Addiction Pet Foods

What Addiction Pet Foods does

Addiction Pet Foods is a New Zealand-founded and New Zealand-manufactured premium pet food company producing dry and wet food for dogs and cats. Founded in 2002 by Jerel Kwek in Auckland after a personal mission to resolve his Golden Retriever's food sensitivities, the company formulates its products around New Zealand-sourced free-range proteins (king salmon, venison, kangaroo, brushtail, lamb, beef), novel proteins targeted at food-allergic pets, and taurine fortification across its dry food line — a practice it pioneered ahead of AAFCO requirements. Manufacturing is conducted at a plant in Te Puke, Bay of Plenty, using a rapid air-drying process at lower temperatures intended to preserve nutritional content and palatability. Its product portfolio is organized into seven sub-brands — Wild Islands, Salmon Bleu, Zen Vegetarian, MEGA, Sensitive Care, Meaty Bites, and Complete & Balanced — covering life stages (puppy, adult, senior), size tiers (small, large breed), and condition-specific needs (skin & coat, sensitive care, allergy, large-breed joint health).

The company operates a hybrid go-to-market model combining direct-to-consumer e-commerce through addictionpet.com with a retail distribution network of over 100 pet specialty stores across the United States and Canada, plus consumer marketplaces such as Amazon and Chewy. Regional headquarters are maintained in Kent, Washington (North America), Singapore (Asia Pacific), and Shanghai (China), with shipping available internationally. Revenue is generated through one-time unit sales of dry kibble (3–33 lb packs at $11.99–$89.99), wet/canned food (introduced 2024 under Wild Islands), and Meaty Bites treats, with a Stripe-powered Nutrition Advisor tool as a paid ($5) customer engagement layer. The company has remained privately held and founder-led since 2002, with no disclosed venture capital financing; its only external capital has been two small Callaghan Innovation grants in 2013 and 2018. A separate veterinary channel brand, Addiction Vet Diets, has been established at addictionvetdiets.com, indicating extension into the clinic distribution channel.

Name

Addiction Pet Foods

Legal name

Addiction Foods LLC

Website

https://addictionpet.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Addiction Pet Foods is a New Zealand-based, privately held premium pet food manufacturer founded in 2002 that produces dry and wet dog and cat food from NZ-sourced novel proteins, selling via DTC e-commerce, 100+ North American pet specialty retailers, and APAC regional offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Pet Food Manufacturing

NAICS

Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing (311111), Animal Food Manufacturing (31111)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Dry Pet Food (Kibble) (AFADAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dry Kibble (Dog & Cat) (CRADAFAA), Pet Treats & Chews (AFADAFAF), Wet/Canned & Pouch Food (Dog & Cat) (CRADAFAB), Frozen & Raw Pet Food (incl. freeze-dried) (CRADAFAD)

Keywords

• Premium pet food
• Dry dog food
• Dry cat food
• Pet nutrition
• Novel protein pet food

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Premium Dry Pet Food Sales: Direct-to-consumer and retail sales of premium dry dog and cat food products, including specialty formulas for sensitive stomachs, skin & coat health, and high-protein diets. Products sold in various pack sizes (3-33 lbs) at price points ranging from $11.99 to $89.99.
2. Treats and Specialty Products: Sale of Meaty Bites treats and raw alternative/topper products for dogs, complementing the core dry food product line.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Addiction Pet Foods manufactures and sells premium dry and wet pet food (kibble, canned wet food, and treats) for dogs and cats, formulated with New Zealand-sourced free-range proteins and processed using low-temperature rapid air-drying technology. The portfolio spans multiple use-case lines including Complete & Balanced, Sensitive Care, Skin & Coat Health, breed-specific (Small and Large), Puppy, Raw Alternative toppers, Meaty Bites treats, and the Wild Islands whole-prey-inspired sub-brand.

Product overview

Addiction Pet Foods offers a comprehensive portfolio of premium dry and wet pet foods for dogs and cats, manufactured in New Zealand using ethically sourced, free-range proteins. The product lineup is organized across multiple sub-brands and product lines: Core Complete & Balanced formulas (Le Lamb, Salmon Bleu, Mega) for overall health; Sensitive Care lines for pets with allergies (Wild Kangaroo, Viva La Venison, Zen Vegetarian); Skin & Coat Health products featuring Omega-3 rich NZ King Salmon; Wild Islands sub-brand offering high-protein, whole prey-inspired diets with organ meats; and specialized size-specific ranges for Small and Large breed dogs. Additional offerings include Raw Alternative toppers, Meaty Bites treats, and a Nutrition Advisor tool. All products are formulated without artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives and feature Taurine enrichment for heart health.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wild Islands: High meat and high protein product line featuring whole prey-inspired diet with organ meats, made with New Zealand ingredients like free-range Venison, sustainably-sourced King Salmon, Manuka Honey and Green-lipped Mussel
• Salmon Bleu
• Zen Vegetarian
• MEGA
• Sensitive Care
• Meaty Bites
• Complete & Balanced

Products and services

• Complete & Balanced Dog Foods Complete & Balanced range provides overall health and vitality for dogs of all breeds and life stages, featuring formulas such as Le Lamb (grass-fed NZ Lamb), Salmon Bleu (NZ King Salmon), Mega Lamb & Beef, Country Chicken & Apricot, Herbed Lamb & Potatoes, and Steakhouse Beef & Zucchini.
• Sensitive Care Dog Foods Sensitive Care range formulated for dogs with skin and digestive sensitivities, featuring novel premium proteins free from common allergens. SKUs include Wild Kangaroo & Apples, Viva La Venison, Zen Vegetarian, and Nutri-RX Allergy-HS.
• Skin & Coat Health Dog Foods Skin & Coat Health range features New Zealand King Salmon formula enriched with Omega-3 fatty acids to promote healthy skin and coat in dogs and puppies.
• Large Breed Dog Foods (MEGA) Large Breed range offers specialized nutrition for medium to large breed dogs across life stages (puppy, adult, senior) with Mega Chicken and Mega Lamb & Beef formulas featuring large kibble, glucosamine for joints, and taurine for heart health.
• Small Breed Dog Foods Small Breed range features smaller kibble sizes and targeted nutrition with taurine for heart health and chelated minerals for better nutrient absorption. SKUs include Le Lamb for Small Dogs, Duck Royale for Small Dogs, and Viva La Venison for Small Dogs.
• Puppy Foods Puppy-specific formulas including Mega Chicken Large Breed Puppy and Salmon Bleu Puppy, designed with optimal fat and protein levels for growing puppies with small, easy-to-eat kibble sizes.
• Raw Alternative Dog Food & Toppers Raw alternative food range providing the goodness of raw with the convenience of dry food, nutrient-dense and specially formulated to support overall health. SKUs include Country Chicken and Apricot Dinner, Herbed Lamb & Potatoes, Homestyle Venison and Cranberry, Outback Kangaroo Feast, Perfect Summer Brushtail, and Steakhouse Beef and Zucchini.
• Meaty Bites Dog Treats Moist and soft-textured treats made with premium meat as the #1 ingredient. Varieties include Chicken, Beef, Kangaroo, Venison, and Brushtail recipes.
• Wild Islands for Dogs Whole prey-inspired diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates, mirroring dogs' natural diet. Features premium NZ ingredients including free-range Venison, sustainably-sourced King Salmon, Manuka Honey, and Green-lipped Mussel. Dry varieties: Forest Meat Recipe, Island Birds, Highland Meats Recipe, Pacific Catch.
• Complete & Balanced Cat Foods Complete & Balanced range for cats of all breeds and life stages. Products include Viva La Venison Cat, Duck Royale, Chicken Supreme Recipe, and Salmon Bleu Cat featuring NZ King Salmon with Omega-3 for skin and coat.
• Skin & Coat Health Cat Foods Cat skin and coat health formulas featuring Duck Royale (NZ Duck with Aloe Vera and Omega fatty acids) and Salmon Bleu Cat (NZ King Salmon for healthy skin and coat).
• Wild Islands for Cats High protein, low carbohydrate whole prey-inspired diet for cats including both dry recipes (Forest Meat Recipe, Highland Meats Recipe, Island Birds, Pacific Catch) and canned varieties featuring nutrient-dense organ meats and antioxidant-rich ingredients.
• Wet Cat Foods Canned cat food varieties under the Wild Islands line including Pacific Catch, Highland Meats, Forest Meat, and Island Birds recipes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Improvement in skin and coat health with Omega-3 enriched formulas
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• K9 Natural: New Zealand-based premium and raw pet food brand offering freeze-dried and frozen raw dog and cat nutrition. Direct geographic and category peer to Addiction, competing head-to-head with NZ-origin positioning and novel-protein formulations.
• Ziwi Peak: New Zealand premium pet food maker specializing in air-dried and raw recipes using NZ-sourced meats. Closely comparable to Addiction on country-of-origin, air-drying technology, and high-protein/natural positioning.
• Orijen (Champion Petfoods): Premium biologically-appropriate dry pet food featuring high fresh-meat inclusion and regional sourcing. Comparable to Addiction's Wild Islands line on whole-prey, high-protein philosophy targeting the same premium consumer.
• Acana (Champion Petfoods): Premium pet food line from Champion Petfoods positioned just below Orijen on price, with regional ingredient stories similar to Addiction's NZ positioning. Competes for the same natural/limited-ingredient consumer.
• Stella & Chewy's: US-based premium raw and freeze-dried pet food brand with strong DTC and specialty retail presence. Comparable to Addiction on raw-alternative positioning and novel-protein offerings for sensitive pets.
• Taste of the Wild: Premium dry pet food featuring novel proteins (roasted meats, ancient grains) at accessible premium price points. Direct competitor in the natural/specialty retail channel where Addiction has its 100+ US/Canada doors.

Emerging players

• The Farmer's Dog: DTC-fresh, human-grade pet food brand with subscription model. Represents the fast-growing fresh pet food category that Addiction's Wild Islands raw alternatives and Salmon Bleu lines partially overlap with in target consumer.

Broad incumbents

• Royal Canin (Mars Petcare): Global premium pet food giant with breed- and life-stage-specific nutrition. Overlaps with Addiction's breed-specific (small/large) and life-stage (puppy, senior) lines but at vastly larger scale and distribution.
• Hill's Pet Nutrition (Colgate-Palmolive): Science-led premium pet nutrition brand with deep veterinary channel penetration and Skin & Coat / Sensitive formula lines directly comparable to Addiction's Salmon Bleu and Sensitive Care ranges.
• Blue Buffalo (General Mills): Leading US premium natural pet food brand with broad mass-market distribution. Represents the scaled incumbent benchmark Addiction must compete with in US specialty and grocery channels.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/addictionfoods
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCCiRmmLjWYTftSIO2RO2jYg
• Facebookfacebook.com/addictionpetfoodsapac
• Instagraminstagram.com/addictionpetfoods/?hl=en

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

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 Addiction Pet Foods