Pet Entrepreneur Interview: Chris from Prime 100 Asia
In our very first Pet Entrepreneur interview, Cuzzey CEO, Jose Ho speaks with Chris from Prime 100 Asia, a distributor of high-quality Australia-made pet food products.
Jose: Why did you want to become a pet entrepreneur?
Chris: As Asians become more affluent, pet ownership especially involving dogs and cats have been steadily increasing and we expect this trend to continue growing.We feel that it is important for pet owners to understand how diet affects the health and well-being of their pets and want to do our bit to help them appreciate the consequences of feeding certain cheap and unhealthy diets which can potentially save them from not only much heartache and pain but also the high costs involved with restoring the health of sick pets.
Jose: Tell us your Story (How did your business start?)
Chris: It all started off with one of my partners and secondary school mate, KB who spoke to me about BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food). I then did my own research to find out more information about pet diet and how it affected their health and wellbeing and I learnt that the domestic dog is an extremely close relative of the grey wolf, with up to 99.9% in terms of similarity in their DNA.
This means that dogs, like other animals, should be fed a species appropriate diet. Dogs need to be fed like the wolf, a primarily high meat protein diet with some roughage or plant matter which it receives through the herbivorous content found in the gut of their prey such as rabbits, rodents and birds.Most pet owners feed their pets with kibble or dry food which is cheap and convenient but certainly not the healthiest choice. Kibble is processed at very high temperatures of up to 200 Degrees Celsius.
When food is processed for long periods of time and at such high temperatures, toxic and carcinogenic or cancer-causing compounds start to form. This is similar to humans eating charred meat or too much potato chips daily which are known to be carcinogenic.This explained why my partner’s and my own dogs have previously died of cancer and organ failure, after spending loads of money on trying to cure them with no avail.
Not to mention the heartache when we lose our pets, who have become faithful and beloved members of our families.I learned that the average lifespan of dogs used to be 17 years but due to reasons including being fed on a dry food diet, it is now only 11 years. I did more homework and contacted the manufacturers of one of Australia’s leading “wet” pet food brands, Prime100 which produces high quality and healthy Single Protein Diet pet foods made from human consumption grade meat, fruits and vegetables.
I know because I’ve seen their staff eat the carrots and apples before they go into production and I have eaten some myself! Another old friend and high school mate, Raymond who also owns 2 dogs, joined KB & I as we shared the same vision and interest. As they say, the rest is history and we started partnering with Prime100 since late 2016 and have grown the business with a few hundred dogs in our customer base within a period of less than a year!
Jose: Who inspires you?
Chris: Different people inspire me in different ways. I admire folks like Jack Ma and Steve Jobs for their tenacity in pursuing and realising their vision even when very few people shared their excitement, dreams and would not even give them the chance to speak.
Folks like Nelson Mandela inspire me because of their commitment towards their cause in doing what they believe is right through their fight for freedom, justice and equality to the extent of spending 27 years in prison.
We’re on a mission to help pet owners understand the potential harm that they may be unwittingly causing to their pets’ health. There are many sceptics out there who doubt what we say but the folks which I’ve mentioned will act as a reminder that spreading and sharing what we know and believe in is well worth the effort.
Jose: What is your biggest challenge as a pet entrepreneur
Chris: Convincing pet owners that you get what you pay for. Although our products cost a bit more than kibble or dry food, they are a much healthier option and one which can potentially save them lots of sadness, pain and money when their pets fall sick or worse, die. As they say “Prevention Is Better Than Cure”, assuming that the pet’s condition is curable!
Think about this – if people visit their doctors, they will always be advised to eat a balanced and healthy diet of fresh meat, fresh vegetables and fresh fruits etc. No doctor will ever advise them to consume more processed foods. So why should pets be fed with kibble or processed dry food and how can that ever be a healthier option?
Jose: Best advice to people who want to become a pet entrepreneur?
Chris: Don’t do it for the money, do it because you care about pets, you want to offer the best products and make a difference to pet owners and their pets. The financial rewards will follow when your heart and intentions are in the right place.
Jose: What are your thoughts on the pet market in the next 5 years?
Chris: I expect the pet market, especially for dogs and cats to continue growing over at least the next 5 years. Young families and single professionals are becoming more affluent and pet ownership is a growing trend. Elderly couples facing the empty nest syndrome will often keep pets for companionship when their kids are old enough to leave the home and start their own families.There is also a positive trend of increasing pet adoption from animal shelters. This is a good thing because it not only helps to keep the Singapore Specials off the streets by giving them a loving home but more importantly saving their lives in the process.
Check out Prime 100 Asia on Cuzzey today!
