What will it take for the next generation of alternative proteins to win over consumers? GeekWire recently featured Jiminy’s—and our founder and CEO Anne Carlson—in an article and podcast exploring that question.
There’s a little backstory to how this story came about.
In April, during Earth Month, Anne met GeekWire reporter Lisa Stiffler at Rooted & Rising: Powering Climate Tech for the Next Generation in Seattle, an Earth Day gathering hosted by VertueLab.
The event brought together climate-tech founders and leaders from the civic, academic, philanthropic and business communities to explore a big question: What do we need to build today to ensure the next generation inherits a thriving climate innovation ecosystem?
Lisa moderated a cross-generational conversation in which Anne participated, sharing the story behind Jiminy’s and how a conversation with her own daughter about climate change ultimately inspired her to build a new kind of pet food company.
That conversation continued.
Lisa recently took a deeper look at Jiminy’s as part of a broader GeekWire story examining the next generation of alternative proteins—and what it will take for these new approaches to move from interesting ideas to products consumers actually embrace.
In “From school nuggets to insect kibble: How the next generation of faux meats aims to win over skeptics,” Lisa explores entrepreneurs and researchers working to make alternative proteins more appealing, accessible and scalable.
READ THE FULL GEEKWIRE ARTICLE
LISTEN TO THE GEEKWIRE PODCAST
FROM A CLIMATE PROBLEM TO A NEW KIND OF DOG FOOD
In the article, Anne shares the story behind Jiminy’s.
The idea began when Anne's daughter told her she was worried about having children because of climate change.
That conversation prompted Anne, whose career was already rooted in the pet industry, to start looking more closely at the environmental footprint of feeding our pets.
Eventually, she came across research describing insects as an extraordinarily efficient source of protein. They require dramatically less land and water than traditional livestock.
The idea behind Jiminy’s was born:
What if we could make nutritious food for dogs while dramatically reducing the resources required to produce their protein?
GeekWire also highlights research estimating that dogs and cats account for a significant share of the environmental impact associated with meat consumption in the United States.
For Jiminy’s, that meant there was a meaningful opportunity sitting right in the dog bowl.
PROTEIN THAT DOES MORE
What started as a sustainability solution has turned into something much more interesting.
Insect protein doesn't just offer a lighter environmental footprint. It provides complete protein and naturally occurring components that make it particularly interesting from a canine health perspective.
That's increasingly how we think about insect protein at Jiminy’s:
It's not simply an alternative protein. It's a functional protein.
It can offer a novel protein option for dogs with food sensitivities, while research into insect-based nutrition is uncovering additional potential benefits for areas including gut, skin and oral health.
And there's another misconception Anne was happy to clear up for GeekWire.
Some people hear “insect protein” and imagine opening a bag of dog food filled with bugs.
Not quite.
Jiminy’s looks and smells like the dog food people are accustomed to feeding. The difference is what's providing the protein—and what that protein can do for dogs and the planet.
THE BIGGER ALTERNATIVE-PROTEIN CHALLENGE
The GeekWire story places Jiminy’s within a much larger question facing alternative protein:
How do you turn an innovative idea into something people actually want to buy?
Consumer acceptance matters. So do taste, nutrition, performance, manufacturing scale and cost.
It's a challenge we've become very familiar with at Jiminy’s.
We started the company because of sustainability. But we've learned that sustainability doesn't have to carry the entire burden of convincing someone to try something new.
The product still has to win.
For Jiminy’s, that increasingly means starting with something pet parents care deeply about: the health of their dog.
If we can make food that helps dogs thrive, solves problems for pet parents and uses a dramatically more sustainable source of protein, choosing the better option for the planet becomes a whole lot easier.
Health first. Sustainability always.
And that's the future of alternative protein we're excited to help build.
READ & LISTEN
Read the full GeekWire article:
From school nuggets to insect kibble: How the next generation of faux meats aims to win over skeptics
Listen to the GeekWire podcast:
From plant nuggets to bug kibble: Inside the alternative protein revolution
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why does Jiminy’s use insect protein in dog food?
Jiminy’s uses insect protein because it brings together nutrition, functionality and sustainability. Insects provide complete protein while requiring substantially less land and water than conventional livestock proteins. Insect protein also contains naturally occurring components that researchers are studying for their potential benefits to canine health.
Is insect protein good for dogs with food sensitivities?
Insect protein is a novel protein source, meaning most dogs have had less previous exposure to it than common proteins such as chicken or beef. That can make it a useful option to consider for dogs with food sensitivities.
Is insect protein more sustainable than traditional animal protein?
Producing insect protein requires significantly fewer natural resources, particularly land and water, than raising conventional livestock. Reducing the environmental resources associated with feeding pets was one of the primary reasons Jiminy’s was founded.
Why does Jiminy’s say “Health first. Sustainability always.”?
Jiminy’s was founded because of climate change, but we've learned that pet parents often discover our products because they're trying to help their dog. “Health first. Sustainability always.” means leading with the benefits people are seeking for their dogs while ensuring sustainability remains built into the product and the business.
What was Jiminy’s featured for in GeekWire?
GeekWire featured Jiminy’s as part of its reporting on the next generation of alternative proteins. Reporter Lisa Stiffler spoke with founder and CEO Anne Carlson about using insect protein in dog food, consumer acceptance of unconventional proteins, canine health and the opportunity to reduce the environmental footprint of feeding our pets.
