Omni’s rise: From vet-founded startup to £10m vegan pet food brand

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Welcome back, readers.

In today’s issue, we chat with the founders of plant-based pet food brand Omni, Guy Sandelowsky and Shiv Sivakumar.

Just four months after their appearance on Dragons’ Den (where they secured an investment of £75,000) the startup has hit an impressive £10 million in annualised revenue.

Discover how the pair are driving growth, why novel proteins like yeast and algae could replace meat, and which markets they are looking to next. 

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“It all began in the clinic,” said Omni Pet Food co-founder, Dr. Guy Sandelowsky. 

For years, the UK-based veterinarian noticed a consistent pattern: pets were coming in with recurring skin, gut and weight issues. Many cases, he noticed, came down to one culprit: food sensitivities. 

“I was seeing so many pets coming in with food sensitivities, like itchy skin or waxy ears, or loose stools and accidents on the carpet at home,” he told Luxury Pet Care News.

And at the same time, Sandelowsky had a beloved black Labrador named Bondi, who had also developed food sensitivities. Meanwhile, co-founder Shiv Sivakumar’s dog Leo also developed food sensitivities. 

“So that's what really united us and we just sort of went from there, really,” Sandelowsky said.

Sandelowsky and Sivakumar, a former investment banker, founded Omni in the UK in 2020. Its mission: to provide a more sustainable and healthier vegan option for allergy-prone pets, using novel proteins.

“I recognise that as vets, we are good at treating diseases in pets,” said Sandelowsky. “But maybe where we could be better is in prevention.” 

The founders envisioned Omni as a one-stop-shop for different types of allergy-friendly food. Omni’s products are based on novel proteins, including yeast protein, algae protein, pulse protein, plant protein, for example, to rule out potential allergy triggers. 

From Dragons’ Den to £10m revenue

Omni’s growth curve has been steep. In February this year, Omni appeared on the UK’s entrepreneur programme Dragons’ Den and secured an investment of £75,000 for a 2.5% share in the company. (Omni was also selected for Mars-backed Leap Venture Studio & Academy’s accelerator programme last year).

Four months after the Dragons’ Den episode aired, their growth has skyrocketed.

“We were tracking just over 1 million pounds in annualised revenue last year, and now we're tracking 10 million,” said Sivakumar. “What’s really proven out for us is that the customers we're acquiring, they're sticking with us.”

Omni has also added over 20,000 new customers since the episode, and boasts an 80% subscription rate.

Growing demand for plant-based dog food

Omni’s rise coincides with increasing public interest in environmental sustainability. At the same time, pet parents are increasingly eager to spend on the best food they can afford.

Common pet food allergens include chicken and beef, according to Sandelowsky. And unlike cats, dogs can thrive on non-meat diets. “Dogs are nutritionally omnivorous,” he said. 

When asked about future growth drivers, Sivakumar said Omni’s sights are firmly fixed on the home market, for now.

“We're seeing such incredible growth just in the UK market … So priority number one is very much to double down on this market and become a household name.”

Having said that, he added: “The allergy prone dog is underserved globally. It's not just in the UK market.” The U.S. and Germany also have significant unmet need for dogs with food sensitivities, he said. Omni aims to enter these markets, but not immediately.

According to a study last month, dog owners were found to pay more for food carrying claims of health benefits, with “allergy relief” commanding a 17% premium.

Not only that: the global hypoallergenic dog food market was valued at US$1.5 billion in 2024, and is expected to grow at a healthy CAGR of 8.5% from 2026 to reach US$3 billion by 2033, according to Verified Market Reports.

In terms of product line, Omni is working on several new offerings, including a soft chew supplements for typically older cats with kidney disease, bladder disease and stiff joints, all based on novel proteins.

(Though Omni originally planned to launch a cultivated meat-based cat food (Omni Feast: Chicken Revolution) in partnership with Meatly, Sandelowsky admits that supply and pricing challenges slowed progress.) 

As Omni continues to disrupt the pet food space, Sandelowsky said the key to winning customers is humility, rather than being dogmatic about plant-based options. 

“I think the reason why we're able to win customers is because we're not saying that there's only one [option],” he said. “Just be aware that there are other options.”

IN THE NEWS

🐕️ Mars expands BETTER CITIES FOR PETS ● Only 40% of urban pet parents say their neighbourhoods are pet-friendly, says Mars. The campaign aims to help more cities become pet-friendly and make it easier for people to enjoy life with their pets. 

🇮🇳 Wipro Consumer Care Ventures leads US$1m funding in pet food startup Goofy Tails ● The move marks Wipro Consumer Care Ventures’ first foray into the pet space. The investment is part of Goofy Tails’ pre-series A funding round, which takes the brand’s total capital raised to US$2 million.

🇺🇸 Wellness Pet Company completes US$100m refinancing deal ● The company has also extended the maturities of its existing loans and asset-based lending facility to 2029. The deal ensures the company is “well-positioned to invest in innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers and pet parents.”

🇺🇸 60% of U.S. consumers will not absorb more than a 10% increase in pricing due to tariffs ● According to data from e-commerce company ESW, pet supplies nevertheless remain a high priority: 33% of consumers will continue to pay for pet supplies regardless of tariff increases. 

Luxury Pet Care News is a newsletter covering global trends, growth opportunities and success stories in the premium pet industry. It’s free to subscribe.

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