Marie Moody’s Puppy Love
My life as a New York City fashion sales rep was glamorous, but vacant. I was often fired from my jobs. At my last position, the highlight of my day was lunch! So when I was let go, I wandered down Seventh Avenue certain I needed a serious career change.
About the same time, I had adopted Stella, a terrier mix. She was adorable but destructive. I figured she’d be happier if she had a boyfriend—and I’d have unchewed shoes—so Chewy, an airedale/sharpei mix, joined the family. I soon found out from the vet that he was very sick with distemper. I began researching raw diets so I could nurse Chewy back to health. I shopped at Whole Foods, filling my cart with organic meats and veggies, which I prepared for him. Chewy’s health dramatically improved on this organic dog food diet.
Well-meaning dog owners spend millions on puppy spas and pretty little sweaters, but not so much on their pets’ dietary needs. I felt people would invest in organic raw pet food if they understood how important good nutrition was to their beloved animals’ longevity. Based on my success with chewy, I was determined to bring a healthy pet food product to market. I spent the next six months writing a business plan, did tons of research and drained my savings. Stella & Chewy’s, my organic raw pet food line, was born in 2004. The food is freeze-dried and shelf-stable, so it can be safely stored in your pantry. For the first couple of years, I ran the business from my tiny apartment. There were industrial freezers in my living room instead of sofas, and I hand-delivered orders by taxi. My business was growing, but I was holding it back.
So I moved back to my hometown of Muskego, WI, and built a 15,000-square-foot manufacturing plant. Today, Stella & Chewy’s is sold in some 3,700 stores nationwide and online. We’ve recently moved into a much larger plant, and I oversee 60 employees. My seven year-old son, Charles, thinks my job is cool, and I love that I’m helping pets stay healthy. And both Stella and Chewy think I’m the top dog.
—As told to Jennifer Parris
Holistic Pet Cuisine
1000 Clint Moore Road
Boca Raton, Florida 33487
561-241-9151
http://www.holisticpetcuisineonline.com
