'Man's best friend' deserves the best, and the food most people give their loyal companions is far less than what they deserve. We get a mere 15 years, give or take a few, with our dogs, and as most of us know, that just isn't enough time. Unfortunately, a pet's diet, just like its owner's, plays a huge role in their quality of life and affects their overall health and longevity.
Traditional pet foods often fall short of providing the necessary nutrients for pets due to their processed nature. Many use denatured meat meals, fillers void of nutritional value, and rely on added synthetic vitamins and minerals. This reliance on processed ingredients leads to significant nutrient loss, and those deficiencies can lead to health problems.
Side by Side founder Carol Bramson asserts that whole food nutrition is what pets, like their people, need to thrive. "[Real ingredients] provide essential nutrients naturally." Examples include whole muscle and organ meats, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and seeds that provide essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrients in their natural form. This approach aligns with the research that bodies, whether human or dog, are better suited to absorb nutrients from natural resources rather than manufactured supplements.
Bramson has dedicated over 30 years to building successful private equity, health, and nutrition companies. Inspired by the addition (and the love) of Wrigley to her family, she has brought her extensive expertise to the all-natural pet food industry.
"Like many pet owners, I adore my dog and am committed to doing whatever it takes to keep Wrigley happy and healthy. When I watched the video 'Pet Fooled,' I was alarmed to learn that 1 in 2 dogs die from cancer and that 50% of pets are obese." Bramson was prompted to delve deeper into pet nutrition and seek the top veterinary knowledge from leading veterinary and animal nutritionists' research and findings. "It was a fortuitous time, as Wrigley had just come into my life, and my career focused on driving business innovations and sourcing natural food ingredients. I evaluated hundreds of food ingredient companies and visited factories to learn about the production process. Creating a truly exceptional pet food company seemed like a natural and rewarding way to apply my knowledge and experience."
Bramson's all-natural approach to pet food is guided by the principles of Eastern Food Therapy (EFT), which seeks to identify imbalances within the body and correct them by making changes in diet. In EFT, every food is understood to have an inherent energetic property—warming, cooling, or neutral—and can affect each individual differently based on their body's unique constitution. This knowledge helps tailor personalized recipes to meet each pet's own needs, promoting their inner balance and overall well-being. For instance, pets with hyperactive metabolism and higher internal temperature often have symptoms like hotspots, environmental allergies, and inflammation. The soothing nature of cooling foods helps regulate, refresh, and balance the body from within. This approach ensures that pets receive diets aligned with their energetic needs, enhancing their overall health.
Side by Side's solutions also include the AI-powered Balance Indicator, an innovative, fun, and easy-to-use pet health assessment. This patented software follows the traditional EFT diagnostic practice of evaluating the tongue. The color, tone, and shade of this muscular organ help determine a dog's metabolic state and indicate any internal imbalances. Pet parents simply upload a photo of their pet with its tongue showing, and the Balance Indicator will analyze the image and provide personalized dietary recommendations based on its assessment.
Side by Side's carefully crafted recipes use whole food ingredients selected to impart warming, cooling, or neutral benefits to fit each dog's unique needs. The whole food ingredients in Side by Side's products are lightly blended and then freeze-dried raw to preserve their nutritional properties. Side by Side's recipes are complete and balanced by nature, using only purposeful, natural whole foods without any synthetic additives or fillers.
Clean ingredient labels build consumer trust and loyalty, as pet owners can easily recognize and trust the components of their pets' food. This sets Side by Side apart in a market crowded with heavily processed options and earned the company recognition from the Association for Truth in Pet Food.
Bramson received a US patent for the Balance Indicator in June 2022 and has since filed an addendum in August 2023 to include its AI-based photo recognition and machine learning enhancement. She has also received patents in Japan and Singapore and has ongoing filings in other targeted regions.
More people have canine companions than don't: approximately 66% of people in the United States experience the love and loyalty of a dog. Sure to make a dent in the $52 billion US pet food market, Side by Side's focus on whole food nutrition is creating a new standard for pet wellness and nutrition, providing pets the food they need to live long, healthy, and happy lives with their humans, side by side.
Check out Side by Side today.
Join the Conversation