25. Omni Pet: plant-based pet food made by real vets

Founders: Shiv Sivakumar and Dr Guy Sandelowsky
Year founded: 2020
Website: omni.pet

Did you know that the UK’s oldest ever dog, a Border Collie who lived to 26 years old, ate a plant-based diet her entire life? That’s the surprising fact that Dr Guy Sandelowsky, celebrity vet and Omni Pet cofounder, pulls out when asked if dogs really can survive without meat.

The answer, if you couldn’t tell, is yes. And not just survive, but thrive. As proof, Omni is now one of the UK’s leading plant-based dog nutrition brands that makes nutritionally-complete meals that don’t just satisfy dogs, but support their health and wellbeing too.

As a vet-influencer monikered The Dog Dr on Instagram, Sandelowsky knows too well the health issues of man’s best friend. Over half of dogs are obese. Over a third will get cancer. Yet while vets do a great job at treating these issues, they’re less successful at prevention.

Sandelowsky decided to launch Omni, a dog food brand that’s high in fibre and antioxidants. He brought on board Sivakumar as cofounder via a business partner matching website (despite launching Omni together in 2020, they only met in person two years later).

Healthy dogs is one thing, but both founders are also targeting a healthier planet. All recipes are entirely animal-free, and the startup claims to have prevented around 2,500 tonnes of CO2e from entering the atmosphere. Omni has also partnered with Meatly, which has developed cell-cultured chicken meat that does not require the slaughter of any chickens. 

While vegan dog food brands exist, Omni leans more heavily on quality. Its protein content is 30% compared to an average of 22-26%. That level of assurance has helped owners to trust Omni with their fur babies. Since launch, Omni has sold over one million vegan meals.

There are no dog days here; Omni is reportedly on track to reach £4m in revenue and has raised £1.5m in funding and angel investment so far. Next, it will target chiens and perros, by expanding into new regions across the world. Get ready for Omni, a bone-afide hit in 2025.