About Us
Healthy. High Quality. Human Grade.
OUR MISSION
PUTTING PETS ON THE PATH TO GOOD HEALTH THROUGH
good food.
At The Honest Kitchen, we believe food is the foundation of good health and daily joy. Every day we deliver balanced nutrition and great taste crafted from ingredients you’d serve on your own table. As the first human grade food for pets, our standard is uncompromising, and our methods are intentional. See the honest difference in the bowl and your pet.
Our Purpose
Helping pet parents feel more confident in a world that is filled with images of pet parenthood perfection and overwhelming amounts of information. We do that by:
Providing trustworthy foods that fuel healthier pets
Normalizing the beautiful mess of pet parenting
Getting support from our team of dedicated pet parents
How It Started
Back in 2002, our founder, Lucy Postins, was on a mission to relieve her Rhodesian Ridgeback, Mosi’s, chronic ear infections and skin problems. She knew that improving his diet could make a real difference in his health. When she couldn’t find a healthy, whole food solution in the market, she decided to make it herself.
Early Days
In her San Diego kitchen, Lucy spent countless hours mixing fresh ingredients and testing recipes for Mosi. But home-cooking was messy and time-consuming. Looking for a better way, she experimented with gently dehydrating whole foods—preserving their nutrients while making mealtime easier. When she saw the incredible difference in Mosi, she knew other pets (and their people) could benefit too. And with that, The Honest Kitchen was born.
Early Days
In her San Diego kitchen, Lucy spent countless hours mixing fresh ingredients and testing recipes for Mosi. But home-cooking was messy and time-consuming. Looking for a better way, she experimented with gently dehydrating whole foods—preserving their nutrients while making mealtime easier. When she saw the incredible difference in Mosi, she knew other pets (and their people) could benefit too. And with that, The Honest Kitchen was born.
Inventing Human Grade
The Honest Kitchen is the world’s first human grade pet food. When Lucy started the company, this was an unfamiliar standard for the industry. There were a lot of regulatory hurdles in the early days, but Lucy would not be deterred because she believed so strongly in the importance of quality and safety of pet food.
Inventing Human Grade
The Honest Kitchen is the world’s first human grade pet food. When Lucy started the company, this was an unfamiliar standard for the industry. There were a lot of regulatory hurdles in the early days, but Lucy would not be deterred because she believed so strongly in the importance of quality and safety of pet food.
Growing with our Customers’ Needs
Over the years, we expanded our dehydrated line to include more proteins, whole grain and grain free options, limited ingredient recipes, and base mixes—plus meals for cats. By the late 2010s, we set our sights on bringing human-grade quality to even more formats that pet parents love.
- 2012: Launched Ocean Chews, a rawhide alternative that remains a bestseller.
- 2013: Introduced our signature Herbal Digestive supplement to support gut health.
- 2018: Debuted our now-iconic crunchy treats and Pour Overs® toppers.
- 2019: Pioneered the first human-grade dry food for pets, Whole Food Clusters.
- 2020: Added chef-crafted wet foods and meaty treats for dogs.
- 2021: Significantly expanded our human-grade cat food, treats, and toppers.
Growing with our Customers’ Needs
Over the years, we expanded our dehydrated line to include more proteins, whole grain and grain free options, limited ingredient recipes, and base mixes—plus meals for cats. By the late 2010s, we set our sights on bringing human-grade quality to even more formats that pet parents love.
- 2012: Launched Ocean Chews, a rawhide alternative that remains a bestseller.
- 2013: Introduced our signature Herbal Digestive supplement to support gut health.
- 2018: Debuted our now-iconic crunchy treats and Pour Overs® toppers.
- 2019: Pioneered the first human-grade dry food for pets, Whole Food Clusters.
- 2020: Added chef-crafted wet foods and meaty treats for dogs.
- 2021: Significantly expanded our human-grade cat food, treats, and toppers.
Became B Corp Certified
In 2022, The Honest Kitchen was one of the first US pet manufacturers to become a B Corp. This is something that we’re incredibly proud of as it reflects the social and environmental beliefs that have been core to our DNA.
Became B Corp Certified
In 2022, The Honest Kitchen was one of the first US pet manufacturers to become a B Corp. This is something that we’re incredibly proud of as it reflects the social and environmental beliefs that have been core to our DNA.
Today
Over 20 years later, we’re still delivering on our mission to put pets on the path to good health through good food.
Today
Over 20 years later, we’re still delivering on our mission to put pets on the path to good health through good food.