Kiwi Start up reducing global environmental paw-print

Award Winning Kiwi Start up Helping to reduce global environmental paw-print

An Auckland-based company that has been disrupting the New Zealand pet food scene is now making waves across the Tasman for its use of sustainable and innovative packaging design.
Despite only launching in January this year, Feed My Fur Baby was selected as one of four finalists and received High Commendation in the prestigious Australasian Packaging Innovation and Design Awards last night.

Feed My Furbaby is a pet food subscription service that uses a unique algorithm to provide regular tailored meals to hungry pets throughout New Zealand.

In addition to some unique design features such as a removable window and a custom ‘portion-control scoop’, the packaging was nominated for innovative use of cardboard in an industry dominated by thick plastic packaging.

“We started Feed My Fur Baby with a view to include healthy, sustainable and environmentally responsible practices across all areas of the business and this includes packaging and supply chain logistics,” says co-founder Ben Rennell. The packaging is just part of our ‘Environmental Paw-Print’ campaign to help pet owners make better choices for their fur babies,” says Ben.

“The global pet food industry has a significant environmental impact and large, plastic packaging is a major factor in this. We believe this has to change,” says co-founder Amy Rennell.

More than 25,000kg of plastic waste is littered in New Zealand each day, according to 2015 study undertaken by the University of Georgia.

Feed My Fur Baby is also experiencing praise from its customers. Collette, pet parent to Lola and Wolfie, believes that we have a responsibility to make responsible choices on behalf of our pets and Feed My Fur Baby makes this easy.

“We won’t look back,” says Sue. “The food is at our doorstep each month, it’s healthy, the right amount for Yuki’s size and better for the environment.”

The company also avoids the use of secondary packaging in the supply chain. This means the same box is used to pack, transport, bulk store and ship to the end customer in the same packaging with no additional tapes or wraps.

The team are now working on ways to improve the design and sustainability of the packaging including multi-use use of the box to further reduce material usage and increase environmental efficiencies. They are also working towards product traceability to provide ethical transparency within the supply chain.

Watch this space.

ENDS
Notes to the editor
• Feed My Fur Baby launched in January 2018
• High Commendation Award of the 2018 Design Innovation of the Year Award – Domestic & Household
• This awards category recognises organisations that have designed innovative packaging and processing materials, packaging (within domestic and household items, toys, stationery, gifts, clothing, garden equipment, decorating.)
• The pet food industry is worth an estimated $65 billion in North America alone and close to $400 million in New Zealand.
• For more information about the awards, visit www.packagingnews.com.au/news/pkn-exclusive-who-s-in-the-running-for-a-2018-pida-award
• For more information about Feed My Fur Baby, visit www.feedmyfurbaby.co.nz

© Scoop Media