Today we’d like to introduce you to Kiara Fernandez-Bravo.
Hi Kiara, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
We worked on Barkful for three years prior to launching our business two years ago and the inspiration on how we got started came from my own dog, Stella. When it came to feeding my havanese-poodle dog, she would completely refuse to eat her kibble to the point she would vomit bile every single day. After researching the ingredients of her kibble food and countless vet visits, I decided I would cook Stella home-made dog food without preservatives and fillers. I noticed quickly how much she enjoyed eating her fresh food and how her gastric issues were alleviated. So, after a few years of researching with our team of veterinary nutritionists, we crafted our recipes to be healthy, nutritional, and go way beyond to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials). I was focused on the idea of bringing awareness to the benefits of feeding human-grade dog food and making it more approachable and accessible for everyday pet consumers like myself.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Truly, it has not been a smooth road since we launched during the beginning of the pandemic. We dealt with issues regarding supply chains and raising capital. At the moment, our fresh dog food service is available to the communities of Atlanta and during the height of the pandemic, we had to pivot and be flexible to meet our customers safely during lockdown. In order to do so, we launched our home delivery service, Barkful To You, which allowed our customers to have access to our fresh dog food without leaving their houses through contactless deliveries. Ultimately, starting our business during the pandemic had some advantages. Our customers valued how important it is to support small businesses. In doing so, they have allowed us to somewhat alleviate those bigger supply chain issues by enabling us to go the local route. Our customers want and love to see that we source a lot of our ingredients locally. I think this mindset has helped us pull through and ultimately we are proud of the local aspect our company offers.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Barkful?
At Barkful, we take no shortcuts. Our food was created by myself and a team of vet nutritionists. We focus on healthy and cleaner ingredients that can provide the best diet for our pups. All of our ingredients are human-grade, which means that they are fit for human consumption. We do not use any preservatives, meat by-products, fillers, or synthetic additives like most dog food. We specialize in making our fresh dog food in small batches in our commercial USDA kitchen right in our neighborhood of Atlanta. You can find Barkful at most farmer’s markets every week in Atlanta or straight to your doorstep for our Atlanta family if they choose to order online. Our customers always receive a supply of dog food that was made fresh within a matter of days prior to placing an order. We slow cook, vacuum seal, and freeze our food for maximum freshness.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I think something that will surprise most people is that I studied pre-medicine. I used to work as an Emergency Scribe/Assistant in the pediatric emergency room. I was pursuing my goal of becoming a holistic physician, but ultimately I felt a stronger pull to start Barkful. With Barkful, I feel that I am returning to my roots of natural health. Only now, I get to make dogs feel their best selves instead of humans! Make some room in your freezer/cupboard – we will be launching some exciting products that have been years in the making and are sure to be your dog’s new holy grails!
Pricing:
- $7 per 1 lb of fresh dog food
- $13 per 2 lb of fresh dog food
Contact Info:
- Email: info@barkful.com
- Website: www.barkful.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barkful/
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/barkful/
