In Germany, more and more dogs are suffering from digestive problems, itching or allergies – and many are not aware that it is often due to the food. Butternut Box, a make-from-scratch dog meal company, aims to help dogs live healthier, happier lives with healthy, human-grade ingredients and customized portions. An algorithm provides recommendations for an ideal meal plan for every four-legged friend – depending on breed, age and size. The results speak for themselves: shinier fur, healthier skin and improved digestion. Managing director Daniel Topolanek tells how the story began with the farting dog Rudie, why fresh food is a novelty in Germany and what innovations are behind the brand's great success.
Berlin. If a dog often scratches itself, has problems with digestion or suffers from repeated ear infections, one question arises: could it all be due to the food? Often it is not just individual nutrients that cause allergies, but also heavily processed feed and artificial preservatives. Dry food, for example, often goes through many processing steps, is heated and dried under pressure in order to last a long time and be easier to portion. “Traditionally, dog food in the supermarket sits somewhere between cleaning products and garbage bags. “That shows how important dog food has been historically,” explains Daniel Topolanek, Managing Director of Butternut Box Germany. “We are convinced that dogs deserve the best – fresh dog food, with real food, prepared just like at home.” Only with the advantage that all meals are balanced and individually tailored to each four-legged friend and delivered directly to your home. Butternut Box relies on scientific data from studies that are regularly carried out with renowned institutes such as the University of Edinburgh or Surrey. The results are impressive: fresh food is proven to be better for sensitive stomachs, coat and skin are healthier and it helps dogs get back into shape. The fact that the concept seems to be working is demonstrated not least by the trust of the investors, who invested more than 335 million euros last year, and the huge success in other countries with more than 160 million meals already sold. Daniel Topolanek sees great potential for the German market: “Two growing trends in the animal sector are so-called premiumization and humanization. What this means in our case is that German dog owners want high-quality food because their dog is a member of the family, not just an addition. We want to show you that your four-legged friends are not listless or picky eaters, but often simply need a healthy and tasty diet.”
Customized meal plans using algorithm
Every dog is different, has its own story, its own needs and deserves only the best – this is the philosophy of Butternut Box and its two founders Kev and Dave. “It all started with the constantly farting Stafford dog Rudie,” says Daniel Topolanek. “Dave’s family struggled to find the right diet for Rudie until he picked up a wooden spoon and started cooking for them using natural ingredients.” Rudie quickly felt better and the idea for fresh dog food was born. So that the diet can be individually adapted to each dog, all dog parents at Butternut Box go through a specially developed questionnaire that asks about breed, age, habits, eating behavior, allergies and much more. Based on this, the algorithm calculates a tailored meal plan. “We see that it is worthwhile to query the parameters precisely, because almost all customers quickly see positive developments,” explains Topolanek. Around 70 percent were able to see improved digestion after changing their diet. According to the experts, this is due to the significantly higher raw protein and raw fat digestibility of over 90 percent in fresh feed – compared to dry feed with only around 70 to 80 percent. This means fewer nutrients are lost and the stool consistency improves. Another study also showed an increase in skin moisture content and a healthier skin barrier.
Tasted by the team, prepared for dogs 
Fresh dog food differs from conventional dry or canned food not only in its preparation, but also in its ingredients. It is made from natural ingredients, gently and in food quality – so it tastes great without flavorings or preservatives – and retains important vitamins and minerals. “We use the same foods that you would use for cooking, such as carrots, peas, sweet potatoes, meat or fish, and cook our meals gently at 90 degrees. This means that we kill the bad without losing the good. The fresh bags are then frozen and served fresh from the fridge at home. We also taste our meals ourselves to ensure that every recipe is suitable for picky dogs,” says Topolanek. The importance of taste is shown by 45 percent of customers who consider their dog picky or very picky and whose eating behavior has improved significantly. “One of our studies shows: Labradors are the easiest eaters and around 15 percent less critical than other dogs, while poodles are by far the most demanding,” says Topolanek. But Poodles would also be impressed by the specially designed 10-point plan for picky eaters and the varied dishes. The B-Corp certified company also thinks about the environment and dogs who are not doing so well: “We like to use crooked or deformed vegetables that are not otherwise sold in supermarkets, and we support various charitable organizations. For every new customer we acquire, we donate about a dog meal to the Berliner Tiertafel.”
About Butternut Box
Butternut Box is rethinking dog food. Since it was founded in Great Britain in 2016, the two founders Kev and Dave have pursued one goal: to bring more health and joy to all dogs and their people. The leading company for fresh food delivers meals, tailored for dogs of all ages and breeds, directly to your home in a flexible subscription model. All dishes are made from natural, food-grade ingredients – without any unnecessary additives – and served fresh from the fridge. Not dry, not wet, not raw: Butternut Box is fresh!
Further information at www.butternutbox.de.
Reader note: Advertising, unsolicited! This article is an editorial contribution that could have an advertising effect without us being commissioned by a company. We feature products and services that we think will be of interest to our readers. HundeNachrichten does not receive any financial support or services from the companies through the respective publication.