COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — A Colorado Springs man is hoping to carve out his own space in the booming organic and natural pet food market, which is predicted to surpass $57 billion by 2033, according to a recent report from the Pet Food Industry.
Matthew Lara, founder of Golden Paws LLC, said the idea came from his own lifestyle changes.
"I was able to already replace all the things I used to eat with bioengineered ingredients with some more natural and organic, so I thought, let's do the same for our dog now."
Lara made the switch for his husky-aussie mix, Thor, moving him from kibble to an all-natural recipe. He said he hopes other Colorado Springs dogs can enjoy the same.
Lara said he cannot guarantee his food is healthier than other dog feeds. Instead, he said the dogs he has given it to have simply preferred it.
"All they did was graze all day. We put their food down, then our food, and they ate our food right up."
One of the most common concerns he hears from dog owners is pickiness.
"The most common thing I hear is 'my dog is very picky.'"
His advice to dog owners struggling to find the right food is to keep searching until they find what works.
"As long as they're comfortable with what their dog is eating, and they're happy, they should go for it."
So far, Lara has only tried his recipe on a handful of dogs, but he hopes to grow the business. His kitchen has received FDA approval, along with the state Department of Agriculture's approval of his recipe.
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