doohoo — answering the modern pet parents’ needs

There’s a huge market for pet products that go beyond the traditional pet food and treats, says doohoo — FIRSTPICK acceleration participants and founders of a marketplace and subscription service for unique pet gifts. Their product range isn’t the only interesting thing about doohoo as the team has a lot to tell about what inspired them to make doohoo a reality. Read our interview to learn more about the startup and the exciting prospects of the “petrepreneurs”.

Tell us?about doohoo‘s?product.

doohoo creates joyful experiences for pets and the ones who love them.?We believe every moment spent with our pets should be cherished, and we want to give our customers the tools to do just that. Our range of treats, toys, and edible cards?is?designed to celebrate the important milestones in life with pets, creating unforgettable memories. So whether it's a birthday, anniversary, or just a special moment you want to share with your furry friend,?doohoo has everything you need to make it a joyful and unforgettable experience.

How did you come up with the idea to create?doohoo?

The idea for doohoo came from our own experience as pet parents. We saw a need for more unique and fun pet products, especially with the humanization of pets becoming the norm.

We recognized a growing desire among pet owners to treat their furry friends as members of the family. Additionally, while people were willing to spend money on their pets at special events, we noticed that the options for original and great-looking pet gifts were limited in the market. This is where doohoo comes in. We aim to provide pet parents with a range of fun and unique products that are both safe for animals and enjoyable for their owners to give.

Who are your competitors, and how do you stand out?

While many companies concentrate on pet food delivery (up?to 70 percent of the pet food industry), we noticed a gap in the market for unique and fun products such as dog-safe chocolate, beer, or smoothies. The pet humanization trend is more advanced in the US and the UK, where we see the biggest competition.

How?has?your journey?been?so far?

We officially launched our e-shop in October 2022. However, our journey started in May 2022, when we participated in the TechHub pre-accelerator and pivoted our initial idea. Starting a new business is never easy, and our journey has been no exception. We've had to adapt quickly to changes in the market and our team, but we're determined to keep pushing forward. We know we have a lot of work ahead of us, but we're excited to see what the future holds.

What are your main achievements so far?

Since our launch, we have seen success with our e-shop, generating over 10k in sales from the Lithuanian market alone and selling to more than 500 clients. We have also expanded our reach through increased social media presence, with over 2k followers and collaborations with influencers and pet-fluencers. As we grow, we are excited to focus on our recently launched subscription box and provide even more unique and fun products for pets and their owners.

What are the main challenges you’re overcoming now?

As a startup, we are constantly facing new challenges as we grow. One of our main challenges right now is geographical expansion. While we have succeeded in the Lithuanian market, we are looking to expand our reach to other European countries and eventually beyond.

Another challenge we are currently tackling is creating our product line.?We want to continue to innovate and bring new and exciting products to our customers. This requires research, development, and testing to ensure that our products are both safe and enjoyable for pets and their owners.

What are your plans for the next year?

Our main plans for the next year are to continue overcoming the challenges we face regarding geographical expansion, creating our own product line, and building the dream team. We plan to focus on developing and expanding our subscription box service, as well as continuing to increase awareness. Additionally, we are always looking for new and innovative products to add to our offering, and we hope to introduce some exciting new items in the coming year.

Bonus question: what makes your startup special?

Our startup is unique because we have a team dedicated to creating products that meet pets' needs and celebrate the bond between pets and their owners. We understand people's emotional connection with their pets and strive to create products that enhance that relationship.

Visit doohoo’s?website ?to explore their offerings, and don’t forget to follow the team on?Linkedin .

Or speak to the team directly about collaborating with them: Dobil? Minkut? , [email protected]

Learn more about FIRSTPICK’s accelerator?here .