WHAT A DOG’S DINNER OF A DEAL
THE CRAFTORY INVESTS $22M IN EDGARD & COOPER THE SUSTAINABLE PET FOOD BRAND DELIVERING SUPERIOR NUTRITION FOR ALL OUR FURRY BABIES.
The Craftory is investing $22m into Edgard and Cooper’s Series B. The business intends to use funds raised to support expansion and amplify its positive impact. Existing investor DLF Ventures also participated in this round.
THE CAUSE: DELIVER GOOD HEALTH, PROSPER SUSTAINABLY
Humans and pets may have different nutritional needs* but it's no secret pet food can be significantly more nutritious than your average high street takeout*. Edgard & Cooper are opening the nutrition gap even further by delivering superior health food for cats and dogs.
Edgard & Cooper’s headline? ‘Naturally tasty cat and dog food, that you, your pets and our planet can feel good about’. This means carefully balanced portions, rich in fresh meats & nutritious offals, packed with fruit ‘n veg, vits ‘n mins, and even prebiotics. All done while ditching highly processed meat meals and other nasties. Even their pet treats are healthy.
Importantly for pet parents Edgard & Cooper are an eco-conscious, sustainable business that says no to packaging nasties like single use plastic, and plan to have a net positive environmental paw print by 2025*. Their entire range of bags are made from plants (not plastic) using FSC certified paper or low intensity crops like potatoes. Till date they saved their customers from using the equivalent of 5.869.486 plastic bags! One step closer to a planet that can feel good!
The brand also takes pride in doing business with a heart and pledges to donate 1% of sales value annually to The Edgard & Cooper Foundation – a standalone charitable entity set up to improve the lives of dogs and cats today and avoid harm tomorrow. By the end of 2020, Edgard & Cooper will have donated $300.000 through its charitable giving to long-term projects. Last year they built a brand new clinic with operating theatres to neuter 9000 dogs and 2000 live-saving operations per year in the Dog Care Clinic in Sri Lanka!
*Sources:
Human vs. pet nutritionPet food nutritionEdgard & Cooper Zero Pawprint PlanMORE EDGARD & COOPER
Koen Bostoen, Louis Chalabi & Jürgen Degrande co-founded Edgard & Cooper in 2014 out of love for their dogs - Edgard and Cooper - and have always had a zero tolerance attitude towards highly processed pet food.
After over two years of recipe development in partnership with nutritional experts Edgard & Cooper launched in its home country Belgium and quickly expanded into 13 additional European geographies. Rapid expansion has been driven by strong growth across all channels and geographies, helped by roll outs through 7000 points of sale across Europe.
It’s true Edgard & Cooper do things differently – They refuse to use meat that sits in a container after slaughter until it's full and ready for transport. These renderings can sit outside in the heat for hours - not good. Edgard & Cooper only use fresh meat and nutritious offals (never dehydrated) and it always stays within the chill chain. The meat is used within 48 hours and there are never chemical preservatives in the mix. The result is a pet food with the convenience of a kibble format plus the easy digestibility and nutritional availability of fresh meat.
Of course the results speak for themselves, this is maximum nutrition from natural ingredients. It’s as if your pet has their own personal nutritionist.
In regards to impact Edgard & Cooper is the first European pet food brand whose packaging is made of biodegradable material. This has already saved more than 5,869,786 plastic bags so far.
edgardandcooper.com
ELIO LEONI SCETI, CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF CRAFTER AT THE CRAFTORY, NOTED:
The increased humanization of pets by their owners goes far beyond pet apparel and dedicated instagram feeds - the concerns that drive preference and innovation for human nutrition apply to pets too. An obsession for quality and transparency typifies the Edgard & Cooper approach, and makes it possible for pet parents to express their love for animals directly through food they choose.
Meeting the 3 founders - Koen, Louis and Jürgen - it was immediately clear why Edgard & Cooper will win in the competitive petcare category. Their clear vision, excellent products, and infectious team energy are strong marks of success. We are thrilled to partner with the whole Edgard & Cooper team.
KOEN BOSTOEN, CO-FOUNDER OF EDGARD & COOPER SAID:
From the start we were looking for capital that is not solely interested in growth and profits, but equally believes a brand must do good for pets, people, and the planet.
The Craftory’s mission to amplify purposeful brands really caught our attention: They are the rebel in the capital landscape, and we chose to partner with them because their values closely align with ours. We love their long term vision, and appreciate the “Crafter” expertise they bring,
For me, and my French Bulldog Edgard, this partnership demonstrates a major step forward in positively impacting the petcare category.
PIERRE-JEAN WALLON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT DLF VENTURE STATED:
We’ve been constantly impressed by the execution capabilities of the team since we joined the Edgard & Cooper adventure along with the Founders in 2017, and we’re looking forward to continue supporting the company in its quest to build a brand which truly improves the lives of pets whilst preserving our planet.
We’re delighted to have the Craftory come alongside us on this journey, as we feel we all share the same values and this will to build a strong brand with a strong message.
JAMIE SWANGO, CRAFT PARTNER DIGITAL AMPLIFICATION & PLATFORMS AT THE CRAFTORY COMMENTED:
98% of pet parents agree “my pet deserves the best food I can provide”, but it’s hard to know what ‘best’ really means. Experts are divided over the efficacy of raw diets and the majority of kibble is developed the same way by the same manufacturers with different branding.
Edgard & Cooper’s exacting standards and meticulously designed processes eliminate these concerns and make it easy for pet parents to provide nutritious, satisfying meals while reducing their plastic paw print, and giving back to dogs in need. Our woofy in-house Craftory tasters, Belle & Maurice, thoroughly approve.
ABOUT THE CRAFTORY
We are Cause Capital: Based in London and San Francisco, The Craftory is a $375M global investment house focused exclusively on amplifying the world’s boldest consumer brands. We offer permanent, early stage and growth capital to cause-driven CPG brands that positively impact the categories they serve, society, and the planet. The Craftory is a proud B-Corp.
thecraftory.io
ABOUT DLF VENTURE
DLF Venture is a family-owned consumer-focused investment company, founded in 2016 in Luxembourg, with footprints in Brussels and London. We invest primarily in Europe, focusing on four key sectors: Food & Beverage, Health & Care, Edtech and Innovative Retail. With a hands-with and long-term active management style, our aim is to help visionary founders develop strong brands by leveraging our network and knowledge in our key focus areas.
dlfventure.comMEDIA ENQUIRIES - PROJECT MM
info@projectmmnyc.com