VEGDOG: leading the revolution in vegan pet nutrition

Valerie Henssen and Tessa Zaune-Figlar of VEGDOG, a trailblazing company based in Munich, Germany, that’s redefining canine nutrition with scientifically backed, plant-based food. With a current team of about 30 employees and a strong market presence in Germany, Austria, and Italy, VEGDOG is gearing up for a significant international expansion, eyeing markets like the US.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, it all began with a dog named Nelson, who suffered chronic allergies until his owner, Tessa, followed a vet’s advice to eliminate all animal proteins and switch to home-cooked vegan meals. Within four weeks, Nelson was completely symptom-free.

From there, Tessa identified a major flaw in the existing market: many commercial vegan pet foods lacked essential components like taurine, carnitine, and vitamin B12, despite being labeled as complete.

Recognising this serious gap in the market, Tessa partnered with Valerie, a business administration graduate who also studied veterinary medicine, to create the solution: a brand committed to producing the first vegan, grain-free dog food that is nutritionally whole.

Surely a vegan diet for dogs raises questions, right? But VEGDOG’s approach is rooted firmly in science: “Dogs, unlike their wolf ancestors, are omnivores,” explains Valerie.

“Over millennia of living alongside humans, they have adapted to a diet that includes plant-based leftovers and have developed enzymes that allow for efficient digestion of starch.

While wolves require a diet rich in protein (around 70%), dogs need much less of it (around 25%). Excess protein, in fact, can strain a dog's liver and kidneys.”

VEGDOG offers a diverse portfolio including dry food, wet food, and a popular snack range. The company’s growth has been strategically fueled by impact-focused venture capital firms, such as Green Generation Fund, backed by the EU, whose missions align with VEGDOG's sustainability goals.

Investment has been directed toward scaling operations, market growth, and building internal R&D capabilities.

VEGDOG's mission goes beyond pet health; it is fundamentally driven by a desire to reduce animal slaughter and significantly lower the CO² footprint associated with traditional pet food production. “I think many people underestimate the impact we can have through our pets,” Valerie says. “Even a partial replacement of meat-based dog food with plant-based alternatives can have a considerable daily environmental impact.”

As VEGDOG prepares for its next phase of expansion, it stands as a testament to the idea that businesses can prioritize health, ethics, and the planet simultaneously. By pioneering a scientifically sound, plant-powered future for our four-legged friends, VEGDOG is leading a quiet but powerful revolution in the pet food industry.