LONDON — Insect-based dog food startup Grub Club announced its launch into Pets at Home, the United Kingdom’s largest pet retailer, on March 11. Select products from Grub Club’s lineup will be available at 466 Pets at Home stores throughout the UK, as well as on the retailer’s e-commerce website. 

Founded in 2020, Grub Club seeks to create more sustainable dog foods by leveraging insect proteins. Upon learning that pets consume 20% of the world’s fish and meat proteins, Alessandro Di Trapani, chief executive officer, and Hugh Petit, chief operating officer, founded Grub Club to “shake up the industry.” Grub Club replaces traditional, animal-based proteins with alternative proteins from black soldier fly larvae (BSFL), which offers several environmental benefits. According to Grub Club, its food was found to help reduce carbon emissions by up to 1.5 tonnes per dog annually. Additionally, the company found that if just 1% of the UK’s 12 million dog population switched to Grub Club, it could help prevent 180,000 tonnes of carbon emissions per year. 

In honing its focus on insects, Grub Club offers hypoallergenic, protein-packed, complete-and-balanced dog foods, as well as treats and other functional nutrition products. The company has witnessed success in the market, growing its online revenue by 260% in 2023 and fostering a loyal subscriber base. 

Since its launch, Grub Club has expanded its retail footprint, entering independent stores like Daylesford Organic, Gladwells and others. This latest retail expansion into Pets at Home will further the company’s reach.

“Our partnership with Pets at Home gives us an incredible opportunity to provide dog owners across the UK with a more sustainable way to feed their dog,” Di Trapani said. “Unlocking this distribution is crucial for us as we strive towards our mission of making the pet food industry more sustainable and providing a healthy alternative for dogs who suffer with sensitivities and intolerances to traditional pet food.”

Source: Grub Club

Pets at Home will carry Grub Club’s insect-based dog treat range, which includes Poop Perfector, a digestive health treat; Sit Roll Treat Repeat, a daily treat; Canine Shine, a skin and coat health treat; and Clean Teeth & Chill, daily dental sticks. 

Grub Club’s foray into Pets at Home comes on the heels of the company winning the Sky Media Zero Footprint Fund 2023, in which Grub Club received the £1 million (about $1.26 million USD) media value grand prize. The company was also recognized by FuturePlus, winning the Impact HERE Award and was awarded £100,000 (about $126,330 USD) worth of screen promotion. Additionally, Grub Club was named the Best Eco-Friendly Pet Brand by Marie Claire in 2023. 

Read more about insect-based pet food.