PHILADELPHIA — Human-grade dog food startup Happy Howl announced it has appointed David Brown to director of retail sales and distribution on March 30. Brown’s appointment comes after Happy Howl’s rapid growth, according to the company.

The startup, which produces shelf-stable and preservative-free pet food, was selected to participate in Newchip’s accelerator program and recently achieved its milestone of shipping more than 150,000 dog meals.

“David brings with him the heart, passion, inquisitiveness and purpose-driven attitude that embodies Happy Howl,” said Colin Buckley, chief executive officer and founder, Happy Howl. “We believe that the same competitiveness that made him a division one collegiate athlete along with his 20-year tenure with market leading pet brands establishes David as the ideal leader to drive our efforts of expansion into aligned retailers in key markets.”

Brown’s appointment marks Happy Howl’s latest step in rounding out its leadership and capabilities. The company also recently scaled its manufacturing capacity to compete with other pet food brands in the market.

Read more about personnel changes throughout the industry.