Wild Earth’s Ryan Bethencourt: ‘Our Mission is to Make Killer Food, Without the Killing’

Ryan Bethencourt, co-founder of Wild Earth and an alt-protein investor, is on a mission to revolutionize the pet food industry. With a background in investing in alternative protein startups, Bethencourt emphasizes the importance of supporting founders with a deep passion for their sector and unique technological insights. He co-founded Wild Earth in 2017, aiming to create nutritionally complete plant-based and yeast-based proteins for pets. Bethencourt's appearance on Shark Tank resulted in a deal with Mark Cuban, securing funding for the company.

Wild Earth has since expanded into cultivated meat products for pets while maintaining its commitment to vegan pet food. Despite receiving some concerns from its vegan consumer base, Wild Earth continues to innovate in the plant-based pet food sector. Bethencourt believes in the health benefits of vegan pet food, citing recent studies showing the positive impact of plant-based diets on pets. The company is set to launch a cat food line and a Basics line for dogs, with plans for international expansion and continued growth in the plant-based pet food market.