What BARK does

BARK, Inc. operates a vertically integrated dog lifestyle business best known for its BarkBox subscription service, which delivers monthly themed boxes of customized toys, treats, and chews personalized to each dog's size, play style, and dietary needs. Founded in 2012 in New York City and listed on NYSE under ticker BARK since 2021, the company serves a long-tail B2C base of more than 8 million dogs across product lines including BarkBox, Super Chewer (for aggressive chewers), Combo Box, Bright Dental oral care, Home & Wearables, and the recently launched BARK in the Belly premium dog food.

The company's commerce infrastructure runs on Shopify with Ordergroove-powered subscription management; in 2025, BARK completed a migration of 13 million DTC orders off a legacy two-platform stack, which delivered an 8% lift in subscription sales and a 6% conversion rate increase. Distribution is omnichannel, combining the DTC storefront with wholesale partnerships at Chewy, Amazon, Target, Walmart, and PetSmart. BARK monetizes its brand through licensed IP collections (Star Wars/Disney, Harry Potter/Warner Bros., Scooby-Doo, The Mandalorian, Wicked), celebrity collaborations (Flavortown with Guy Fieri, Dunkin'), and the BARK Air dog-friendly charter airline launched in 2025.

The business model is a blend of recurring subscription revenue (BarkBox plans starting at $24/month), one-time purchases, wholesale and marketplace transactions, licensing royalties, and the emerging Bark Air service. BARK is currently executing a margin-led turnaround: FY2026 revenue declined 18.5% YoY to $394.8M (with Q4 down 25%), but the company achieved positive adjusted EBITDA for a second consecutive year, repaid $45M in convertibles to exit debt-free with $22M cash, executed a 1-for-20 reverse stock split in April 2026 to maintain NYSE compliance, and rejected two take-private offers in early 2026. Management's FY2027 guidance points to continued top-line contraction ($325-340M) but expanding adjusted EBITDA of $7-10M, with the Commerce segment and BARK Air guided to contribute over $100M.

Name

BARK

Legal name

BARK, Inc.

Website

https://bark.co

Company type

Public

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

BARK, Inc. operates a subscription-based dog lifestyle company best known for BarkBox monthly themed toy and treat boxes, serving 8+ million dogs. The firm runs omnichannel distribution (DTC, Chewy, Amazon, Target, Walmart, PetSmart), licensed IP collections, premium dog food (BARK in the Belly), and BARK Air charter service.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pet Subscription Services

NAICS

Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (459910), Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing (311111)

SIC

Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)

akta.pro primary industry

Pet Toys & Enrichment Retail (CRALAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pet Food & Treats Retail (CRALAHAB), Treats & Chews (CRADAFAE)

Keywords

• Pet subscription boxes
• Dog toys treats
• Themed pet products
• Pet e-commerce
• Pet consumables

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. DTC Subscription Revenue: Monthly and multi-month subscription boxes (BarkBox, Super Chewer, Combo Box) generating recurring revenue with customizable plans starting at $24/month; dominant revenue stream experiencing 18.5% full-year decline to $394.8 million in FY2026.
2. Commerce Segment: Revenue from wholesale distribution through Chewy, PetSmart, Target, Walmart, Amazon and marketplace channels, plus Bark Air dog-friendly charter airline; management guided Commerce to contribute over $100 million to fiscal 2027 revenue with 43% segment growth.
3. One-Time Product Sales: Ship-now purchases of individual toys, treats, wearables, and accessories through direct e-commerce storefront; promotional codes and bundle pricing drive one-time transactions.
4. Licensing Royalties: Revenue from licensed collections including Star Wars, The Mandalorian, Harry Potter, Scooby-Doo, Wicked, and brand collaborations such as Dunkin' and Flavortown with Guy Fieri.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BARK operates a direct-to-consumer subscription and commerce business for dog owners. Its flagship offerings are customized monthly BarkBox, Super Chewer, and Combo Box subscriptions delivering themed toys, treats, and chews. The company has expanded into premium dog food (BARK in the Belly), dental care (Bright Dental), themed licensed collections, and a dog-friendly charter airline (BARK Air), distributed via its own e-commerce storefront and through retail partners including Chewy, Amazon, Target, Walmart, and PetSmart.

Product overview

BARK operates as a dog lifestyle company offering a portfolio of subscription boxes and retail products. The core products are BarkBox (soft, squeaky toys for playful dogs) and Super Chewer (extra-tough toys for serious chewers), both customizable monthly themed subscription boxes that include toys, treats, and chews. The company also offers the Combo Box combining plush and durable options, Double Deluxe upgrades for premium subscribers, and individual à la carte purchases. BARK has expanded into physical retail through wholesale and marketplace channels including Amazon, Chewy, Target, Walmart, and PetSmart. Beyond toys and treats, the portfolio includes BARK in the Belly premium dog food and consumables, Bright Dental oral care products, and Bark Air (a dog-friendly charter airline service). The company holds licensing agreements for Star Wars, Harry Potter, Scooby-Doo, The Mandalorian, and Wicked entertainment properties, creating themed toy collections and collaborations including a recent Flavortown partnership with Guy Fieri. BARK's technology stack runs on Shopify for eCommerce and Ordergroove for subscription management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BarkBox: Core subscription box service offering customized monthly boxes of toys and treats for dogs starting at $24/month
• Super Chewer
• BARK Air
• BARK in the Belly
• Bright Dental

Products and services

• BarkBox Customized monthly subscription box containing two innovative toys, two all-natural bags of treats, and a chew, curated around a monthly themed collection. Boxes are personalized for dog size, play style, and treat allergies, starting at $24/month for playful pups who enjoy soft, squeaky toys.
• Super Chewer Monthly subscription service for heavy chewers featuring durable rubber and nylon toys plus treats and chews. Designed for dogs who thrash, tug, and engage in aggressive play.
• Combo Box Subscription box combining both plush and durable toy options in every shipment, providing variety for dogs who want different play experiences or for multi-dog households.
• BARK Air Dog-friendly charter airline service offering flights and private charters for dogs and their owners. Launched in 2025, with first-anniversary expansions in 2026 including new routes and private charter options.
• BARK in the Belly Premium dog food and consumables line featuring products with a purpose including meal toppers, treats, and nutritional supplements to enhance dog food. Launched in 2025 as an expansion beyond toys into dog nutrition.
• Bright Dental Dental care product line for dogs including dental chews and toothpaste, formulated for daily oral hygiene with proteins and antioxidants. Sold individually and available through the bark.co storefront.
• Flavortown Collection by BARK and Guy Fieri Limited-edition themed collection collaboration with celebrity chef Guy Fieri featuring Flavortown-inspired plush toys, treat-dispensing toys, and dog apparel for BarkBox subscribers and individual purchasers.
• Star Wars Collection Star Wars-themed dog toy collection featuring branded plush toys, character-themed products, and Super Chewer durable versions distributed via BarkBox subscriptions and individual purchase.
• Harry Potter Collection Harry Potter-themed dog toy collection with magical-themed plush toys and treats sold through BarkBox subscriptions and individual purchase under a Warner Bros. Discovery licensing partnership.
• Scooby-Doo Collection Scooby-Doo themed dog toy collection featuring the Mystery Machine, Scooby snacks, and related character plush toys and treats sold through BarkBox subscriptions and individual purchase.
• The Mandalorian Collection The Mandalorian and Baby Yoda (Grogu) themed dog toys featuring Super Chewer durable versions and collectible toys sold through BarkBox subscriptions and individual purchase.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8% boost in subscription sales during 2024 holiday season after Shopify migration
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

AI capability1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.

• Guy Fieri / FlavortownflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 June 2026Limited-edition collaboration featuring themed dog toys, treats, and wearables inspired by Guy Fieri's Flavortown brand. Collection includes plush toys, treat-dispensing toys, and dog apparel. Promotional launch event staged in New York City. Available for subscription subscribers at $27-29 per month.
• Dunkin'minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 August 2025Return of beloved dog toy collaboration celebrating National Dog Day. Benefiting kids in need through charitable component.
• OrdergroovecoreTechnology or Integration · 21 August 2025Subscription management platform migration covering 13 million DTC orders and hundreds of millions in recurring revenue. Platform enables more personalized subscriber experiences and reduces technical complexity from previous two-platform system. Migration delivered measurable results including 8% subscription growth and 6% conversion rate boost.
• ShopifycoreTechnology or Integration · 8 July 2025Unified commerce platform migration from custom-built e-commerce system to Shopify. Non-technical teams can now make site updates independently; technical team shifted from backend maintenance to developing differentiated customer experiences. 43% of new customers using Shop Pay checkout.
• ChewycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 21 August 2024Wholesale distribution partnership launched August 2024 for best-selling and limited-edition toy collections at Chewy.com. Represents expansion of Commerce segment revenue strategy.
• Star Wars / DisneyflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerLicensed Star Wars toy collections including The Mandalorian themed products. Long-running partnership with Disney for branded merchandise.
• Warner Bros. / Harry PotterflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerLicensed Harry Potter themed toy collections. Partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery for branded dog products.
• Warner Bros. / Scooby-DooflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerLicensed Scooby-Doo themed toy collections including plush toys, treats, and wearables. Partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery.
• Universal Pictures / WickedminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWicked: For Good x BarkBox Collection collaboration. Limited-edition themed products.
• TombrasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvertising agency partnership for holiday advertisement directed by dog (Mia the Australian shepherd-pit bull mix) using GoPro footage. Ad aired on streaming platforms including Hulu, Peacock, and HBO Max.
• AmazoncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAmazon marketplace for product sales and last-mile delivery partnership. Transitioned last-mile delivery to Amazon to reduce costs. Available where your dog already shops.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Chewy: Chewy is the largest pure-play online pet retailer in the U.S. and both a wholesale partner of BARK (launched Aug 2024) and a direct competitor in pet toys, treats, and food. Overlap in assortment, target customer (dog owners), and subscription mechanics makes it the most directly comparable peer.
• Ollie: Ollie is a DTC subscription fresh dog food brand with a comparable personalization and direct-to-consumer model. It competes most directly with BARK's BARK in the Belly food line and represents the same consumer mindshare for premium pet parents.
• The Farmer's Dog: The Farmer's Dog is a leading DTC fresh dog food subscription, sharing BARK's playbook of personalized, recurring, direct-to-consumer fulfillment. Both target premium dog-owning households and compete for subscription wallet share in the consumables category.
• PupJoy: PupJoy is a direct competitor in the monthly dog subscription box category, offering customizable toy and treat boxes. Smaller than BARK, but operates on essentially the same subscription mechanic and personalization pitch.
• PetPlate: PetPlate is a DTC fresh, human-grade dog food subscription, comparable to Ollie and The Farmer's Dog and a direct competitor to BARK's BARK in the Belly consumables line on the subscription side.

Broad incumbents

• PetSmart: PetSmart is the largest U.S. specialty pet retailer and a wholesale partner of BARK. It competes broadly across toys, treats, food, and services, but unlike BARK it is a generalist incumbent with a national store footprint rather than a DTC subscription specialist.
• Petco: Petco is a national specialty pet retailer offering toys, treats, food, grooming, and veterinary services. It is a broad incumbent competing with BARK across retail channels while also expanding into DTC and subscription-style offerings.

Emerging players

• Wild One: Wild One is a DTC pet brand focused on design-forward toys, accessories, and walking gear for dogs. It competes with BARK in modern, millennial-targeted pet retail and overlaps with BARK's home/wearables and toy categories.
• Smalls: Smalls is a DTC subscription fresh cat food brand. It is not a head-to-head competitor on species, but shares the same recurring-revenue, personalized, premium-positioned subscription playbook that defines BARK's go-to-market.
• KitNipBox: KitNipBox operates monthly themed subscription boxes for cats with licensing-led collections. It uses essentially the same monthly themed-box subscription format as BarkBox and is a useful comp for category economics, though it is smaller and cat-focused.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@BARK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bark-thedogcompany
• Xx.com/bark
• Facebookfacebook.com/Bark

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds8 records

Investors12 records

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about BARK