Sustainability for a New Generation of Pet Parents

Antelope Pets (Antelope) is an omni-channel pet consumer platform focused on delivering high-quality, natural pet products through a buy-and-build strategy. Founded by Wendy Wen, an Alpine CEO-in-Residence, Antelope’s mission is to elevate the standards of pet care by creating a destination where pet parents can find effective, trusted products that support longer, more vibrant pet lives.

An Opportunity for Sustainability

Sustainability has moved from niche to norm in the pet industry. Research from a pet consumer trends survey of over 2,400 cat and dog parents found that recyclable packaging, sustainable ingredient sourcing, and eco-friendly attributes rank among the top drivers of purchasing decisions.¹ A generational shift is also accelerating this trend: Millennials and Gen Z don’t view sustainability as optional, they equate ethical choices with quality and expect proof of both efficacy and responsibility.

The U.S. premium pet treat market, currently valued at $8.3 billion, is projected to reach $12.7 billion by 2032, with 60-66% of consumers willing to pay more for ethical and sustainable brands.

For Antelope, sustainability is more than a market opportunity. It is a natural extension of its founding mission to deliver high-quality, trusted products to pet parents. The question now is how to deepen that commitment. How can Antelope build foundational sustainability practices that support its commitment to quality?

Building the Foundation

In 2025, Antelope began laying the groundwork for a structured sustainability approach:

• Governance: Formed an internal sustainability task force with clear ownership across policy, packaging, and recyclability. The cross-functional team meets monthly to drive progress and includes leaders from Marketing, Accounting, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, and R&D.
• Materiality Assessment: Partnered with the Pet Sustainability Coalition to conduct a stakeholder-weighted materiality assessment across approximately 20 focus areas, with an action plan in development.
• Supply Chain Visibility: Initiated a baseline assessment of sourcing and manufacturing. The majority of finished products and suppliers are U.S.-based, keeping overall risk relatively low. The team identified specific exceptions requiring overseas sourcing (certain packaging components and ingredients like choline) and is working with manufacturers to improve transparency for customers.

Current Priorities

Recyclable packaging is Antelope’s most pressing focus, driven by retailer expectations around recyclability and post-consumer recycled (PCR) content, as well as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations in several states across the U.S. The team is exploring packaging changes, including material reduction efforts, and working with external partners to inform implementation.

Antelope is also evaluating how to balance centralized sustainability standards with brand-specific execution—leveraging volume across brands that share similar ingredients and packaging to reduce costs while accelerating the rollout of sustainable materials. By embedding sustainability into its operating model, Antelope is positioning itself not just to meet retailer and regulatory demands, but to build a portfolio of brands that resonate with the next generation of pet parents.

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Endnotes

1. State of Sustainability in the Pet Industry 2025 Edition

Disclosures

Case studies presented contain the opinions of past and present Alpine portfolio company executives. Alpine makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of the information presented here. It should not be assumed that the portfolio companies discussed in these case studies were profitable or that future portfolio companies or experiences will be comparable. Past performance is not necessarily indicative, or a guarantee, of future results. Under no circumstances should these case studies be construed as an offer to sell, or a solicitation to buy, any security or as opinions regarding the provision of investment advisory services by Alpine. Please see Alpine’s Terms of Use on Alpine’s website for disclosures.