What happens when you question something as fundamental as what we feed our dogs?
That question is at the heart of Jiminy’s—and it’s a theme that came up again and again when our founder and CEO, Anne Carlson, recently sat down with impact investor and journalist Devin D. Thorpe for his Superpowers for Good interview series.
In the conversation, Anne shares the story behind Jiminy’s, why insect protein has the potential to change pet food, and how a simple habit—questioning everything—has helped lead to some of our most important discoveries.
IT STARTED WITH A QUESTION ABOUT THE PLANET
Jiminy’s began with a conversation between Anne and her daughter, Boothe.
Boothe told Anne that she was worried about what climate change would mean for her generation and the generations that followed. For Anne, who had spent years working in the pet food industry, it sparked a question:
Could we feed our pets differently—and dramatically reduce their environmental pawprint?
The opportunity was significant. Research from UCLA has estimated that dogs and cats account for roughly 25–30% of the environmental impact of meat consumption in the United States.
Anne began looking for alternatives and came across research from the United Nations highlighting insects as an efficient, sustainable source of protein.
There was just one rather important question left:
Would dogs actually eat them?
Anne ordered some roasted crickets and offered them to her dogs.
They went crazy for them.
And Jiminy’s was born.
FROM SUSTAINABILITY TO DOG HEALTH
The environmental advantages of insect protein remain central to Jiminy’s. Raising insects requires dramatically less land and water than raising traditional livestock and produces far fewer greenhouse gas emissions.
But as Anne explains in the interview, something unexpected happened as Jiminy’s began doing more research.
We discovered insect protein wasn’t just good for the planet. It could offer some pretty remarkable benefits for dogs, too.
Over the years, Jiminy’s has invested in research examining insect protein's digestibility and its potential benefits for areas including the gut microbiome, skin and coat, and oral health.
That discovery has helped evolve our mission.
Today, Jiminy’s is focused on helping dogs live longer, healthier lives on a greener planet.
It isn't health or sustainability.
It's health and sustainability.
THE QUESTION THAT LED TO OUR DENTAL CHEWS
One of Anne's favorite examples of the power of asking questions started with her dog, Tuco.
Anne noticed something surprising: despite getting older, Tuco had remarkably clean teeth and good breath.
She wasn't giving him dental chews at the time, so she started wondering:
Could something in his insect-protein diet be affecting his oral health?
Instead of dismissing the observation, Anne asked the Jiminy’s scientific team to investigate.
That question ultimately led to research into the naturally occurring medium-chain fatty acids in black soldier fly larvae protein and their relationship with the oral microbiome.
Jiminy’s went on to conduct an oral-health study and use what we learned to rethink our Dental Chews.
Those chews were later named the 2025 Dog Dental Innovation of the Year.
Sometimes innovation begins with a laboratory.
Sometimes it begins with your dog breathing in your face.
ANNE'S SUPERPOWER: QUESTION EVERYTHING
At the end of every Superpowers for Good interview, Devin asks his guest to identify their superpower.
Anne's answer?
“I tend to question everything.”
For Anne, though, curiosity is only the beginning.
It's asking why something works the way it does. It's noticing when something doesn't make sense. It's asking scientists to test an observation rather than simply accepting conventional wisdom.
And, importantly, it's being tenacious enough to follow the question wherever it leads.
That approach has been part of Jiminy’s from the very beginning.
Why does dog food need to rely so heavily on traditional animal protein?
Could there be a more sustainable option?
Could that protein also be better for some dogs?
What else might it do?
What haven't we discovered yet?
Those are the questions that keep us moving forward.
WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW
The conversation covers much more, including the founding story of Jiminy’s, the science behind insect protein, the environmental impact of pet food, Anne's entrepreneurial journey, and what she's learned about turning curiosity into action.
Watch or listen to Devin Thorpe's full interview with Anne Carlson:
Jiminy’s Turns Cricket Protein Into Climate-Friendly Dog Food
And we'll keep doing what we've done since the beginning:
Questioning. Testing. Learning. And looking for better ways to help dogs live healthier lives on a greener planet.
