HONG KONG — Philanthropic dog food brand Buddy Bites closed its seed funding round on April 28, raising $1 million in investments. The brand plans to use the funds to further expand its footprint in Hong Kong, Singapore and the United Kingdom, as well as expand into Taiwan and launch new products. 

Investors in the funding round included Leap Venture Studio, a pet care startup accelerator created in partnership between Mars Petcare and Michelson Found Animals. 

“Closing this seed round and securing the backing of Leap Venture Studio signifies an exciting turning point in Buddy Bites’ journey,” said Chris Lee, co-founder and chief executive officer of Buddy Bites. “This raise, combined with the guidance throughout the Leap program, puts us in a stronger position than ever to grow our business and help more sheltered dogs along the way.” 

Buddy Bites Founders Chris Lee and Ryan Black.

| Source: Buddy Bites

In addition to the funding, Buddy Bites was also invited to participate in Leap Venture’s ninth annual accelerator program. Through the 12-week program, the brand will receive custom mentorship, support in fundraising preparation and the opportunity to pitch to top investors from Mars Petcare and Michelson Found Animals’ networks. 

“We are thrilled to have Buddy Bites joining Cohort 9 of the Leap Venture Studio program,” said Rachel Sheppard, director of ventures at Mars Petcare and co-lead of Leap Venture Studio. “Their commitment to providing pets with premium dog food is matched by their incredible impact in Hong Kong, Singapore and the United Kingdom through their shelter give-back program. We’re excited to support Chris, Ryan and the Buddy Bites team in their mission and growth as they continue making a difference for pets and their communities.” 

According to Euromonitor International, the humanization of pets has propelled the Asian pet market with consumer spend expected to reach $34.8 billion by 2029. Buddy Bites has capitalized on this, while also supporting pets in need. The brand launched in 2020, offering a variety of premium dry dog food formulas that support gut health and is backed by veterinarians. 

Buddy Bites donates meals to shelters from each order purchased, resulting in more than 7 million meals donated since launch. Every month, Buddy Bites donates about 15,000 kgs (about 33,069 lbs) of food to 12 shelters, feeding nearly 2,000 dogs. With this latest funding round, the brand will support even more dogs throughout Asia and the United Kingdom. 

Read more news from pet food manufacturers.