Daniela Prado, 51 years old, founder of Okena PetChef, in Rio de Janeiro (RJ)HEALTH RECIPE Daniela Prado next to her partner, Joana Gouvea Vieira, with Bob (dog) and Barbra (cat): healthy and natural dishes to meet the pets' needs (Photo: Thayná Bonin)“I've always been in love with animals.But, when choosing a college, I opted for law.In the end, I went to work with music, but what I really liked was taking care of animals.Little by little, I saw that the hobby made me happier and I started to think of ideas to undertake in the area.In 2013, my dog ​​Bonnie got breast cancer.One of the special cares was to adopt a natural diet so that she had a better quality of life.As I didn't find any company that produced it, I cooked at home myself.This turned on a light: why not offer this service to other animals?At the time, I worked with training for dogs and had several potential clients.After studying the market, I founded PetChef — which would later change its name to Okena PetChef and receive new partners, including Joana Gouvea.We included the word of Tupi-Guarani origin to differentiate us from similar names in the market.Okena means the gateway to a tribe, a community.I believe the food we offer is a gateway to a healthier life.We offer six balanced recipe options to meet different pet needs.You can order risottos, minced sweet potato, pork tenderloin... There are low-calorie dishes, with protein restriction, with fat restriction, to control blood glucose and also for elderly animals.We also produce a personalized menu, on demand.The business model is by monthly subscription: the format corresponds to 90% of sales.For now, we only serve in Rio de Janeiro.'Pet customers' love it!I say by mine, since I have four dogs and four cats.It's great to know that they eat well, healthy and with pleasure.I believe the tutors agree, because the business has been growing.We produce about 10 tons of food a month, and our turnover this year should be R$ 3 million.”Gunther Prux, 41, partner at EcoBichos, in São Paulo (SP)RENEWABLE HOUSE Gunther Prux, from EcoBichos, with the rottweiler Thor, who “watches” the factory: houses for cats and dogs made with anti-allergenic and recyclable cardboard (Photo: Carol Quintanilha)“I have been running a cardboard packaging industry for 20 years.In 2008, together with my partners at the time, we came across an article about cardboard cat houses, sold in Canada.We decided to take advantage of the factory's structure to improve the idea and inaugurate this segment, which did not yet exist in Brazil.We made a prototype, submitted it to tests and the consultation of a specialist in feline behavior, and arrived at the final version of our little house for cats, which we call a condo-cat.It has three floors that are interconnected, and through which an animal weighing up to 15 kg can move freely, passing from one to another, as cats like to do.Later, we also created the doghouse, which is more suitable for the small or the elderly — who don't have that desire to bite the material.Both products are suitable for those who are committed to protecting nature.The houses are made with anti-allergenic, recycled and recyclable cardboard;the paint is water-based, and the glue is starch-based.Our focus is not retail: the main customers are feed industries, which buy wholesale and offer the houses as a gift to stimulate their sales.We also negotiate with some NGOs, which encourage the consumption of products that are good for pets and for the environment.The strategy of concentrating energy on wholesale was correct: today, we sold 45,000 pieces in a good month.This year, we intend to expand the company by selling a new product, also made of cardboard — the tunnel scraper, which promises to be a success.I just regret not being able to have pets, because my daughter and I are allergic.But in the family there are many gateiros and dogs.And at the factory there is Thor, our rottweiler, who oversees the entire production.”Fernando Fernandes, 36 years old, partner at Eco Cane Cat Litter, in São Paulo (SP)EVERYTHING IS TOPENED Fernando Fernandes, with the cat Sirius: he manufactures a sustainable hygienic granulate for felines, made from sugarcane bagasse and cassava waste (Photo: Carol Quintanilha)“The animals have been part of my life since childhood: in the house where I was raised, there were five dogs.Today I am very proud to be part of the Eco Cane Cat Litter project, a sustainable hygienic granulate that began to be developed in 2016. One of the founders, Gabriel Villas Boas, worked with businesses related to sugarcane, transporting bagasse between power plants.Upon realizing the potential of this raw material for the pet market, it began testing what would be our product.In 2018, when the granules were almost ready, André Skaf and I joined Gabriel.We still carried out countless tests, here and abroad, to reach the final formulation.Thanks to the persistence in the pursuit of excellence, we have arrived at an efficient and, above all, 'green' product.Eco Cane Cat Litter is a hygienic granulate for cats made from sugar cane bagasse and cassava waste — two renewable resources, which thus gain a more suitable destination, without harming the environment.It is thin, light, does not raise 'dust' and makes life easier for the cat owner, because it forms lumps with urine and feces, that is, it is very practical to pick up.Furthermore, as it has high absorption, it neutralizes odor and does not need to be changed as often.The work to reach the product we believed in paid off: in a short time of life and even with the pandemic, we are conquering the national and international market — we sell to 29 countries, including the United States, France, China and the United Arab Emirates .We produce more than 130 tons per month of granulate.And this is just the beginning, as there is still a lot of market to explore.”Fernanda Amaral Galindo, 31 years old, owner of Bartô, São Paulo (SP)NO WASTE Fernanda Galindo, with the dog Chico: in partnership with her husband, Marcos, she launched the Diário Canino, a washable hygienic mat for dogs (Photo: Carol Quintanilha)“Once upon a time there was a beautiful and loving Italian greyhound that used newspaper sheets as a toilet.But, with the digital revolution, it became increasingly difficult to find a newspaper in my building for Bartolomeu, better known as Bartô.Result: one day, Marcos, my husband, had to buy a toilet mat.But after some research he discovered that, in addition to being expensive, the product was harmful to the environment.Marcos, who is a designer, decided to build a prototype of a washable rug to present at his TCC in college.The person who tested all the products created by him was Bartô, of course.In 2017, with the 'approval' of our quality controller, we launched Diário Canino, a washable rug that is our company's flagship.It can be decorated with news from the canine world, as well as prints developed by artists.The product has three layers of fabric: the first is waterproof and non-slip;the middle one, ultra-absorbent;and the top one works as an inhibiting barrier against fungi and bacteria, which minimizes bad odours.The recommendation is to change it twice a day, so the ideal is to have at least six units, to alternate.The mat withstands 210 washes over its lifetime.With proper care, each rug can last more than a year.The contrast with disposable products is huge.If a tutor uses two disposable mats a day, at the end of 365 days he will have released 700 pieces into the environment, which will take hundreds of years to be decomposed.But, as cool as the idea is, we still have to catechize the market, which means hard work, like a little ant.Fortunately, more people are awakening to the need for more sustainable practices every day.For 2021, we expect to reach sales of R$3.5 million.Also, we work 24 hours a day, without rest.”Lisandro Corazza, 38, owner of UpVet, Maringá (PR)MEDICINE WITH FLAVOR Patrícia and Lisandro Corazza, with Otto (dog) and Abigail (cat): the couple developed vegan cookies, which include actives prescribed by the veterinarian in the recipe (Photo: Sérgio Ranalli)“Since I was little, I used to say that I was going to take medicine.While my sister and cousins ​​played house or ball game, I liked to pretend I was making medicine—melting crayons and putting them in tins to 'make' pills, for example.After studying Pharmacy in college, I decided that I was going to set up a compounding pharmacy.That way it would be closer to production, something that is not possible in the industry.By chance, I found out about a compounding pharmacy for veterinary products in Curitiba — in Maringá, my city, I didn't have one.I went to the capital to find out more about the business and came back convinced that this was what I wanted to do.Along with my wife, Patricia, who graduated from the same course two years after me, I opened UpVet with an investment of R$100,000, from my own resources.It was a little open market, and we had to learn everything the hard way: making mistakes (a lot) and getting it right (less).But in the end, we not only survive, we correct the course.In 2017, we created a vegan base to produce the drugs.Our proposal was to develop vegan cookies, which took in the recipe the actives prescribed by the veterinarian.Today they are our flagship and a huge success, as they help pet owners to administer medication, without having to resort to tricks that often don't work.In addition to biscuits, we also manufacture a shower gel made with natural ingredients, to which medications such as corticoids, anti-allergy and anti-fungal medications, for example, can be added.There are also the beautification and snack lines, all made with natural ingredients.Today, we are a chain with 30 franchisees spread across 11 states, with the expectation of earning R$ 20 million in 2021. And the best part is that Otto, my 12-year-old dog, takes advantage of all this very well!”Daniel Alves Labonia, 42 years old, owner of Green Pet Care, São Paulo (SP)FRIEND OF NATURE Daniel Alves Labonia, from Green Pet Care, beside Fofinha: bath and grooming products made with biodegradable materials that do not pollute the planet (Photo: Carol Quintanilha)“It was a frosty day in July 2019 when, as I said goodbye to some customers on the street in front of the factory, a dog came to meet the group and played with me.I took her inside, gave her water, food and found a warm corner for her to sleep.She stayed forever and became Fofinha, the name given by my son Lucas.He loves animals as much as I do.After graduating in Veterinary Science, I set up a pioneer ambulance service for pets, with great success.In 2011, my father-in-law presented me with a different proposal: as a wedding present, he offered me an investment in a new business and the help of a friend of his, who had experience in the pet area.It was my idea to manufacture bath and grooming products that were good for animals and the environment.Thus was born Green Pet Care.Sustainability starts with the factory's structure: we have rainwater collection for reuse, waste treatment before throwing it into the sewer system, transparent tiles to take advantage of the external light, catalogs and recycled paper labels.In the manufacture of products, we only use biodegradable ingredients.We currently produce more than one hundred items: for bathing and grooming (shampoos, finishers, odor eliminators, dry baths), educators (to prevent the animal from destroying furniture and objects), beauty (deo cologne, talc) and aromatherapy ( to reduce stress in dogs and cats).We also sell to the final consumer, but our biggest source of income is pet shops.I can say that I found myself undertaking.I do what I like, defending causes in which I believe.Today, our turnover is around R$ 2.5 million per year.The best thing is to know that the products do not harm animals or caregivers (the pet shop bathers, for example), because they are free of any toxic substances.It makes my conscience very clear.”