Today we’d like to introduce you to Dawn Johnson and Maggie Leffel. They share their story with us below:
Bud & Company was founded in late November of 2020 by two sisters (Dawn & Maggie). In the past, we would talk about how fun it would be to have a business together but hadn’t found the right fit. Dawn has always enjoyed baking delicious desserts for family and friends; Maggie has a strong love for dogs (and has two of her own!)
In 2020, Maggie started doing some research on dog treats and all the business requirements for starting/running a dog treat business in St. Louis, MO. Bud & Company turned out to be the perfect fit for us to do together because it combined two of our biggest passions and also allowed us to spend more time together (we get along really well so more time together was a perk for us!)
We wanted to come up with something unique for our dog treats, something that no one else was doing. Much like ourselves, we know how much St. Louisans love St. Louis and we feel very fortunate to have an amazing food scene here, so we thought of connecting the local foods we love so much to our dog treats and started trying to imitate the human recipes of foods that are some of St. Louis’ favorite traditions by using ingredients that are generally recognized as safe for dogs to consume as well.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
We struggled with our packaging for a little while – since we keep our treats frozen, we quickly realized that waterproof labels were essential! This was not something we had experience with, so we had to spend quite a bit of time researching to find the right. labels and printing company to use.
Also, it took some trial and error testing out our recipes in the beginning. We had to be sure we were confident and happy with our recipes and the ingredients used before sending our treats to the lab to get our guaranteed analysis report, so to avoid spending extra money (that we didn’t have) on the lab fees and shipping costs, we really had to take the time to make sure we were happy with our final recipes/product before we could move on to the next step.
Our biggest challenge would have to be time and the amount of research needed. There are many steps and requirements involved that most people are not aware of (and neither were we) when it comes to making and selling dog treats in Missouri.
We’ve been impressed with Bud & Company, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Bud & Company makes dog treats, specifically Saint Louis-inspired treat flavors. We currently have 4 flavors that make up our Saint Louis-Inspired Collection (Gooey Butter Cake, Toasted Ravioli, Chocolate Frozen Custard, and Vanilla Frozen Custard) and one seasonal flavor, Pumpkin Apple Butter. All of our treats are handmade & baked using human-grade ingredients. We do not add any preservatives or dehydrate our treats, so they must be kept refrigerated or frozen to ensure they stay fresh.
Bud & Company also makes pupcakes and specialty desserts for dog parties, so if you are interested in throwing a party for your pup or simply want to place a larger order for these items, you can email us to request information about our offerings and pricing.
Our treats can be purchased through our website – we offer local delivery and free pickup at The Wagamama (a dog-friendly coffee shop in St. Louis City). We also sell our treats through Market Wagon (an online grocery delivery platform), at various local markets & events throughout the year (this information can be found on our website), and are working to partner more with local retail stores.
Currently, there are two retail businesses (The Wagamama & The Fancy Pheasant) who carry our small bags of Gooey Butter Cake & Toasted Ravioli treats.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
First, we must give credit to Bud, the person who inspired the name of our business. Most people think ‘Bud’ is the name of a dog, especially because our business makes dog treats but ‘Bud’ was our dad’s nickname. Our father passed away almost 6 years ago and we miss him every day!. He was an incredible man and so very special to us, so Bud & Company is named in his honor.
We must also give credit to our amazing mother (Gloria) and spouses (Ben & Philip) – they are and have been our biggest supporters & cheerleaders throughout this entire process. We could not do this without their constant support, love, and positivity!
Contact Info:
- Email: budandco.pets@gmail.com
- Website: www.budandcompanytreats.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/bud.and.company
- Facebook: Facebook.com/bud.and.company
