Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Janis.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
After some life-changing events, I was inspired by my niece and nephew, Kenny and Shana, to start a dog biscuit company and name is Big Daddy Biscuits. Big Daddy, an American Bulldog, was rescued off the streets of Atlanta. Without blinking an eye, the very next day I went out and bought a mixer and never looked back. I was not a baker,
had no idea what I was doing but did not let that get in my way.
I kept trying new recipes and researching what local ingredients we could use. Knowing where our food comes from is important, so why not for the pups. I have said this from the very beginning. Our tagline is Farm to Table Dog Biscuits. We get our eggs from our friends at The Family Farmer, in Stockbridge, GA and when able our grains from
Day Spring Farms. We made two grain-based biscuits and then created two grain-free.
We are a non-discriminatory dog biscuit company, I wanted to make sure that ALL dogs would be able to get treats from us. Including one with Turkey Bacon and the other to help with digestion and bad breath, called Dinner Mint.
Fast forward, and now we have added a twist of love and our FURtune Cookies. And about to launch a new biscuit that we are proud of. Grateful for the Marietta Square Farmers Market for welcoming us as the first dog biscuit vendor and help us launch our business and build our brand. As well as our #dogsofbdb and their humans (who are pretty much family). We are excited to be able to add new items for the holidays this year.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
A statement I hear frequently, “Lauren, I know you can do it, you always do.” And it is true. So many ups and downs, from having to find a new space to bake, equipment breaking, finding more stores, looking for amazing employees to help make the biscuits to spreading the word of what you are doing as well as competition, looking to see how to set yourself apart.
I said from the start, knowing that you have a great product and having confidence in what you are doing is a must. It is a lot of hard work and follows up. Being turned down, no responses on phone calls or emails. It can get a person down and it is normal. Growth, finding the right people to help build your business and always looking ahead. Having wonderful employees, family and customers. Being bendable is very much needed when you are in business for yourself. Things change all the time which at times you can’t anticipate. Having friends/family that are there to help in a pinch and to help pick you up and help in your time of need is one of the most amazing things I have experienced. We could not have done it without the love we have received.
Big Daddy Biscuits – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Big Daddy Biscuits is an all-natural and organic dog biscuit company. Which was named after my dog, Big Daddy. He was rescued off the streets of Atlanta and became the face of my business. We are proud to be the first dog biscuit company to do branding of our signature peanut butter biscuits for pet stores, local businesses, instafamous dogs and the list goes on. We partner up with PAWS Atlanta and donate dog biscuits yearly to the Summer Lovin program as well as when we might have overcooked some biscuits. Nothing wrong with them…just not what we want to sell. So nothing ever goes to waste.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3300 Marjan Drive Atlanta, GA 30340
- Website: http://www.bigdaddybiscuits.com/
- Phone: 4046922331
- Email: lauren@bigdaddybiscuits.com
- Instagram: @bigdaddybiscuit
- Facebook: facebook.com/bigdaddybiscuitsf
- Twitter: @bigdaddybiscuit
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