# Freshpet: Scott Morris

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2023-10-09
- Length: 1h 10m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-10-09-freshpet-scott-morris

## Summary

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.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-10-09-freshpet-scott-morris#t=0) Introduction: Scott Morris and Fresh Pet
- [4:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-10-09-freshpet-scott-morris#t=245) Early Entrepreneurship: Loft Beds and Landscaping
- [6:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-10-09-freshpet-scott-morris#t=405) Career at Ralston Purina and Meow Mix
- [15:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-10-09-freshpet-scott-morris#t=921) Founding Fresh Pet: The Clean Sheet Approach
- [24:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-10-09-freshpet-scott-morris#t=1486) Product Development: Sourcing, Cooking, and Packaging
- [34:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-10-09-freshpet-scott-morris#t=2054) Retailer Resistance and the Refrigerator Challenge
- [49:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-10-09-freshpet-scott-morris#t=2971) Financial Crisis, Tyson Investment, and CEO Conflict
- [58:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-10-09-freshpet-scott-morris#t=3523) Operational Hurdles: Refrigerator Maintenance and Spoilage
- [1:01:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-10-09-freshpet-scott-morris#t=3711) Going Public, Stock Volatility, and Walmart Dispute
- [1:08:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-10-09-freshpet-scott-morris#t=4129) Current Strategy and Future Outlook

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Fresh Pet (company)
- Ralston Purina (company)
- Meow Mix (company)
- Tyson Foods (company)
- PetSmart (company)
- Petco (company)
- Walmart (company)
- Kroger (company)
- Target (company)
- Mid-Ocean Partners (company)
- Huntsburgers (company)
- Professor Connors (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Bonus Episode: Khalil Khamis of Crafty Ramen](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-05-02-bonus-episode-khalil-khamis-of-crafty-ramen) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [#86 From Target Buyer to Nationally Launching Upcycled Pet Brand Shameless Pets with James Bello](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-04-11-86-from-target-buyer-to-nationally-launching-upcycled-pet-brand-shameless-pets-w) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [354 - Beyond the dieline with the incomparable Jake Karls from Mid-Day Squares](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2026-07-22-354-beyond-the-dieline-with-the-incomparable-jake-karls-from-mid-day-squares) (People of Packaging)
- [013: From Kitchen to Amazon, Launching All-Natural Cake Mix for Dogs with Kelly Costello of Puppy Cake](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-07-26-013-from-kitchen-to-amazon-launching-all-natural-cake-mix-for-dogs-with-kelly-co) (Product Startup)
- [Founder Feature: Jen Liao of MìLà](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-08-23-founder-feature-jen-liao-of-mila) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-10-09-freshpet-scott-morris. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to How I Built This.