Redefining dog food — meet the founders of Marleybones

We know you named your businesses after your dog Marley, the CEO (Chief Eating Officer). So first things first, how's Marley doing?

Marley is, as always, thriving and dining! He's just the picture of health; seeing him demolish every mealtime doesn't get old. There is not a day where he's not in the office with us, and we love doing a walk-and-talk meeting while walking him.

He is also currently testing a brand-new recipe, which we're aiming at launching this year, so he's taking his role as Chief Eating Officer very seriously these days! It will be very different from our current recipe range, so it's important to get his thorough feed'bark.

What inspired you to start a business together?

Marleybones was born out of frustration. Six years ago, Josephine, the co-founder of Marleybones, moved to London from Denmark, where we're both from. None of us ever dreamed of starting our own company; we were destined to sit in a corporate office somewhere. But, a certain four-legged, furry companion changed our direction in life.

As it turned out, Marley was both fussy and had a sensitive stomach, which meant Josephine was changing dog food more regularly than Leonardo DiCaprio was changing girlfriends. Wasted money, wasted food and overall, a real shit-show (figuratively and, unfortunately, literally speaking).

This led to looking into fresh food options. However, living in a small London flat with a tiny freezer, there wasn't space for more than a week's food supply, weekend trips were complicated by the need for freezers on the go, and the wastage of single-use plastic packaging didn't sit right with us. We all want what's best for our dogs, and their health should always be our number one priority. But we also want convenience in our everyday lives. We were missing food that was as healthy and tasty for Marley as it was easy for us.

So, Josephine called Mikala, who was back in Denmark at the same, and our conversation began with Josephine asking: "I might just be a crazy dog lady, but I really have this frustration…".

This became the beginning of Marleybones.

Tell us a little more about your products. What makes Marleybones unique?

Marleybones is redefining fresh dog food by offering sustainable, steam-cooked meals with the nutritional benefits of a fresh diet served in a convenient pantry- and planet-friendly packaging. Our meals are jam-packed with superfoods like hemp, chia seeds and wild seaweed for optimal canine health, fresh local ingredients, and served in fully recyclable and plastic-neutral packaging.

Bringing sustainability, convenience, and quality together, we create tailored meal plans for dogs with our range of sustainable meals, food toppers and natural treats. Our meal plans are delivered to customers' doorstep monthly and personalised to their dog's nutritional requirements. By combining our healthy meals, powerful food toppers and tasty treats, we're tackling the most common canine health concerns and insatiable appetites, all while being mindful of our planet.

Inspiring healthy living for dogs, connections between people and environmental change with lots and joy, just like food should.

What initially interested you in working with HIVED?

Sustainability is part of Marleybones' DNA. In our search for great quality food, we discovered a roaring missing piece of the puzzle among all the many foods we could choose from; sustainability.

In today's world, we need to be aware of the imprint we're leaving behind. Conscious of our impact, we've chosen to serve our meals in the most sustainable packaging solution, made mainly from plant-based materials and all fully recyclable. Essentially, it's the packaging that grows back!

We're proudly the world's first and only certified plastic-neutral dog food company, which means we have a net-zero plastic footprint. We've removed all unnecessary plastic from our operations, and the minor unavoidable amount we offset by partnering with RePurpose Global, which collects as much plastic as we use in our operations. We've specifically chosen to support a women-led project in India that collect the equivalent low-value plastic waste from their local rainforests, which would otherwise have ended up in a landfill.

To limit food miles, we source 98% of our ingredients within the UK —  even the quinoa and chia, traditionally grown in warmer countries, are sourced right here in Essex!

HIVED is the last piece of our puzzle. Delivering monthly meal plans to dogs across the UK, we need to be wary of the impact this has. We're dedicated to reducing and limiting our carbon footprint, and partnering with HIVED to deliver our meals emission-free was the obvious choice.

Their impressive green credentials were what initially drew us to HIVED. After working with the team, it has become so much more. We're amazed by their dedication to their customers, their helpful nature towards our customers, the friendly drivers, and their track record with on-time deliveries.

What role does parcel delivery play in the Marleybones customer experience?

As a meal-plan company, on-time deliveries are paramount. Each of our plans is tailored specifically to the dog's requirements and covers exactly what is needed for the month. Without timely deliveries, we risk dogs being left without food and owners having to change their dog's diets.

Our customers trust us to deliver the meals they need when they need them, and living up to this promise is crucial. Our goal is to create healthier, happier, more convenient lives without compromising sustainability, and HIVED helps us achieve this.

And lastly, how has HIVED helped your business?

HIVED aligns perfectly with our ethical values, and we couldn't be happier partnering with them. Their service is reliable, their customer service is second-to-none, they're the nicest bunch, and they keep our customers happy (and our pupstomers fed!). As the cherry on top, we're also pleased to support a fellow start-up!

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Are you interested in Marleybones? Head over to marleybones.com to learn more.

Have any questions or comments? Feel free to reach out to us at hey@hived.space.

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