Innovative dog food entrepreneur and founder of Australian pet treat company Huds and Toke Emma Gibbons has announced that the company will partner with US doughnut giant Krispy Kreme to create dog-friendly ‘Doggy Doughnuts’ — using insects as a source of protein.
Huds and Toke were approached by Krispy Kreme in order to create dog-friendly doughnuts to offer in their UK and US stores this year. The doughnuts will launch for International Dog Day on 26th August, 2023.
Early this month Gibbons won the 2023 Queensland AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award for her innovative work in sustainable pet food and building a successful business with the help of sustainable agriculture. She was selected from a field of four finalists who epitomised the significant impact women have on rural industries, businesses, and communities.
The Queensland-based business was founded by Gibbons and her husband Russell in 2012 and sells dog, horse, cat and small animal treats. Its dog food and treats are made with Australian-farmed insect protein and vegetable surplus. The alternative ingredients mean both a lower carbon footprint and a reduction in waste.
Today Huds and Toke has a tight-knit team of 15 staff members — who are all women.
Gibbons said her passion for sustainable agriculture and pet food led her to finding the secret ingredient to managing food waste and reducing carbon emissions — and it’s all about insects.
“When we first started Huds and Toke we saw a couple of opportunities that we really wanted to sink our teeth into and one of these was horse treats because there were no real horse treats in Australia,” she said.
“In the last 10 years, dogs have just become such an integral part of people’s families and we wanted to celebrate that by allowing people to enjoy celebrating special moments — so we also saw a huge gap for those kinds of treats.”
She said insects were an integral part of food waste management in Australia.
“We were looking into the future and into more sustainable products because traditional meat supply prices have been increasing and we saw insects as a really viable option. So we started our little farm a couple of years ago, to learn about insect protein just so we could fully understand the concept behind what insects are all about,” she said.
“What a lot of people don’t know is that Australian bugs are a sustainable and nutritious alternative to traditional protein sources like meat and fish, and can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and water usage. The insect larvae create this really high-protein meal that’s very palatable for dogs.”
The entrepreneur also works with local agricultural businesses to incorporate insects into her products, creating a range of high-quality pet food that is both environmentally friendly and nutritious.
Gibbons said she was pleased to see Huds and Toke partner with Krispy Kreme to create “Doggy Doughnuts” that use insects as a source of protein, reducing the environmental impact of traditional pet food.
“Krispy Kreme saw our awesome products and that our brand was a good solid quality Australian brand and they wanted to do a collaboration right from the start because they realise that so many of their customers have pets who they love and cherish as well,” she said.
“With our products, we can create a replica of Krispy Kreme classic favourites.”
As the recipient of the Queensland AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award, Gibbons has won a $15,000 Westpac grant and will represent Queensland as a national finalist in September.
