Fledgling UK pet-food business Omni Pet has raised fresh funding in a bid to grow sales and develop products targeting obesity and food allergies in dogs.
The company, which was set up in 2020, sells via its own website and through Amazon.
In a statement, Omni Pet said it had raised £11m ($14.5m). The business said the round would help it expand into bricks-and-mortar retail.
Omni Pet also said the capital would be used to attract new online customers and to launch products including “an Ozempic-style, natural, weight-loss supplement for dogs that is completely drug free”.
The round was led by UK investor IW Capital.
Other investors include US-based Lever VC, which focuses its investments on early-stage companies, including on businesses centred on alternative protein sources.
Omni Pet’s range of food, treats and supplements replace animal proteins with yeast, algae or pulse-based.
Founders Dr. Guy Sandelowsky and Shiv Sivakumar appeared on UK business pitch show Dragons’ Den last year and secured investment from entrepreneurs Deborah Meaden and Steven Bartlett.
Meaden, who took part in the latest round, said: “Pet health is becoming an increasingly important issue, with more dogs struggling with obesity, allergies and other chronic health conditions. The team have continued to execute exceptionally well, building a fast-growing brand with real purpose behind it. That progress is exactly why I chose to double down and reinvest.”
Dr Sandelowsky, a practicing vet, said the pet sector was “undergoing a structural shift”. Owners are “increasingly treating pets as family members”, he explained, which is “driving an unprecedented rise in demand for health-focused nutrition and personalised care”.
He added: “With chronic conditions in pets growing at double-digit rates, consumers are actively moving away from allergy-triggering and calorie-heavy brands. Omni Pet is leading this shift by bringing together clinical know-how and round-the-clock vet access to give pet owners practical, long-term support for their pets’ health.”
