Over 2 million pounds of food saved

and counting

 

 

Over 2 million lbs of food saved

and counting

it's called upcycling

it's called upcycling

What does upcycling mean at Shameless Pets? It means finding high-quality, nutritious, and pet-adored ingredients that otherwise would go unused, and baking them into delicious treats for cats and dogs.

 

Did you know preventing food waste is the #1 action individuals can take to fight climate change? Not that it's easy . . . while you may not be able to prevent throwing away fridge leftovers, you can buy upcycled treats for your pets!

 

We prioritize working with North American suppliers to find sustainable solutions to rescue foods that would otherwise go to a food waste destination. This is good for the planet and good for pets! To date, we've saved over 2 million pounds of food while treating pets with drool-worthy, healthy treats.

We rescue nutritious foods

We focus on nutrition first and foremost, making sure all food that goes into our treats are packed with nutrients. For example, the pumpkin we upcycle also helps support pups' digestive health!

These upcycled ingredients go through rigorous protocols and testing to ensure they’re of the highest quality before bringing them home and living their best second life as Shameless Pets treats.

cat and dog making tasty natural pet treats from upcycled ingredients

It's sustainable for us all

The result?

Delicious, sustainable dog and cat treats, that are good for the pets and good for the planet.

Our upcycled foods

Our upcycled foods

The food that passes our high standards are categorized into two categories:

misfits or surplus

upcycled blueberries, beets, sweet potatoes, bananas, carrots, and lobsters - all upcycled ingredients and flavors for shameless pets treats

Misfit

Reality is, farmers don’t just grow perfect-looking produce. Much of their harvests are different shapes, colors, and sizes. But due to the grocery stores' high cosmetic standards, those twisty carrots and twirly beets can't be sold. Although these foods were once turned away because they just didn’t fit in, we’re proud of these individualists who grew their own way.

When you see sweet potatoes, blueberry, beet, carrots, pumpkin, or bananas, in your Shameless Pets treats, just think of a wonky looking (but still delicious) version of those ingredients, and that’s exactly what’s going into our treats. Just as tasty, but a little weird looking.

pumpkin, sunflower, apple, egg, fish - all upcycled ingredients and flavors of Shameless Pets dog and cat treats

Surplus

What happens to the apple pulp after apple juice is freshly squeezed? Or butternut squash after they’ve been zoodled away? These foods are packed with nutrients that have tons of health benefits, like butternut squash for digestive support, and egg shells for healthy bone support. But because these aren’t the main products, they get tossed aside.

That's where we come in. When you see apple pomace, butternut squash, egg shells, salmon skins, or sunflower seed meal, your pets are indulging on the surplus goodies.

We proudly partner with upcycled ingredient producers from all over the US.

Mad in the USA map showing origin states of upcycled apples bananas beet blueberry butternut squash carrot eggshell lobster pumpkin samlon skin sunflower meal and sweet potatos

Pounds saved: 25,571

Benefits: fiber, vitamin A & C, offers digestive support

Found in:

Pounds saved: 24,541

Benefits: potassium and fiber, promotes healthy skin and bone growth

Found in:

Pounds saved: 7,108

Benefits: vitamin C & fiber, boosts immune system

Found in:

Pounds saved: 25,571

Benefits: antioxidants, fiber, & vitamin C, boosts immune system

Found in:

Pounds saved: 8,421

Benefits: fiber & antioxidants, offers digestive support

Found in:

Pounds saved: 6,762

Benefits: fiber & vitamin A, boosts eye health

Found in:

Pounds saved: 2,467

Benefits: calcium, supports bone health

Found in:

Pounds saved: 38,726

Benefits: glucosamine & chondroitin, supports hip and joints

Found in:

Pounds saved: 4,560

Benefits: fiber & vitamin A, offers digestive support

Found in:

Pounds saved: 10,477

Benefits: omega 3 fatty acids, supports skin & coat

Found in:

Pounds saved: 304,479

Benefits: protein & vitamin E, supports skin & coat

Found in: all soft baked biscuits & dental sticks

Pounds saved: 95,598

Benefits: fiber, vitamin A & C, offers digestive support

Found in: all jerky, calming chews, & cat treats

A complete look at our impact so far

Pie chart of upcycled products

based on number of pounds used in production through July 2021

Ingredient Pounds saved
Sunflower Meal 714,389
Sweet potato 178,477
Lobster 55,450
Apple 52,033
Banana 60,734
Blueberry 37,656
Salmon skins 15,170
Butternut Squash 13,729
Beet 11,308
Carrot 11,706
Pumpkin 9,870
Cheese 3,498
Eggshells 3,688
Catnip 572
Blackberry

150

Our sustainability efforts go beyond just food.

Our sustainability efforts go beyond just food.

Upcycling is our main gig - 100% of our everyday products have been certified by the Upcycled Food Assocation. We are always improving our supply chains to incorporate more nutritious ingredients into our treats.

 

Without taking our eyes off the upcycling ball, we strive toward sustainable business practices in the production and distribution of our treats, too.

As of 2020, Shameless Pets has officially transferred all of our pouches to be made with 30% PCR (post-consumer recyclable) plastic bottles and milk jugs. Since the start of the brand, it's always been our goal to make thinner treat pouches, so we can reduce our overall plastic usage.

80% of the our product line is made with solar energy- a sustainable solution that has the least negative impact on the environment compared to any other energy source, which reduces our dependence on fossil fuel.

We're not stopping there.

We're not stopping there.

Though we're proud of the amount of foods we've saved to date, we've still got a long way to go.

Our goal by 2025?

upcycle

5 million pounds

of food

upcycle

3 million pounds

of food

A thanks to our partners

A thanks to our partners

Creating a more sustainable future is a big feat, and we can't do it alone. We're thankful for the organizations on the journey of achieving our mission!

Shameless Pets is one of the first pet care brands to be upcycled certified by the Upcycled Food Association (UFA)- the world’s first third-party certification program for upcycled food ingredients and products. All of our everyday products are certified by the UFA.