Marleybones, the UK’s premium dog food brand behind Pantry Fresh meals, closed its most recent £2.5 million funding round with TAW Ventures, the VC firm founded by Jane Lauder of the Estée Lauder family.
The deal includes follow-on support from existing backers JamJar Investments, Active Partners, and Animal Health Angels.
“Much like the Marleybones team, TAW Ventures was inspired by a beloved dog, by dear Thaddeus, as well as a commitment to leveraging science-backed research to develop high-quality products,” noted Lauder.
“We’re thrilled to back the vision of Josephine and Mikala to transform dog dining across the UK,” she added.
Although successful fundraising in today’s economic climate is already a cause for celebration, Marleybones’ announcement highlights a wider milestone. Not only does the company boast two female founders, but the round was also led by a fully-female investor team.
Across the European VC industry, women remain marginal, with only 20% of total VC investment going to companies founded or co-founded by women. In fact, 2024 represented a 1.4% decline in deal volume for women-led startups.
The Marleybones and TAW Ventures deal comes on the back of over 200% growth since the company’s last funding round, as well as an expansion of their real presence to include Pets at Home, Co-op and Ocado.
The female-owned company had also launched a line of functional vet-developed supplements in March, and piloted a veterinary channel to bring Marleybones closer to clinics and professionals.
Sustainability has guided Marleybones’ achievements: a rePurpose Global partnership to achieve plastic-neutral certification, 100% UK-produced products, and fully recyclable Tetra Pak carton packaging.
“Dog parents shouldn’t have to choose between quality and convenience. With Pantry Fresh meals, we’ve proven it’s possible to cover both. This funding allows us to reach even more pet parents and keep redefining what ‘fresh’ means in dog food,” said Josephine Vager, Marleybones Co-Founder.
“We’ve built strong traction across D2C and retail, expanded into supplements, and proven category demand with triple-digit growth. With TAW Ventures and JamJar by our side, we’re ready to accelerate our journey to make Pantry Fresh a household standard,” added fellow Co-Founder Mikala Skov.