Paws up for Puppops:
Not just a treat, a healthy ritual.

At puppops, we believe that frozen treats maintain a more nutrient-dense product. Our healthy, human-grade ingredients and radical transparency in sourcing and production set us apart. We believe that pets are our family and should be fed as such.

By: Chef Justine

Date: May 16, 2024

Our furry friends give us so much love—no questions asked—so we knew there had to be a better way to reward them for being the goodest girls and boys. With a shared love for our pets and a passion for creating the most purposeful and, dare we say, tastiest treats around, our company was born. We combined our deep experience for tasty food and respect for nutritious ingredients to bring your four-legged loved ones the ultimate frozen dog treat experience.

Our Approach

Frozen is fresh! We find that freezing maintains a nutrient-dense richness you won't find in any other dog treat. And when it comes to quality and taste, we refuse to compromise. Jam-packed with purposeful nutrition, our healthy, human-grade ingredients and radical transparency in sourcing and production sets us apart. Pets are our family, after all, and should be fed as such. So at puppops we're committed to using only the best, most traceable ingredients because it’s more than a treat; it’s a healthy ritual. 

Meet the Pack Leaders

Justine Kelly, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Justine is a culinary force to be reckoned with. Her prestigious resume includes over a decade of work as Corporate Executive Chef for The Slanted Door, a James Beard Award winning restaurant in San Francisco, and having competed on Iron Chef America in 2008, she’s no stranger to the spotlight. Now that wealth of culinary experience and creativity is funneled into new forms: puppops, doggodots, and more. Justine's ability to take brilliant dishes from her mind to the plate is the perfect fit for crafting irresistible frozen treats for your furry companions too. What more could you and yours ask for?

Andy Bossley, Co-Founder & Chief Marketing Officer

Andy is a digital marketing mastermind who knows how to breathe new life into brands so they stand out from the pack. Named on Forbes' "30 Under 30" list for Marketing & Advertising in 2017, Andy has led successful campaigns and rebrands for major players like IBM and HCLSoftware. His innovative ideas and strategies have racked up numerous accolades, including Best Integrated Marketing Program from the National Advertisers Association and the Most Engaged Brand Award from Digiday Content Awards; and he’s just getting started. Andy's ability to connect and share what matters most ensures that puppops will reach dog lovers far and wide.

Our Origin Story, from Chef Justine

It all started on a hot summer day in the middle of the pandemic. My daughter, 14 at the time, took our dog River to our neighborhood organic market to pick up some groceries for me to make dinner while I sat in my eighth Zoom meeting of the day. She came home—shopping list complete—with a hot, panting dog and a story.

 

She told me that as she was walking home, a neighbor asked if she or her cute dog wanted a popsicle. She told him she didn't want it, but River might, so she took it.

"So, you basically just took candy from a stranger?!" She smiled, rolled her eyes, and asked if she could give some to Riv. I told her she could let her have a couple of licks, but that it was full of sugar, so not to let her have too much. I returned to my meeting, and about 20 minutes later, the proverbial light bulb went off in my head.

I knew our dog would devour that popsicle, and I realized I had never seen a healthy, frozen dog treat. I helped found a company that made healthy meals for people, so why not do the same for our beloved doggos? So, I got to work.

 

I spent the next two years on an extensive research journey to identify the most effective natural ingredients from both Eastern and Western medicinal traditions with scientifically proven health benefits for dogs. I combined ingredients that would help with common canine health issues—turmeric for healthy joints, slippery elm for gut health, catnip and CBD for calming properties, MCT oil for brain function; the list goes on and on. I made each treat whimsical, purpose-driven, pure, and, best of all, healthy. I developed, tweaked, and re-tweaked each treat so that they are both fun and functional for our furry friends. And, River, my CTO (chief tasting officer), and hundreds of other doggos and their humans in my ever-expanding focus group, give puppops a big paws up!

Be a part of the puppops experience!

Join us in giving your doggo the love, appreciation, and nutrition they deserve, one delicious puppop at a time!

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about the author

chef justine kelly

Completely dog obsessed, Chef Justine Kelly, brings over 25 years of experience in the culinary world to every wellness recipe at Puppops, Inc., so your fur babies can eat like family (because they are.) Her career includes co-founding renowned meal kit company, Sunbasket, and as the Executive Chef at San Francisco's James Beard Award-winning restaurant, The Slanted Door. Her pup, River, is her second favorite daughter.