2023 VANGUARD AWARDS

BlueDog Bakery has been in the business of providing all-natural, high-quality and innovative solutions for pet owners who are looking for ways to bond with their pets—at an approachable price—for more than 20 years. And relative newcomer to the space, Ava’s Pet Palace, brings a fresh perspective of pet care from the upand-coming generation of entrepreneurs who want consumers to also care about creating a healthier world for pets, people and the planet as they treat their pets. In our challenging economy in which consumer demand has never been more conscience-driven, the value they both bring to the space is apparent.

“From the very beginning, my passion for animals and desire to create something good for them has driven our business,” said Ava Dorsey, Founder Ava’s Pet Palace. “We focus on the health aspect of treats, making them with very limited ingredients, no preservatives and free from common allergens. In fact, our three baked dog treats are now certified USDA organic.”

Now age 15, Dorsey began her business at the tender age of 8. As of the start of the year, her company has new partnerships with 139 Targets, 64 Mud Bay stores and 60 other independent retailers across the country, she said.

Her company’s success puts a necessary spotlight on the significance of diversity in the pet industry. “As a black, woman, and teen-owned business,

Baked Dog Treats

Ava’s Pet Palace brings a unique perspective to the industry,” Dorsey said. “We’re proud to be a part of a growing movement of underrepresented voices in the pet industry, and we hope to inspire and empower others to pursue their passions and dreams, regardless of their background or age. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion is reflected not only in our ownership but also in our community involvement. We believe that a more diverse and inclusive industry will lead to more innovation, creativity and ultimately better products and services for pets and pet owners alike.”

Meanwhile, with more than 20 years serving the industry, Blue Dog Bakery continues to explore the potential of incorporating protein into baked items, as consumers are venturing toward more protein-dominant options. “We’ve typically focused on traditional baked biscuits,” said CEO Kyle Polanski. “And flavor profiles and sizes and pack sizes that were appealing to consumers in that grocery mass retail environment. We’re moving towards some more protein-oriented products that are first item meat in a baked treat, and we’re pretty excited. We have a nugget item that’s made primarily chicken, and then we have a beef stick. Both of these are under a protein themed subline. So, instead of taking baked into an area that was generally been more meat-based —meaning not baked, but dehydrated or jerky style—we’re bringing a baked format option to that.”

This is a deliberate direction in order to try and address price points for consumers, he said. “The efficiency you get in the baking process is significantly better than you get in the jerky or the dehydrated or freeze-dried process. When you get more efficiency and throughput you can provide better value to consumers. By applying the bakery process, which is high efficiency to produce high-quality products, and using proteins instead of wheat bases, you can get some amazing products that aren’t that prevalent in the marketplace that helps make a really attractive product for animals. We can still use human-grade, high-quality ingredients, but we can get better costing and pricing because of changing the process,” he said.