. Here are some of the key personalities and soft skills you'll need in your team.
Published on: 25th February 2018
.png)
If you would like to enable commenting via your Startacus account, please enable Disqus functionality in your Account Settings.
- Manchester fintech GoodBox hits £2m donated to UK charities 21st Oct 2019 Manchester fintech GoodBox, who helps charities embrace the rise of fintech through digital and contactless payments, have raised over £2m for UK charities.
- Event at Startup Week Dublin to explore startup collaboration between NI and Ireland 11th Oct 2019 With the impact of BREXIT still very much an uncertainty, our evening event at Startup Week Dublin will explore startup collaboration and opportunities between NI and Ireland.
- Startups shaping future of the smart built environment wanted for RElab programme 8th Oct 2019 Tech startups focused on smart buildings and cities, smart grid, construction tech, predictive maintenance, and other tech solutions - take note!
- Tech startups in telecom infrastructure sought for BT run competition 3rd Oct 2019 BT and the Telecom Infra Project (TIP) have launched the third annual competition for startups in telecom infrastructure
