COIL Stories
EarthPup:
Dog treats with a purpose
EarthPup is on a mission to end food waste by upcycling unused food into delicious dog treats. They use nutritious juice pulp and imperfect or surplus produce. Through participation in Evolve, EarthPup researched and developed the first upcycled, Plastic Negative herbal tea line for dogs.
The Impact
Upcycling Local Ingredients: In Canada, an estimated 600 million pounds of nutrient-dense pulp is sent to landfills. There are few truly environmentally conscious pet treats on Canadian shelves for pet parents who want to purchase products that reflect their environmental values. EarthPup has rescued over 1,400 pounds of vegetables from going to landfills.
Reducing Plastic Waste: EarthPup is the first certified Plastic Negative pet food brand, offsetting 200% of the plastic in their supply chain. For every pouch purchased, they remove and recycle the equivalent of 2 pouches of plastic from the environment.
Plant-Forward Recipes: Meat consumed by cats & dogs is responsible for 25-30% of the environmental impact of meat consumption. EarthPup’s recipes are made from at least 81% plants, reducing emissions associated with meat consumption while also providing vitamin-rich pet foods.
How they made it work
Developing relationships with suppliers was key, in order to purchase and use their waste products as an ingredient. EarthPup also sought feedback from their consumers – the pets! They sent the tea blends to 50 households for palatability testing with cats and dogs to determine which blends were preferred.
By partnering with rePurpose Global, EarthPup calculated their current plastic footprint and committed to pledging a percentage of every product purchase towards the removal of nature-bound plastic waste. Through the partnership, they are taking the first step to systemic environmental change — financing waste management infrastructure and empowering marginalized workers fighting the plastic waste crisis on the frontlines.
