NEW YORK — Petco and JustFoodForDogs today announced the opening of the first store-in-store format, pet food kitchen at Petco’s flagship Union Square location in New York.

The JustFoodForDogs kitchen – which will prepare fresh, human-grade pet food daily – marks a new milestone in a partnership the two companies launched in May 2018 and joins JustFoodForDogs’ existing lineup of stand-alone kitchens in California, Seattle and others currently under construction in Boston and Chicago.

“We’re thrilled to introduce New York’s first fresh pet food kitchen and mark the beginning of our national expansion with our first kitchen location on the East Coast,” said Shawn Buckley, founder of JustFoodForDogs. “Our partnership with Petco has allowed us to increase our national footprint, and with this new location, we’re making it easier to access our freshly-prepared meals, custom diet plans, health supplements and more.”

Being touted as health and wellness kitchens for dogs, JustFoodForDogs produces daily balanced meals, veterinary diets to support specific health issues, and supplements such as live probiotics, joint care and Omega vitamins, as well as treats. The company also offers its recipes and nutrient blends for those who want to make meals for their pets at home.

The 1,350-sq.-ft. open kitchen in Petco’s newly-remodeled Union Square store will feature state-of-the-art stainless-steel appliances with trained chefs hand-preparing the signature recipes. Similar to JustFoodForDogs’ existing kitchens, the Union Square location is expected to produce 2,000 lbs. of food daily, seven days a week. Serving more than 40 million meals annually, JustFoodForDogs says it is on track to be the largest purchaser of ground venison in the United States.

“The ability to provide fresh, made-before-your-eyes pet food with real, unprocessed human-grade ingredients is game-changing, both for Petco and for the pets and pet parents we serve,” said Petco Co-Chief Merchandising Officer Nick Konat. “This launch truly brings to life our bold nutrition standards and serves as another proof point in our steadfast commitment to only offering foods we believe support the overall health and wellness of pets. We’re incredibly proud of our partnership with JustFoodForDogs and excited to bring the amazing products and experience they provide to more pet parents than ever before.”

The most popular JustFoodForDogs meals include combinations such as beef and russet potato; chicken and white rice; turkey and whole wheat macaroni. JustFoodForDogs is set to open more stand-alone kitchens this year and continue its expansion with more in-store pantries and kitchens in Petco stores nationwide over the next four years.

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