Lyka Pet Food

What Lyka Pet Food does

Lyka Pet Food is an Australian direct-to-consumer subscription company, founded in 2018 and headquartered in Sydney, that delivers vet-formulated, gently cooked fresh dog food across Australia. The company operates exclusively online through lyka.com.au, where customers create a dog profile (weight, breed, age, activity level) that feeds a veterinary-derived portion algorithm to generate custom-portioned meal plans. Lyka has scaled from serving a single dog to over 100,000 dogs across Australia and has delivered more than 100 million Australian-made meals, supported by a headcount of 101-250 employees.

The product portfolio centers on six gently cooked, human-grade protein bowls (Free Range Chicken, Grass Fed Beef, Grass Fed Lamb, Barn Raised Turkey, Wild Caught Kangaroo, and Hypoallergenic Pro Goat) formulated by Board-Certified Veterinary Nutritionists to AAFCO complete and balanced standards for all life stages, supplemented by functional treats (dental chews, single-protein training treats) and targeted supplements (Joint Supplement with green-lipped mussels and curcumin; Go-To Gut Helper probiotic). The company has invested $10 million in scientific research by 2030, including a University of Sydney peer-reviewed clinical study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science (2026) that demonstrated significantly higher gut microbiome diversity, better stool quality (FCS 2.24 vs 2.87, p=0.005), and lower post-meal glucose response in dogs fed Lyka versus kibble.

Lyka generates revenue through recurring monthly subscriptions with personalized pricing based on each dog's serving size; exact prices are not publicly disclosed. The company runs a product-led growth model anchored by a Starter Box offering 30% off the first two deliveries, a mutual referral program providing 50% off to both referrer and referee, content-led marketing through an extensive blog, customer testimonials (8,000+ reviews with a 4.9-star rating), and earned-media from peer-reviewed research. Lyka raised a $67 million Series C in March 2026 led by New York-based LGVP to fund US market entry and scaling into new verticals, and previously acquired The Wholesome Dog in April 2021. The leadership team includes co-founder and Integrative Veterinarian Dr Matthew Muir, founder/CEO Anna Podolsky, and COO/CFO Gabriel Guedes.

Name

Lyka Pet Food

Legal name

Lyka Pet Food

Website

https://lyka.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Lyka Pet Food is an Australian direct-to-consumer subscription company, founded in 2018 and headquartered in Sydney, that delivers vet-formulated, gently cooked fresh dog food custom-portioned to each dog's profile, serving over 100,000 dogs across Australia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Fresh dog food subscription: Recurring subscription model delivering personalized fresh dog food meals to customer doors. Pricing varies based on dog's weight, breed, age, and activity level. First delivery offers 30% discount. Referral program provides 50% off for both referrer and referee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Lyka is an Australian direct-to-consumer fresh dog food subscription service that formulates and delivers gently cooked, human-grade dog food meals created by Board-Certified Veterinary Nutritionists. Each meal is custom-portioned based on a dog's weight, breed, age, and activity level using a proprietary algorithm, and is delivered frozen to customer doors across Australia on a recurring subscription basis. The company also offers functional treats and targeted supplements (joint health, gut health) as add-ons to the core meal bowls.

Product overview

Lyka Pet Food is a direct-to-consumer fresh dog food subscription service offering a range of gently cooked, human-grade meal bowls formulated by Board-Certified Veterinary Nutritionists. The core product lineup consists of six distinct protein-based meal bowls (Chicken, Beef, Lamb, Turkey, Kangaroo, and Hypoallergenic Pro Goat), supplemented by functional treats (dental chews, single-protein training treats) and targeted supplements (Joint Supplement and Go-To Gut Helper probiotic). All meals are custom-portioned based on an algorithm using the dog's individual profile, and the company has committed $10 million to scientific research by 2030 including a University of Sydney peer-reviewed study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Free Range Chicken Bowl Contains 69% chicken (65% DM Crude Protein) primarily from chicken breast, heart, liver, and eggs, selected for complete amino acid profile. Gently cooked and snap-frozen to preserve nutritional value. Formulated for all life stages.
• Grass Fed Beef Bowl Contains 64% beef (55% DM Crude Protein) primarily from beef mince, heart, liver, and sardines for omega-3 fatty acids. Formulated for all life stages.
• Grass Fed Lamb Bowl Contains 74% lamb (46% DM Crude Protein) primarily from lamb mince, heart, lung, and liver. Calorie-dense protein ideal for active or working dogs.
• Barn Raised Turkey Bowl Contains 74% turkey (55% DM Crude Protein) primarily from turkey mince. Lean protein suitable for dogs with sensitive stomachs, includes selenium for immune support.
• Wild Caught Kangaroo Bowl Contains 62% kangaroo (67% DM Crude Protein) from kangaroo mince. Ultra-low-fat novel protein, highly digestible option for dogs with sensitive stomachs.
• Hypoallergenic Pro (Goat) Contains 71% goat (47% DM Crude Protein) from goat mince, heart, and liver. Therapeutic diet for dogs with food allergies, skin conditions, and gut sensitivities, using novel protein goat.
• Go-To Gut Helper Multi-strain probiotic powder supplement that boosts immunity, reduces inflammation, and promotes balanced gut bacteria for dogs.
• Joint Supplement Supplement with bioactive ingredients including curcumin from turmeric, Omega-3 from green-lipped mussels, and Boswellia extract to support dog joint health.
• Turkey Dental Jerky Dental chew treat to help control plaque and tartar, supporting dog oral health.
• Chickey Chews Single protein chicken treat for dogs.
• Beefy Bites Single protein beef treat for dogs.
• Lamb Bark Single protein lamb treat for dogs.
• Busy Beefies Dental chew treat for dogs to support oral health.
• Mussel Munchies Treat containing green-lipped mussels for bone and joint nourishment, rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
• Piggy Training Perks High-value, low-calorie training treat for dogs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Dogs fed Lyka showed significantly higher gut microbiome diversity (alpha diversity) compared to kibble-fed dogs (p<0.001)
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• University of Sydney (Charles Perkins Centre and School of Life and Environmental Sciences)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 May 2026Conducted peer-reviewed research study comparing Lyka fresh diet vs kibble, published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science. Study found significant improvements in gut microbiome diversity, stool quality, and glucose response in dogs fed Lyka.
• Board-Certified Veterinary NutritionistscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormulation partnership with team of board-certified veterinary nutritionists to develop complete and balanced recipes meeting AAFCO standards. Ensures scientific credibility and formulation expertise.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Farmer's Dog: US-based direct-to-consumer fresh dog food subscription founded in 2014. Closest direct competitor with very similar value proposition (vet-formulated, gently cooked, custom-portioned meals) and reportedly valued at over $1B at Series E — the category benchmark.
• Ollie: US fresh dog food subscription delivering custom-portioned, vet-formulated meals. Direct competitor with overlapping product positioning, subscription model, and target customer base; raised significant venture capital and reportedly valued at $500M+.
• Butternut Box: UK-based fresh dog food subscription delivering custom-portioned, gently cooked meals. Closest international peer operating in a market analogous to Lyka's Australian footprint, with similar DTC subscription mechanics and premium positioning.
• PetPlate: US DTC fresh dog food subscription offering vet-formulated, gently cooked meals. Direct competitor targeting the same health-conscious pet owner segment with custom portioning and human-grade ingredients.
• Spot & Tango: US fresh dog food subscription (Unkibble fresh dry + Fresh Frozen lines). Direct competitor with similar vet-formulated, personalized positioning; publicly reported Series B at $62M and later growth-stage funding.
• JustFoodForDogs: US fresh, whole-food dog food brand selling direct and through veterinary clinics. Closely comparable on the vet-channel and therapeutic-diet positioning, though it also operates retail kitchens.

Emerging players

• Open Farm: Premium pet food brand emphasizing ethically sourced, traceable ingredients. Comparable on the premium, transparency-led positioning; offers kibble, wet, and raw foods rather than gently cooked fresh meals.

Regional players

• Tails.com: UK-based personalized dog food subscription (primarily kibble-blend). Comparable subscription/portion-customization model and DTC GTM motion, but operates in a different geography and uses extruded kibble rather than fresh.

Broad incumbents

• Mars Petcare: Global pet food giant owning Royal Canin, Pedigree, and acquired Nom Nom. Broad incumbent with category-defining distribution, marketing budget, and growing fresh/refrigerated portfolio that could compete directly with Lyka at scale.
• Hill's Pet Nutrition: Science-led veterinary pet food brand owned by Colgate-Palmolive, with deep veterinary channel penetration and prescription diet lines. Comparable on the veterinary nutrition and therapeutic positioning Lyka is building toward.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lykapetfood
• Instagraminstagram.com/lykapetfood
• Xx.com/lykapetfood

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds7 records

Investors6 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lyka Pet Food