Happy Howl, a US consumer dog food brand, is invested by Mars to support “the next stage of growth and product innovation.”
Owners of brands such as Mars, Pedigree, Royal Canin, and Whiskas. We have invested through the Mars Companion Fund.
In 2023, Mars took part in the seed funding round for Bundle X-Joy, another US pet food startup.
The Happy Howl fundraising round also saw participation from animals that Michaelson discovered, dark capital, visible ventures and private investors, the Philadelphia-based company said in a statement.
The producer of “A gentle cooked, shelf stable meal” did not reveal financial details of the transaction, but Colin Buckley, founder and CEO of Happy Howl, told Just Food that the company is “highly capable of the next stage of growth.”
Buckley described Mars as the “ideal partner for the next chapter,” citing “deep domain expertise in pet care and nutrition” and “a track record of helping brands grow responsibly.”
Happy Howl will use the capital in several regions.
For the growth of D2C, the company will focus on “strengthening e-commerce infrastructure and expanding its customer acquisition strategy.”
Although certain revenue figures are wrapped, Buckley, the largest shareholder of Happy Howl, said the company has grown with a “strong” CAGR and is supported by “over 30% of its customers remain active for at least 12 months.”
Currently, 90% of sales is D2C, with the remaining 10% being generated through retail.
Retail expansion is another focus of Happy Howl.
The product is listed in CVS and “Some High Growth Independents,” and the CEO said: “In this round, we have already been working with several independent specialist national and local retailers to deepen our distribution and retail relationships and to further launch and reset conversations.
Happy Howl will invest in new product developments, including “innovative new recipes and formats” designed to meet the needs of evolving consumers and dogs.
Going forward, Happy Howl aims to increase monthly revenue by the fourth quarter of 2025.
The business is already profitable, according to Buckley, who believes this is due to “a strong unit economics, a disciplined approach to growth and a clear focus on sustainable scale.”
Production is outsourced to allow you to focus on R&D, marketing and customer experience while managing sourcing, formulation and quality standards.
