ST. LOUIS — Pet supplement company Native Pet announced March 24 it has received $6 million in a recent funding round. The Series A funding round was led by CAVU Venture Partners and received participation from Mars’ Companion Fund and Selva Ventures.

Launched in 2017, Native Pet plans to use the $6 million to fund its online and in-store retail growth and expand its whole-food pet supplement product offerings.

"We are in the early days of the pet supplement category,” said Dan Schaefer, co-founder and chief executive officer, Native Pet. “The majority of consumers are still using mass-produced daily meal regimens, like kibble. They are waking up to the fact that their dogs may have unique nutritional needs that aren't being met today. Supplements offer a value proposition that kibble alone can't deliver. Using supplements creates a customized diet unique to their dog.”

Currently, Native Pet offers nine supplement products, all of which have been developed with the aid of veterinary nutritionists to provide dogs with functional benefits. The minimally processed dog supplements are made with whole foods, loaded with nutrients and have a strong palatability, according to the company.

Native Pet recently expanded its dog supplement products with a new line of air-dried chews. The supplements target specific needs in dogs in a “protein-forward” chew, consisting of four varieties:  Calm, Relief, Allergy and Bladder. The chew supplements are formulated with chicken and do not contain flour, oils, artificial flavors, starches or fillers.

"With the significant rise in pet ownership over the past two years, today's pet parents are increasingly focused on the health and wellbeing of their beloved animals," said Brett Thomas, co-founder of CAVU Venture Partners. "Native Pet is answering the call of modern-day pet owners who are looking beyond traditional kibble to enhance their pet's wellbeing with highly nutritious and differentiated products. We are thrilled to partner with Dan and Pat as they reimagine pet nutrition to improve the health and happiness of pets everywhere."

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