UK Startup Omni Unveils Low-Carbon Functional Dog Food, Notches New Wholesale Listing

Dragons’ Den sensation Omni has launched three plant-based dog food products delivering functional health benefits for skin, joints and emotional wellbeing, while also securing a listing with pet food distributor Pedigree Wholesale.

Just over three months after raising £11M ($14.5M) in funding to launch new products and expand its footprint, British dog food startup Omni has announced a functional nutrition range and a new wholesale partnership.

The firm’s hypoallergenic complete dog food line blends yeast and plant-based proteins (like sweet lupin beans) with beneficial supplements to target joint health, mobility, sensitive skin, calm behaviour, and emotional wellbeing. These products will be available on its website from October 25.

“These foods are not replacements for our supplements,” outlined Omni co-founder Guy Sandelowsky. “They provide a complete nutritional foundation, while our supplements offer different combinations and concentrations of ingredients for owners seeking an additional layer of targeted support.”

Omni has simultaneously partnered with Pedigree Wholesale, the UK’s largest independent pet retail distributor, to further expand its reach, after recording a 10-fold increase in revenue over the last year.

Sandelowsky called the listing a “huge milestone” for the company. “Omni has grown incredibly quickly online, but we’ve always believed that our products deserve a place on pet shop shelves across the country,” he said.

“Independent pet shops are incredibly important to us. They offer the personal advice and expertise that so many dog guardians value, and we’re delighted to be supporting them with products that reflect where the pet health market is heading.”

Why Omni is combining dog food and supplements

Omni was founded in 2020 by Sandelowsky and Shiv Sivakumar, and sells vet-formulated foods and supplements for dogs, including canned wet food, kibble for all ages, snack pockets, and dental sticks. The supplements range spans skin, breath, multivitamins, pre- and postbiotics, and more.

In a LinkedIn post, Sandelowsky explained that the decision to combine its food and supplement solutions stemmed from the fact that most people love dietary supplements, but often forget to give them, give up before seeing results, or just can’t afford them alongside premium food. So the complete nutrition range targets convenience and accessibility.

“When owners want to support something like their dog’s joints, skin or calm behaviour, they will often look for a supplement to add to their existing food. Supplements can provide valuable targeted support, but we also wanted to give owners the option of building that support into their dog’s complete everyday nutrition,” he said.

“That meant considering the formulation as a whole, rather than simply adding individual hero ingredients to a standard food. For example, supporting joint health also means thinking about calorie intake and maintaining an appropriate body weight, while support for calm behaviour can be incorporated consistently into a dog’s daily routine.”

The first of the new products is Omni Joints, which is made from a calorie-controlled recipe to support joint health, mobility, and an appropriate body weight. It has 7.5% fat and contains glucosamine, microalgae-derived omega-3, L-carnitine and turmeric.

Omni Skin is designed for canines with sensitive skin. Made without soy or grains, it supports normal skin and coat health with ingredients such as omega-3 fatty acids, DHA, flaxseed, rapeseed oil and coconut.

And Omni Calm features ingredients like sweet potato, lemon balm, rosemary, and L-tryptophan to make nutritional support for calm behaviour and mental wellbeing part of a dog’s everyday routine, rather than just ahead of stressful events like fireworks, travel, or routine changes.

Health and nutrition top of mind for UK pet owners

The launch comes as Brits magnify their focus on their furry friends’ health. Research shows that wellness and health are the top priority for 64% of pet parents this year, a sentiment even more popular among younger demographics. And of the people who want to improve their pets’ nutrition, the number one way to do so is by choosing higher-quality food, as cited by 47%.

This chimes with a poll from last year, which found that four in five pet owners in the UK want to make more health-conscious choices for their dogs, and 69% check the ingredient label before buying dog food.

Demand for targeted nutrition is also on the up – year-on-year sales of digestive health and calming treats rose by 205% and 111%, respectively, as of September 2025. And a survey earlier this year suggested that two in five Brits would switch to a different pet food product if it had better-quality ingredients.

“People increasingly think about their own food in terms of what it can do for their health and wellbeing, rather than simply whether it provides enough calories and essential nutrients,” said Sandelowsky. “It makes sense that dog owners are beginning to take a similarly considered approach to what goes into their dog’s bowl.”

Omni, which secured a £75,000 investment from Deborah Meaden and Steven Bartlett on Dragons’ Den last year, has also been working on an Ozempic-style weight-loss supplement for dogs, called LeanPaws. It contains fibres and resistant starches that mirror GLP-1 effects, alongside prebiotics and probiotics for optimal fat metabolism, and has been found to help with weight loss in overweight dogs without side effects.

Aside from the nutritional benefits, alternative proteins like Omni’s also deliver environmental wins. The production of the ingredients used in British dog food contributes around 1% of the country’s overall greenhouse gas emissions. Vegan pet food, though, is deemed the most effective measure to tackle the climate footprint of companion animals, even though most conventional options use meat industry byproducts.

Omni’s novel protein recipes, derived from yeast, algae and pulses, generate 73% fewer emissions than standard meat-based dog food. Its long-standing customers have collectively helped avoid over 8.5 million kgs of CO2e over the year.