Omni raises US$14.5M to scale vegan pet food and launch dog weight-loss product

UK – British vegan pet food company Omni has raised £11 million (US$14.5 million) in a Series A funding round to expand into new markets, grow its plant-based product range and develop an “Ozempic-style” weight-loss supplement for dogs.

London-based Omni, founded in 2020 by Guy Sandelowsky and Shiv Sivakumar, said the round was led by IW Capital and Redrice Ventures, with participation from RootBridge Capital, Digitalis Ventures, Lever VC and other investors. 

Existing backers, including entrepreneur Deborah Meaden, also increased their stakes following the startup’s earlier visibility on Dragons’ Den, where it first secured backing in 2025.

The company said the new capital will support expansion across UK retail channels, entry into the United States, and further investment in product development, including its LeanPaws supplement designed to help manage canine obesity. 

The product is positioned as a functional nutrition solution that uses fibres and resistant starches to influence satiety and metabolic responses, similar to the mechanisms of GLP-1.

Omni co-founder Guy Sandelowsky said the raise marks a critical stage in the company’s growth trajectory. 

“The right partners can accelerate your mission. The wrong partners can distract from it,” he said, adding that the focus is now on scaling science-led pet nutrition and expanding clinical validation of its products. 

Deborah Meaden, who reinvested in the company, said her decision reflected confidence in Omni’s execution and market potential.

Omni produces a range of plant-based dog foods and supplements, including No-Beef Bites, No-Chick Chunks Pot Pie, and Pumpkin and Lentil Hot-Pot. 

It also sells dental sticks, probiotics, multivitamins, calming diffusers, and skincare products for pets with allergies, digestive issues, and anxiety. 

The company says its formulations are designed with veterinary input and address the growing demand for alternative-protein pet nutrition.

The startup has reported rapid growth over the past year, claiming revenues have increased from £1 million to nearly £13 million (US14.8 million) annually. 

It also says it has significantly expanded its customer base and scaled production, while investing in research to demonstrate health outcomes associated with its products.

Omni argues that its plant-based recipes, which use ingredients derived from yeast, algae and pulses, generate significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions compared with conventional meat-based pet food. 

The company claims its products have helped avoid more than 8.5 million kilograms of CO2 equivalent emissions.

A placebo-controlled trial cited by the company found that 77% of overweight dogs using LeanPaws lost weight, with additional reported improvements in body fat composition and reduced begging behaviour. 

The firm says 46% of dogs in the UK are overweight, increasing risks of chronic conditions such as diabetes, arthritis and heart disease.

The raise comes amid growing investor interest in alternative proteins and sustainable pet food across Europe and the United States. 

Other startups in the sector are also exploring cultivated meat and microbial protein ingredients, signalling increasing competition in low-carbon pet nutrition as consumer demand for sustainability and pet health solutions continues to rise.

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