SAN DIEGO — In 2002, Lucy Postins sought out to revolutionize the pet food industry by creating the world’s first human-grade pet food, and The Honest Kitchen was born. Since then, Postins has grown the company to become a leader in the industry, recognized for its dedication to human-grade product development and commitment to pet wellbeing.

“My big-picture goal is to ensure we stay true to our roots as we continue to grow and evolve,” she said. “Key priorities include strengthening our commitment to conscientious sourcing, broadening our business with female and minority owned and operated suppliers, and driving innovation with new, unique products that are inspired by human food trends.”

In the following Q&A, Postins shares how her passion for animals, dedication to human-grade nutrition, and steadfast determination led The Honest Kitchen to success.

PFP: How did you get your start in the pet industry, and how did that experience lead you to where you are now?

Postins: I always knew I wanted to work with animals in some capacity. With that in mind, I pursued a BA in Equine & Business Studies from Moreton Morrell College of Agriculture in England, where I grew up. After graduating, I immigrated to the United States and spent several years as the equine and canine nutritionist for a Southern California pet food manufacturer, leading many of the company’s marketing and product development initiatives.

My passion for animals and natural nutrition led to me to start The Honest Kitchen — right from my own kitchen in 2002. At the time, it was just me and my Rhodesian Ridgeback, Mosi, mixing up fresh ingredients and testing new recipes together. Mosi struggled with frequent ear infections and skin problems, and I knew that improving his diet could make a real difference in his health. Unfortunately, there was nothing on the market that offered a healthy, whole-food solution, so I decided to make it myself, using human-grade, dehydrated ingredients. When I saw noticeable results in Mosi, I realized other pets could benefit too. That’s when it began evolving into a company.

PFP: What has been your biggest challenge — personal or professional — related to your work in the pet industry?

Postins: The Honest Kitchen is the world’s first human-grade pet food. When I started the brand, the industry was unfamiliar with this standard, which led to regulatory challenges in the early days. As I began increasing distribution, objections arose about using the term “Human Grade” on product labels — most notably, the state of New Mexico refused to grant us a license unless we could get a Statement of No Objection from the FDA.

“The Honest Kitchen is the world’s first human-grade pet food. When I started the brand, the industry was unfamiliar with this standard, which led to regulatory challenges in the early days,” shared Lucy Postins of The Honest Kitchen.

This was a first for any pet food company and began a long journey of documenting our entire supply chain — including harvesting, production, transportation, storage and handling — to demonstrate every single element of our food maintained ”edible” status and met a true human standard. In the end we prevailed and proudly received our Statement of No Objection from the FDA, which I then used to facilitate licenses in each new state — except Ohio.

Ohio refused to register any pet food labeled “Human Grade” and claimed the FDA approval held no weight. We eventually ended up in court, where the judge ruled in our favor, affirming The Honest Kitchen’s right to truthful commercial free speech. It was a huge victory, not just for us but for the entire pet food industry.

PFP: Tell me about a professional accomplishment in the pet industry that you are proud of.

Postins: I think one of the recent accomplishments that I’m most proud of is The Honest Kitchen’s certification as a B Corporation. We were one of the first ever US pet manufacturers to become a B Corp and it was a way to really cement and formalize some of the social and environmental brand values that have always been a part of our DNA. It’s also a really great template for future decision-making on hiring practices, benefits, sourcing and production. The process was incredibly robust and it’s definitely not easy to go through the B Impact Assessment but I’m really proud of the fact that we’ve done it and we’re currently in the middle of our re-certification right now.

PFP: What is top of mind for you and/or your business in the industry right now?

Postins: My big-picture goal is to ensure we stay true to our roots as we continue to grow and evolve. Key priorities include strengthening our commitment to conscientious sourcing, broadening our business with female and minority owned and operated suppliers, and driving innovation with new, unique products that are inspired by human food trends.

Source: Lucy Postins/The Honest Kitchen

I’m personally pretty excited to be diving more deeply back into innovation again at The Honest Kitchen and it’s been a lot of fun trawling through old notebooks of product ideas and starting to bring some previously unexplored, OG concepts to life. I’ve also really been tapping into human food trends to work on some lines of brand new products that will launch in the coming year or so.

With the current political climate and some uncertainty around tariffs, our sourcing is also top of mind. We take a lot of pride in sourcing top notch ingredients and while it’s always a priority to source locally whenever we can, we do source a variety of whole food ingredients from Canada and Europe, so a big focus currently is on managing that situation proactively.

PFP: If you could pick three trends influencing the industry today, which are the most important and why?

Postins: Human grade ingredients: Of course, The Honest Kitchen is built upon the human grade standard, but I do see the industry continuing to follow suit. As pets are increasingly recognized as family members, owners expect to feed them food that meets the same standards as their own. This has driven a growing demand for high-quality nutrition, whole-food ingredients, and greater transparency in sourcing and production.

Sustainability: Sustainability has evolved into a core expectation, with a strong emphasis on eco-friendly packaging, responsibly sourced ingredients and environmental impact. At The Honest Kitchen, we’re committed to sustainable practices at every level, from ingredient sourcing to the partners we choose to work with.

Customized meal plans: More pet owners are recognizing the benefits of customizing their pet’s food routine based on breed, age, health conditions and other factors. Personalization allows for better nutrition, targeted health support and improved overall wellbeing. At The Honest Kitchen, we provide tailored recommendations based on life stage, nutritional needs and more — recognizing each pet is unique and there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution.

PFP: What is something about the pet industry that people outside of the industry may not realize?

Postins: I imagine that some people outside the industry may not realize how the regulatory landscape differs from that of the human food world. For us, it’s always challenging, because our sourcing happens within the human food supply chain and our co-packers are human food producers. But there is a big difference between how the pet industry is governed relative to human food.

PFP: What advice would you give to other women in this industry?

Postins: My biggest advice is to be genuinely passionate about what you’re setting out to do. When you have that fire in your belly, success comes naturally because it doesn’t feel like work — it’s all consuming, with ideas buzzing no matter what you’re doing or where you are. That unwavering passion provides clarity when navigating challenges and fuels continuous forward momentum. If you’re not passionate about your idea, the energy behind it can quickly diminish, and I’ve unfortunately seen businesses struggle as a result.

PFP: Just for fun, do you consider yourself a dog person or a cat person? Or, if you have pets of your own, tell us a little bit about them. 

Lucy Postins with her two dogs, Rowan and Parker.

| Source: Lucy Postins/The Honest Kitchen

Postins: I think I’m really more of a dog person although there is something very captivating about the independent, slightly aloof nature of cats! I love how dogs are always present in the moment (something I’m always trying to work on in myself), essentially positive in their energy and mindset, and very determined (literally dogged) in their approach to a challenge or opportunity. Dogged determination is actually one of The Honest Kitchen’s brand values and celebrates the scrappy, entrepreneurial spirit that we always want to cultivate and nurture across our whole team. While I’m personally more of a lone wolf than a pack animal on many things (and this was especially true when I was first starting the company, as I really wanted to be independent and self-sufficient rather than relying on a network of supporters or mentors) none of what company has come to represent would be possible without the incredible pack of humans who bring their passion, dedication and strong work ethic to the table every single day.

My two current dogs are Rowan, a Rhodesian Ridgeback, and Parker, a Border Terrier.

As the founder and chief integrity officer of The Honest Kitchen, Lucy Postins is a visible and outspoken leader within the pet food industry and beyond. She serves as a public speaker, hosting seminars and trainings for retail partners and speaks at conferences and community events. Prior to creating The Honest Kitchen in 2002, Postins worked as an equine and canine nutritionist for a pet food manufacturer in Southern California and led several marketing and product development initiatives. Outside of The Honest Kitchen, she works with various female entrepreneurs in startups and established brands, as a mentor, advisor and pro bono board member. Postins has a Bachelor of Arts in Equine & Business Studies from Moreton Morrell College of Agriculture in the United Kingdom.

Continue reading about other female leaders featured in our Women in the Pet Industry series.