Oak Creek-based Stella & Chewy’s, a manufacturer of pet food products that use raw and natural ingredients, has struck a deal with San Diego-based Petco Health and Wellness Company, Inc. that will see Stella & Chewy’s products carried at Petco stores beginning in 2023.
Founded in 2003, Stella & Chewy’s this year was listed #72 on Deloitte’s Wisconsin 75 list of the largest pivately-held companies in the state. Companies on the list are ranked by sales revenue and must have a minimum of $50 million in annual sales revenue.
Petco has more than 1,400 stores throughout the United States, including 10 in Wisconsin, which will provide Stella & Chewy’s an opportunity to grow its customer base.
“Today’s announcement is another step in a mission started almost 20 years ago – to make raw and natural diets more accessible to pet parents across the country,” said Marc Hill, chief executive officer at Stella & Chewy’s. “But that mission isn’t possible without the ongoing partnership of our valued neighborhood pet stores – partnerships we will continue to invest in and support long term.”
Stella & Chewy’s will continue to offer an exclusive line to its network of neighborhood pet stores, including Stella & Chewy’s Raw Coated Baked Kibble, Raw Blend Baked Kibble and Frozen Raw products.
“As a leader in the pet nutrition space and the first and only retailer to offer Stella & Chewy’s both online and in brick-and-mortar locations in all 50 states, Petco is unequivocally committed to making high-quality nutrition available to even more pets across the country,” said Amy College, chief merchandising officer at Petco. “Petco’s Whole Health philosophy and focus on 360-degree health and wellness solutions for pets closely aligns with Stella & Chewy’s mission and emphasis on healthy, safe and palatable nutrition, all in support of pets’ overall happiness and wellbeing.”
Stella & Chewy’s has seen double digit growth since 2019 and launched its first national marketing campaign in August.
The increase in demand for more authentic products led Stella & Chewy’s to recently expand their Oak Creek facility by 140,000 square feet, which allows for additional food production and shipping improvements.
In the last year, the company’s workforce has grown by 34% and leadership expects to further increase the company’s workforce by 21% over the next five years. Stella & Chewy’s currently employs over 600 people, including 520 locally.
