Aaron Merrell, CEO and co-founder of Plato Pet Treats (https://platopettreats.com/), shares his journey of creating nutritious and high-quality pet treats. Inspired by his experience in the pet food industry and personal experiences with his family dog, Aaron identified an opportunity to utilize underutilized raw materials to produce superior pet treats. Plato Pet Treats employs a unique jerky-type air-drying process to preserve flavor and nutrition in the meat. The company has expanded its product line to include food toppers with added collagen under the brand Furry Republic and offers private label, contract manufacturing, and protein ingredients to the pet food industry.

With distribution throughout North America and export certification for several countries, Plato Pet Treats is committed to global reach. Aaron emphasizes the ‘cycle of virtue’ between pet owners and their pets, highlighting the positive impact of caring for pets on both parties. Plato Pet Treats is actively involved in community programs like Shelter to Soldier, which trains therapy dogs for veterans with PTSD. The company is also conducting studies to validate the efficacy of air-dried products and plans to publish a peer-reviewed white paper. Looking ahead, Plato Pet Treats is dedicated to developing innovative products and contributing positively to the pet food industry and the lives of pets and their owners.