Handcrafted in the Himalayas, loved everywhere!

Bhupendra Khanal
Incepted in the year 2015, Khanal Foods has a mission to bring the goodness of nature into the lives of pets and pet parents. In conversation with Dogs & Pups, Bhupendra Khanal, CEO & Founder of Khanal Foods Private Limited, talks about the company’s achievements and significance of their pet treats made of pure natural ingredients acquired from the Himalayas.

Born and brought up in Nepal, Bhupendra Khanal always had a strong inclination towards the products made of natural ingredients. When he moved to Bengaluru in India, he realised the fact that general stores as well as pet food outlets around the city lacked naturally sourced food items. He was quick to decide to fill the gap and was successful in implementing his vision to bring about a change in the pet food market. Bhupendra is supported by his wife, Sneh Sharma – Founder & Director of Khanal Foods Private Limited, who also has the zeal of doing something new in the food industry. Now, this power couple with a strong background of analytics and marketing is accelerating towards new heights. “Our objective is to deliver the goodness of natural products derived from the Himalayan region for both pets and pet parents,” says Bhupendra. He adds that Khanal Foods is now a thriving parent company of Dogsee (an all-natural pet treat brand) and Himalayan Natives (an all-natural FMCG brand).

Gaining popularity
Dogsee Chew and Dogsee Crunch are two highly in demand pet treats available under Dogsee. “Dogsee Chew is a premium pet treat that is all-natural, protein-rich and high in fibre,” mentions Bhupendra, adding that the product has gained mass popularity among pet parents in India and abroad. After tasting success with Dogsee Chew, the company decided to produce treats based on fruits and veggies. With that, Dogsee Crunch came into existence. It’s a fresh, tasty and crunchy treat without any additives and preservatives. “We were keen on coming up with a human grade product for dogs that is not just delicious but beneficial as well. Dogsee Crunch is made of freeze-dried fruits & veggies that help preserve all their natural goodness,” asserts Bhupendra. He adds that the Dogsee treats come as a complete package of healthy natural nutrients.

Going global
Bhupendra proudly mentions that quality is central in every process at Khanal Foods. “It has been our quality that has led us to gain popularity in the overseas markets,” he says, adding that Khanal Foods is currently the fourth largest pet food exporter from India. As a testament to their quality processes, they are also an ISO 9001:2000 certified company. Dogsee Chew is considered to be one of the best dental treats for dogs in the world. Khanal Foods has penetrated into most of the Asian and European markets with its brand Dogsee. Their dog treats are widely popular among pet parents in the Asian countries like Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan and others. In Europe, Dogsee is popular in the Netherlands, UK, France, Norway, etc. The brand also has a strong presence in Canada and the USA.

Sustainable model
Sustainability has always been the core of business at Khanal Foods. Bhupendra emphasises that from the procurement process to packaging and last-mile delivery, the entire production model of the company is built to optimise resources and be sustainable in the long run. He adds, “We are quite transparent about sustainability—we clearly tell everyone about how we produce our pet food items and the quality we maintain.

Pandemic boost
Pet food sector is one of the segments which saw major gains during the pandemic. Lockdowns brought along with them a massive focus on health and immunity, triggering consumers’ move towards healthy and nutritious food items. “In general, the pet food market saw growth during the pandemic. When people wanted to eat rich and nutritious food to boost their immune system, naturally it held the same for their pets too. So, we got the benefits in both the pet and human segments. We offer healthy snacks, filled with the goodness of nature that both pets and pet parents will love,” says Bhupendra.

Headquartered in Bengaluru, Khanal Foods has a sales office in New Delhi with warehouses in Mumbai and Gurugram. The company is gearing up to open branches in all major metro cities across the country in the next five months or so. “India’s current Rs. 4bn pet market is growing rapidly. It is likely to attain Rs. 10bn status soon,” says Bhupendra.

Bhupendra conclusively heralds a message to every pet parent—“Your pet is your family. Treat them the best because they deserve the best.”