NEW YORK — A love of all things canine was the genesis of a Lower Manhattan business that, literally, is for the dogs.
BarkBox is a delivery service for dog treats and toys. Bark & Co. is the parent company of BarkBox, and was founded by Matt Meeker, Henrik Werdelin and Carly Strife. The company wants to foster the health and happiness of dogs everywhere.
When you sign up for BarkBox, you receive a box every month with four or more carefully selected products and presents for your dog — anything from toys, bones and all-natural treats to hygiene products and innovative new gadgets.
According to the company website, their goal is to make dogs happy. “We aim to surprise and delight with our monthly BarkBox that contains all-natural treats and the coolest pup products — things you can't find at the typical big-box pet store. We have our treat and toy scouts scouring the country every month for the best toys and treats that will help keep your pup happy and healthy.”
A simple business model
Meeker, Werdelin and Strife discovered there was a market niche made up of people who paid a lot of attention to their dogs and thought of them as extended family and had a real devotion to them.
They took an e-commerce model from Birchbox, a grooming and beauty care business, and created a service where once a month a subscriber’s dog or dogs receives some treats and toys with the idea that it was pretty cool for the people and their dogs to open gift boxes and enjoy it just like it was Christmas.
It’s the excitement of looking forward to getting something in the mail that will be really good for your dog.
Ben Miller is the state of Washington director for Pacific Crest Services.
He said when his dog’s first ever BarkBox arrived, he, and the dog, could not have been more excited. “There is no better gift for your four-legged friends. Jackson’s first box contained football and pennant chew toys, duck flavored chew sticks and jerky and a dog mop for drying your pooch. That equaled one happy mutt,” Ben said.
The company is concerned about taking care of the dog community. Ten percent of their profits go to animal organizations. Besides working with pet owners to provide products and service, they also connect with them as a community and by creating canine events.
An event
Bark and Co. supports a wide array of dog organizations including: city and county shelters, rescues, breed specific rescues, sanctuaries, search and rescue organizations, military dog organizations, spay and neuter programs and shelter-volunteer training programs.
In September, they hosted a three-day canine event in Huntington Beach, Calif., that drew more than 2,500 people and their pets.
To learn more about this great service and the funds they donate to assorted canine organizations visit: https://barkbox.com/
BarkBox by the numbers:
· 25 percent of dogs in shelters are purebred
· 2 million dogs are adopted each year
· There are 13,000 rescue groups in the U.S.
· Bark & Co. supported 80 charity events in 2013
· Bark & Co. donated $159 k and more than 1,000 BarkBoxes in 2013