2023 Impact Report

2023

Hello!

Welcome to the 2023 edition of The Honest Kitchen’s annual Impact Report. As a Certified B Corporation, our Impact Report provides visibility into how we’re tracking as a company on a wide variety of social and environmental objectives. The goal over time is to continually progress and improve on prior years’ accomplishments, identify areas of improvement and set new goals for the future.

2023 was both a challenging and exciting year for The Honest Kitchen. We navigated though many unplanned events like the avian influenza outbreak that impacted poultry farmers, resulting in production issues, and we continue to work through inflationary pressures affecting so many in our industry. Despite these setbacks, we still have so much to celebrate this year. The business continues to grow, and we continue to expand distribution of our products to more locations across the US and Canada.

We’re thrilled to have closed the year welcoming Will Lisman, our tremendous new Chief Executive Officer, who brings integrity, rigor and a truly inspiring leadership style to The Honest Kitchen. We also welcome Miki Dosen as our new Chief Marketing Officer and have entered 2024 with incredible vibrancy, energy and optimism!

A few positive highlights from 2023 include purchasing 89% of our raw ingredients from North America, collectively volunteering over 300 hours of our time to local causes and donating almost half a million dollars worth of food and treats to non-profits.

Please read on for more details!

Lucy Postins, Founder & Chief Integrity Officer

OUR MISSION

TO PUT AS MANY PETS AS POSSIBLE ON THE ROAD TO GOOD HEALTH THROUGH GOOD FOOD.

OUR BRAND PROMISE

TO CREATE THE HEALTHIEST PRODUCTS THAT HELP PETS LIVE A LONG AND HAPPY LIFE.

OUR BRAND PURPOSE

TO INSPIRE MORE CONFIDENT PET PARENTS.

How We Help Pet Parents FEEL MORE CONFIDENT

THROUGH TRUSTWORTHY FOODS THAT FUEL HEALTHIER PETS

You can trust your pet is getting the highest quality standard in pet food, helping them live longer and healthier lives.

THROUGH NORMALIZING THE BEAUTIFUL MESS OF PET PARENTING

We celebrate the reality of being a pet parent— the good, the bad and everything in between.

THROUGH OUR TEAM OF DEDICATED PET PARENTS

We understand the needs of pet parents because we’re passionate pet parents, too.

Human grade.

Most pet food is something called ‘feed grade.’ The Honest Kitchen is the world’s first ‘human grade’ pet food made with 100% human grade ingredients and produced in a human food facility. That means higher quality ingredients and more safety standards, just like you‘d expect.

us them

THE 1 ST EVER HUMAN GRADE PET FOOD

Follows human food safety standards, which include 100+ safety requirements

Guaranteed to use non-GMO ingredients verified as human-edible

Only uses highest-quality, thoughtfully sourced protein, like wild caught fish and cage free turkey

Minimally processed using production methods like cold pressing, roasting and gentle dehydration

VS

1

,000+ FEED GRADE PET FOODS

Follows livestock feed safety standards, which include a minimum of 15 safety requirements

Can use ingredients rejected for human consumption, including feed grade by-products and fillers

Able to use protein not safe for human consumption, including ‘4D’ meats (dying, dead, diseased or downed)

Highly processed using production methods that may include extrusion, which uses extreme heat and pressure

What Goes Into HUMAN GRADE STANDARDS

When we say we love our pets, we mean it! That’s why we invented an entire category of pet food to feed them with the same quality and safety standards we insist for our family. Does this mean making our foods is a lot more difficult than it is for most other pet foods? Yes. Is providing pets with safe, healthy and nourishing foods worth it? Absolutely!

INGREDIENTS

Meet the standard set forth by AAFCO for human grade status

Each individual ingredient supplied to The Honest Kitchen is fit for human consumption

QUALITY & REGULATORY POLICIES

“Standard” compliance is strictly monitored and verified with each vendor, manufacturer, warehouse and carrier

MANUFACTURING NETWORK

Each ingredient and the resulting product are stored, handled, processed, and transported in a manner that is consistent and compliant with regulations for current good manufacturing practices for human edible foods (GMPs) as specified in 21 CFR 117

The manufacturing facility is licensed to produce human food by the appropriate authority

THE BENEFITS OF HUMAN GRADE

77% of customers report IMPROVED OVERALL WELLBEING & ENERGY*

80% of customers report IMPROVED DIGESTION*

71% of customers report IMPROVED SKIN & COAT HEALTH*

*Based on a poll of more than 1,000 Honest Kitchen customers who feed a variety of complete & balanced recipes daily to dogs and cats. Responses reflect customer responses where their pet displayed that specific problem. For informational purposes only—results are not guaranteed and may not be typical for other pets.

WE PURCHASED MORE THAN

13,000,000 LBS OF NON-GMO PRODUCE

7%

60%

OF OUR PACKAGING IS MADE FROM RENEWABLE MATERIALS & IS FULLY RECYCLABLE AFTER USE

65% OF OUR TOTAL WORKFORCE IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE

2,164,164 LBS OF ORGANIC PRODUCE

100%

OF THE VIRGIN PAPERBOARD WE USE IS FROM SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY INITIATIVE (SFI) COMPLIANT SOURCES

WE DONATED $450,000 TO NON-PROFITS

OUR TEAM COLLECTIVELY VOLUNTEERED

339 HOURS IN 2023

CELEBRATING ONE YEAR AS A CERTIFIED B CORPORATION

This year we celebrate our first anniversary of becoming a Certified B Corporation. This important certification cements our commitment to being a business that uses its forces for good. It’s a reminder for us, every day, to make choices that support our brand beliefs, keeping our customers, our communities and the environment top of mind. We are so proud of the work we do and cannot wait to continue to raise the bar for ourselves!

HOW WE MEASURE OUR IMPACT

Ingredient Sourcing

INGREDIENTS ARE EVERYTHING. SINCE 2002, WE’VE BEEN UNCOMPROMISING WITH THE QUALITY & INTEGRITY OF OUR RAW INGREDIENT SOURCING.

From eggs and salmon to pumpkin and parsley, we only use wholesome foods you recognize from your own kitchen. To meet our uncompromising standards, our suppliers must provide proof of food origins, screening, handling, cleaning and more. We only source from folks we know and trust, including a few we started with back in 2002. And, what we leave out is as important as what we put in.

When possible, we choose local suppliers to help minimize the carbon footprint associated with transportation.

We choose several fruit and veggie ingredients grown in Europe, where most countries have voted to either partially or fully ban GMOs.

We consolidate purchases from our raw ingredient supply partners whenever we can, which helps to minimize the environmental impact of freight.

100% OF THE PRODUCE WE BUY IS NON-GMO

88% OF WHOLE FOOD CLUSTERS’ INGREDIENTS ARE GROWN IN N. AMERICA

75% OF DEHYDRATED RECIPES’ INGREDIENTS ARE GROWN IN N. AMERICA

PRODUCT

Ingredient Sourcing

WE PURCHASED MORE THAN

13,000,000 LBS OF NON-GMO PRODUCE

7% OF ALL THE INGREDIENTS WE

WE USED

2,164,164 LBS OF ORGANIC PRODUCE

We’re super passionate about the issue of genetic modification, not only because of the negative effects that GMOs have on the environment, soil and surrounding land, but also because increasing numbers of studies are demonstrating that consuming GMOs has adverse effects on animals and people. You can read more about GMO safety at nongmoproject.org/ gmo-facts. In 2023, we bought over 2.1 million pounds of organic produce. This includes grains, quinoa, flaxseed, kelp, chia seed and coconut as well as a portion of our dehydrated chicken. Our Certified Organic quinoa is grown by hundreds of independent family microfarmers who use regenerative agriculture practices as part of a cooperative in Bolivia and Peru.

WE BOUGHT

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is a non-profit organization that helps safeguard the health of the world’s oceans by recognizing and rewarding sustainable fishing practices. In 2023, 100% of all fish purchased— that’s 423,325 pounds!—was MSC Certified Fish, including wild caught salmon, cod, whitefish and wolffish. The herring in our Smittens® is responsibly sourced fish, governed under the Latvian Ministry of Agriculture.

We bought a grand total of 4,074,572 pounds of chicken in 2023. 100% of the chicken in our dehydrated diets is free range and is G.A.P. (Global Animal Partnership) Animal Welfare Certified. G.A.P. verification means more space for animals, a safe and enriched environment, access to pasture/outdoors, an all-vegetarian diet (no animal byproducts) and no added hormones or antiobtiocs.

IN 2023, WE BOUGHT

4,074,572 LBS OF G.A.P. CERTIFIED CHICKEN

PRODUCT Packaging & Process

60% OF OUR PACKAGING IS MADE FROM RENEWABLE MATERIALS AND IS FULLY RECYCLABLE AFTER USE

REDUCING FOOD WASTE

Currently, a total of 60% of our packaging is made from renewable materials and is fully recyclable after use.

Our dehydrated food boxes are made from 18% postconsumer paperboard, and our shipping cartons are 40% recycled material.

We’re currently investigating ways to reduce our total packaging usage with innovative materials to lessen the environmental impact of our boxes, bags and pouches. We also strive to minimize our use of plastic throughout our supply chain. Our items are designed to use as little plastic as possible, and we never use plastic void fill in our direct-to-consumer shipments.

We’ve proudly created a program to help reduce food waste by diverting test batches, tailings and any non-sellable finished goods to local hog farms as a source of nutrition.

100%

OF THE VIRGIN PAPERBOARD WE USE IS FROM SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY INITIATIVE (SFI) & FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL (FSC) COMPLIANT SOURCES

PEOPLE

A Team of Pet Lovers

WE’RE A TEAM OF PET-OBSESSED FOODIES, WHO PUT OUR HEART AND SOUL INTO OUR WORK! AT THE HONEST KITCHEN, WE’RE COMMITTED TO HELPING PETS LIVE LONGER, HEALTHIER LIVES WHILE ALSO PRIORITIZING ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY. WE EVEN HAVE A DEDICATED WALL IN OUR OFFICE WITH PHOTOS OF OUR BELOVED ANIMAL COMPANIONS, SERVING AS A DAILY REMINDER OF THE POSITIVE IMPACT WE’RE STRIVING TO ACHIEVE.

OUR VALUES

CULTIVATE CONNECTIONS

We foster collective growth by cultivating meaningful connections. We lead with compassion while nurturing relationships with teammates, business partners, and communities.

CONSCIOUSLY DISRUPT

We boldly challenge the status quo, asking tough questions and reshaping the dialogue on pet wellness. We’re committed to driving positive change by continuously raising the bar, pushing boundaries, and striving to improve.

BE DOGGED

We embrace accountability, attack problems, and chase down our goals with tenacity. We never take shortcuts, but instead find resourceful and innovative ways to get things done.

PEOPLE

Workforce & Supplier Demographics

IN 2002, THE HONEST KITCHEN WAS STARTED BY A THEN-27-YEAROLD FEMALE FOUNDER WHO IS STILL AN OWNER, SITS ON THE BOARD AND SERVES AS THE COMPANY’S CHIEF INTEGRITY OFFICER. TODAY, WE ARE PROUD TO HAVE SEVERAL WOMEN IN KEY LEADERSHIP POSITIONS DRIVING POSITIVE CHANGE IN OUR ORGANIZATION.

69% OF OUR TOTAL WORKFORCE IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE

65% OF OUR WORKERS IN MANAGEMENT POSITIONS OR HIGHER IDENTIFY AS FEMALE

As a responsible organization, part of our commitment involves going beyond our own direct impacts and actions to weave accountability and social/environmental responsibility throughout our entire supply chain.

We’ve recently enacted policies to formally commit to choosing suppliers that are owned or led by women or minorities, when all other quality factors for an ingredient are equal.

During 2023, 13% of our raw ingredient suppliers were womenowned or had women in their leadership roles. 13% of our suppliers were owned or led by minorities or people from underrepresented communities.

We’re committed to continually improving and raising the bar on everything we do, whether it’s helping our people to grow as individuals, sourcing ingredients that meet even higher standards and certifications, or reducing our carbon pawprint with more efficient processes and better packaging. Thanks for supporting The Honest Kitchen as we work to meet our social and environmental goals.

Lucy with Parker & Rowan Founder & Chief Integrity Officer

Miki with Charlie Chief Marketing Officer

Heather VP of QA & Regulatory Affairs

Cara with Enzo & Addie VP of Sales

Laurette with Frida & Millie VP of Procurement

PEOPLE

Giving Back

WE DONATED

$450,000

TO NON-PROFITS INCLUDING GOOD DOG AUTISM COMPANIONS, PATRIOT PAWS SERVICE DOGS, THE JOYFUL HEART FOUNDATION, END THE BACKLOG, EQUUS FOUNDATION, EVERYTOWN FOR GUN SAFETY, CHARITY: WATER, RIDING INSTITUTE FOR DISABLED EQUESTRIANS AND AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION LEGAL DEFENSE FUND.

Community Impact

IN 2023 OUR TEAM COLLECTIVELY VOLUNTEERED

339 HOURS TO A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING LOCAL FOOD BANKS, PET RESCUES, WOMEN & YOUTH PROGRAMS & MORE.

The Honest Kitchen prioritizes and fosters employee engagement within the local community. Every team member is encouraged to contribute to their community, either collectively as a team or individually, with an allocation of 40 hours per employee per year.

We empower our employees to select their preferred organizations autonomously. By participating in volunteering opportunities, our team members not only take on more proactive roles in their communities but also contribute to causes close to their hearts.

Community Impact: Employee Stories

LETTY SAENZ | HELPING HANDS RESTORING HEARTS

Helping Hands Restoring Hearts is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide basic living necessities—school materials, clothing and counseling—to women and children in need.

“Thank you to The Honest Kitchen for providing us with volunteer hours that we can use to help others. Seeing all the hope and joy we bring to all these people fills my heart with so much gratitude for all the little things that sometimes we take for granted.”

LIZ, CADARA, PAIGE & SNEHA | COLORADO PET PANTRY

Colorado Pet Pantry is a food bank for pets. With food insecurity being such an issue for many people, pets of these people are often overlooked. At Colorado Pet Pantry, people facing food insecurity can stock up on cat food, dog food, treats and other essential pet supplies.

“Having the access to volunteer hours is such a gift that I am so appreciative of. Volunteering puts life into perspective and also motivates me to want to do more for my community. I was joined by Cadara, Paige and Sneha, and we had so much fun volunteering!” (Liz)

PAIGE BOWE | SAN DIEGO PRIDE

San Diego Pride works year-round to ensure that LGBTQ+ people are treated with equality and respect.

“LGBTQ+ advocacy and visibility are super important in an increasingly divisive world; helping set up for a few hours in preparation for the Pride festival is the least I can do to help. Providing paid volunteer time shows a company’s community values and that the holistic benefits to the employee matter.“

RONNY BURROWS | NATION’S FINEST

Nation’s Finest is a nonprofit organization that provides resources to US veteran communities. They offer housing assistance, employment services, case management services, supplies and more.

“Volunteer days allow me the time to serve my community, which is increasingly hard to come by nowadays. It’s a way to give to others while being supported with the time and resources to do so.”

PATTI HECKMAN | WATERFIRE PROVIDENCE

WaterFire Providence is an independent, nonprofit arts organization whose mission is to inspire Providence and its visitors by revitalizing the urban experience, fostering community engagement and creatively transforming the city by combining water, fire and music.

“20 years ago, I wanted to meet new people, give back to the community and interact with the public. It gives me joy to talk about our city and help direct new visitors to various WaterFire events. Prior to last year, I would sew on my own time at night after work. By having volunteer hours from The Honest Kitchen, I can go to their center and work during the day to help them prepare for the upcoming season.”

AT THE HONEST KITCHEN, WE’RE DRIVEN BY AN UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO NOT JUST ELEVATE THE QUALITY AND INTEGRITY OF OUR PRODUCTS, BUT TO NURTURE OUR COMMUNITY AND PLANET. EACH STEP WE TAKE—BE IT EMPOWERING OUR TEAM’S GROWTH, METICULOUSLY SOURCING INGREDIENTS THAT RAISE STANDARDS FOR ETHICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP OR PIONEERING GREENER, MORE COMPASSIONATE PRACTICES—REFLECTS THIS DEEP RESOLVE. OUR JOURNEY TOWARD REDUCING OUR ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT AND CHAMPIONING SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IS INSPIRED BY A VISION OF A KINDER, MORE SUSTAINABLE WORLD. YOUR SUPPORT FUELS OUR PASSION AND PROPELS US FORWARD. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON OUR JOURNEY AS WE WORK TO CREATE POSITIVE CHANGE IN OUR INDUSTRY AND BEYOND.