Hardware Podcasts

Freshpet: Scott Morris

How I Built This · 9 Oct 2023 · 1h 10m

What this episode covers

Scott Morris, co-founder of Fresh Pet, explains how he and partners John Phelps and Cahal Walsh created a refrigerated, slice-and-serve pet food category in 2006, bypassing traditional kibble. Facing retailer resistance to installing coolers, Freshpet funded and installed over 30,000 refrigerators, a logistical burden that nearly bankrupted the company during the 2008 financial crisis. Morris details the struggle to extend shelf life from 12 to 20 weeks without artificial preservatives and the strategic decision to remain exclusively retail-focused rather than pursuing direct-to-consumer sales.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Fresh Pet, Ralston Purina, Meow Mix, Tyson Foods, PetSmart, Petco, Walmart, Kroger, Target, Mid-Ocean Partners, Huntsburgers
Products
Professor Connors

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