LONDON — KatKin has made a strategic investment in the science of fresh cat food, doubling its existing cat nutrition team with four senior science hires from US-based fresh pet food brand Nom Nom. According to KatKin, the hires reflect its significant investment and commitment to the science of nutrition and align with its mission to become the United Kingdom’s leading fresh cat food company.
The four new team members are: Ryan Honaker, Ph.D., research and development director; Jirayu Tanprasertsuk, Ph.D., senior scientist; Devon Tate, scientist; and LeeAnn Perry, technical product manager.
KatKin explains that the new hires have published extensive research on the topic of fresh pet food and will be key in the company’s mission to become the leading expert on cat health and fresh nutrition. Their published studies prove the increased digestibility of a fresh diet and show significant positive shifts in the gut microbiomes of companion animals eating fresh, according to KatKin. The new hires will bring this expertise to the study of cat nutrition.
Conducting tests across chemistry, processing and formulation, KatKin’s cat nutrition team will build the “world’s largest dataset and knowledgebase on fresh cat food palatability in the world” and play a key role in bringing new cat health products and services to market. Additionally, their experience and knowledge will be a key enabler as KatKin seeks to build relationships in the veterinary industry and pursue retail partners for its fresh recipes.
“We’re thrilled to be joining KatKin at a time of incredible opportunity, and doubling down on the business’s commitment to science and cat nutrition,” Honaker said. “In a world where many vets are crying out for more comprehensive cat nutrition education, and cat parents are eager to learn how to make their pets healthier, KatKin’s commitment to science has one aim: to get cats the healthy, fresh food they were born to eat.
“KatKin is now in the perfect position to change the way cats eat,” he added. “With in-house vets and cat nutrition experts, our cat-first team is perfectly placed to make the U K’s healthiest cat food. And that means healthier, and therefore happier, cats — first across the UK, and then across the world.”
According to the company, its customers already report a raft of health benefits when they switch to fresh food, such as better digestion, more energy and healthier weight. KatKin states that customers also report that the brand’s food supports the health of underweight cats, helping them return to a healthy weight, and soothes common ailments like diabetes, IBD (inflammatory bowel disease), diarrhea, allergies and colitis.
“KatKin customers have long seen the health benefits of feeding their cats minimally processed fresh food, made of 100% human-quality meat ingredients that are cooked at low temperatures to preserve nutrients and improve digestibility,” said Brett O’Farrell, chief executive officer of KatKin.
He added, “We’re excited to welcome Ryan and the team into KatKin, as we all share the passion to make cat nutrition research and resources more readily available to both consumers and vets. We’re on a mission to improve cats’ lives with the best fresh nutrition, and to make this convenient and accessible to all cat owners.”
Read more about personnel changes throughout the industry.