Animals Like Us has been announced as the next venture for Jeremy Moon founder of merino clothing company Icebreaker, along with co-founders; former Icebreaker creative director Rob Achten, and agriculture industry leader Craig Hickson.
The New Zealand made premium pet food brand aims to take on the $137 billion global pet food industry by launching a new category of ‘raw made easy’ freeze-dried pet foods for supermarkets.
“I founded Icebreaker when I realised the outdoor industry was based on plastic dressed up as technology. We found a better solution in nature with New Zealand merino. We founded Animals Like Us on the same principles. This is natural food in response to an industry dominated by cheap carbs wrapped in flavouring,” says Moon.
Moon started Icebreaker in 1995 when he was 25 years old and the company was purchased by US retail giant VF Corporation in 2017 for $288 million. Moon says Animals Like Us is building a new category in the pet food market.
“It’s a world first, here in New Zealand. It’s now easy to add raw whole food to your dog’s diet safely without the mess. We have combined whole chunks of nutrient-rich freeze dried meat – wagyu beef heart, liver, and tripe – with high protein meat and vege bites. It’s a combination we haven’t seen anywhere else in the world. And it’s ethically and sustainably sourced and manufactured in New Zealand.”
For 12 years, Moon has also been the Curator and Chair of the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise business event, Better by Design CEO Summit. As he explains, he’s taking his own advice when it comes to a ‘brand first, customer first’ approach to business:
“Everyone else out there is talking about the dog or the food, we’ve built a brand that’s based on the relationship between pets and their people, because they’re like us. They need love, and good nutrition. And when we look after our pets, they like us. It’s a simple and authentic place to build a brand from.”
Animals Like Us will launch with a product range for dogs in North Island New World and Farro supermarkets in October. They will then expand nationwide, add a premium range for cats, and like Icebreaker, will focus on building teams for global markets.
“For both Jeremy and I the question was how to do something like Icebreaker again, from New Zealand, on the world stage. We think this is it,” says CEO Rob Achten.
