Creature Companion - Interzoo Special September 2019 | Page 39

distribution network in place and we will
be relying on that to make our cat treats
easily available to consumers. Participating
in events and social media marketing are
a few other ways we plan to use to educate
customers about the availability of natural
products for cats too.
T
ell us about the product positioning
strategies that you employ to beat
out competition in this cut throat
market.
Th e only product positioning we focus
on is quality. I don’t believe in focussing
on what the competition is doing. As an
entrepreneur I have done that, and I know it
can consume you. It is much better to focus
on what you want to off er to customers and
how you want to present that to them.
W
hat skills do you look for while
hiring employees for your
business venture?
We look for a strong passion for animals
and a desire to see this company grow;
Street smart people with a strong dedication
to work.
D
o you plan to open a pet cafe or
retail outlet in the near future?
We have already opened our fi rst retail
outlet in Mumbai, Colaba. Pet parents can
visit with their furries and buy accessories,
try some treats at our jerky bar and even get
their own customised diet.
W
hat is the ideal feeding pattern for
dogs?
Either 2 or 3 times a day at full grown.
Smaller dogs like Shih tzus, Pugs, Lhasa
Apsos do better on 3 meals a day. Larger
dogs like Beagles or Labradors do well on
2 meals a day. For giant breeds like Great
Danes or St. Bernards I suggest feeding 3
meals a day as they are highly susceptible
to bloat.
Heads Up For Tails – All stores (Mumbai,
Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi etc)
PetSutra – Online
Amazon – Online
Mumbai – 65 stores
Foodhall – Mumbai, Gurgaon, Bangalore
Few stores in Pune, Gujarat, Goa and other
parts of India.
W
hat is your current market reach?
What are your future expansion
plans?
Th ere are a few more product launches
planned. We are currently exploring
e-commerce as a possible form of expansion,
coupled with trying to enter more cities
with our frozen food dabba service.
A
re you associated with any NGOs to
work in the direction of charity for
stray animals?
We are not associated with any one single
NGO. In Mumbai we donate to YODA, in
Delhi we do our photoshoots with rescued
dogs from Friendicoes. Another NGO
we support is Red Paws Rescue. Th ere are
many wonderful shelters and NGOs doing
such good work like We Exist, Umeed etc.
I truly believe we need many many more to
help take care of all the needy animals.
H
ow do you use your Doggie Dabbas’
social media handles to enhance
your brand’s digital market presence?
We try to keep it as informative as possible,
frequently giving out tips and tricks that
pet parents can relate to. We also use it to
inform customers about product launches
and how to use our products. Essentially
we use it as a source of information for a
potential customer.
W
hat feeding advice would you like
to give to all pet parents reading
this article?
Just avoid feeding packaged food or kibbles.
Prepare a simple homemade diet with
animal proteins and vegetables and speak
to your veterinarian about multi-vitamin
supplementation. Th e day you do that, is the
day you will change your dog’s life forever.
I
f you were to write a book on ‘Doggie
Dabbas,’ what would you name it?
I would defi nitely call it ‘Th e Ulti-Mutt
Doggie Book.’
H
ow has the digital media assisted you
in shaping your business venture?
Digital media has been a tremendous force
in helping reach our customers everywhere.
It reduces so much distance between the
brand and the consumer that it is easier to
supply to them and give them what they
want.
W
hich stores and outlets retail
Doggie Dabbas in India?
September 2019 • Vol. XII • Issue 9 • Noida
39
| Creature Companion