Pooch loving celebs Trevor Noah, Chris Evans, NFL star Odell Beckham Jr. and CAA co-founder Michael Ovitz are among the latest high-profile investors in Jinx, a “clean-label dog nutrition brand designed to meet the needs of the modern dog.”
The Los Angeles company that launched early last year just raised $28 million in a Series A funding round led by investment advisory firm The Merchant Club, cash to expand its product portfolio and move from direct-to-consumer into brick and mortar retailers early next year.
Hollywood players do invest in passion projects but Jinx has a particularly heavy hitting roster. Will Smith, Halsey, Nas, Michael Strahan, Zachary Quinto and Lily Singh were part of a seed funding round that raised $3.75M in the fall of 2019 led by Initialized Capital.
Jinx sells online via major retailers Petco, Target and Bloomingdales, promising “dogs and their parents access to quality nutrition without compromising on value or convenience” with its preservative-free kibble, treats and dental chews formulated by animal nutritionists and approved by certified veterinarians. It has partnerships with Postmates, Spotlight Oral Care and most recently Saison Hospitality’s Michelin star restaurant Angler in LA and San Francisco to create a menu of dog-friendly dishes.
“Being headquartered in LA we get a ton of access,” said Jinx CEO and co-founder Terri Rockovich, of the opportunity to liaise with marquee investors who love their dogs (Evans has a tattoo of his, she said). “They like what we are doing, they believe in the mission.”
They “are really excited to be involved.” She said Beckham Jr, the Los Angeles Rams new wide receiver, “who has three or four dogs, just shot some content for us.”
Jinx’ timing was good as pet ownership surged during Covid while many local and regional pet stores shuttered. There’s also an ongoing trend toward the “humanization of pet food ingredients that people understand” like chicken and fish. Jinx doesn’t release financials but Rockovich said sales are surging.
Jinx co-founders were founding executives of Casper Mattress looking for a new project. “We kept coming back to the pet industry because we were obsessed with our own dogs and unsatisfied with what was available.”
SOURCE : Deadline
