Cindy & Einstein
Chief BARKtender | Chief Product Developer
P: 902-222-0409 E: einstein@craftybeasts.ca
Cindy James, founder, and CEO, wanted to meld two compassions together when she started Crafty Beasts Brewing Co.: the health and wellness of pets and sustaining the planet. From the very start, she knew her business was bigger than just creating a product as she forged a vision into its existence.
“When I started brewing dog beer in 2018, I embedded a purpose into our company,” said James. “That purpose was to create a product that would give back by using food waste, byproducts, and upcycled ingredients as the foundation for our healthy, hydrating brews.
“Two things matter most to us: the health and wellness of the pets we serve and contributing to as many of the 17 UN Sustainability Goals as possible,” she added.
Crafty Beasts Brewing Co. offers Fetc, Unleashed, and soon-to-be-released Catch. 100% alcohol-free brews that are designed to be sources of essential minerals providing dogs with immune system and joint support as well as promoting digestion and a healthy gut.
Ingredients for the brews are sourced from Canadian companies committed to diverting food waste. It can be found in various pet stores as well as dog-friendly taprooms throughout Canada.
James said Crafty Beasts was started as a solution to a challenge she encountered in her dog daycare business
“With very little notice in 2018, I had to move the daycare within the city core,” she explained. “Dated zoning bylaws became a challenge in finding a new home for my business. I did manage to find a location with the caveat that we had to have a retail component to qualify for the zoning permit. Not wanting to divert too far from my primary revenue source and not having much space to allot to retail, I left the North American pet industry market and looked for something innovative in Europe.”
James is proud to offer a sustainable product that allows customers to enjoy a shared experience with their dogs by cracking a beer with them.
In our early days, we were missing connections to suppliers in our niche area using upcycled foods. We received a valuable referral from our mentor JD Consultants and the referral is now one of our main suppliers and long-term partners. The supplier will be with us as we achieve our goals and expand our territory and is essential to our success. We are grateful for this referral.
James said in the next five years she hopes to focus on other beasts, such as cats, and will be exporting in the U.S. and growing the Canadian domestic market into more regions.
Article by Lisa Cleaver and for more information, visit petfoodforumevents.com