Today we’d like to introduce you to Reggie Carter.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Hi, I’m Reggie Carter and I am the owner of Must be Ruff dog treat bakery. We are based out of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota and are happy to serve our neighboring communities in the Twin Cities. In early 2021 when I created the company, we had recently welcomed Kirby, a black and tan European Doberman to our family. We wanted Kirby to be healthy and to live her best life and one way to do that was to hand-make all of her treats. Growing up on a farm in Mississippi, I knew that I wanted Kirby to be as healthy as the dogs and animals I was surrounded by as a kid. So, I set out to find a way to make treats that were inexpensive, high-quality and loved by dogs in Minnesota. After sourcing the ingredients, testing new recipes, and hoping for Kirby’s approval, Must be Ruff was born. Thanks to the community, we have been able to bring these treats to hundreds of dogs and you can find our treats in stores, breweries and farmers markets in the metro area.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road is never smooth, but I pray that God remains as my shield as I walk in integrity. Bravery and wisdom are two things that I pray for so as I travel down this not so smooth road, my toolbox is equipped with the tools for the job. As a chess player, you understand that if you don’t think a few steps ahead, you put yourself in danger of losing. If you can apply that concept to entrepreneurship, you realize that problems and struggles are like pawns, pieces in the way that prevent you from reaching the other side. Every morning I wake up and put on my protective armor and prepare myself mentally for everyday struggles.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Must be Ruff is a homemade dog treat company that was created around the idea of providing wholesome treats for your pups. We wanted the pet and their owner to have the same type of experience as walking into that small town bakery that has the freshest baked goods for miles. Our treats are packed with robust ingredients such as natural honey, cinnamon, carrots, applesauce, yogurt, peanut butter and pumpkin. That’s a list of ingredients even humans would enjoy! Must be Ruff was curated as a family and we aim to bring a one-of-a-kind experience to the pet and their owner by providing them something that can’t be found anywhere else. Soft-baked, decorative, and exquisite canine cupcakes and donuts served with warm smiles and friendly faces. Just as the small list of ingredients for our treats were hand selected, so is the small circle of family and friends that are involved to help grow our brand. At Must be Ruff we genuinely feel this is the path that God has laid out for us to walk down. So, everything that’s put into our brand is filled with love and comes from our heart and soul!
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Pets are a part of our families, and they always will be. There are many families in which their pets are their children, and I don’t see that changing anytime in the near future. Right now, millennials lead the way in pet ownership. It is projected that people in the USA will spend close to $109.6 billion on their pets in 2022. The pet-sitting market size was $2.6 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow. All the signs indicate that the pet industry is here to stay! One thing that I can see changing is people are becoming more health-conscious of the foods they are feeding their pets. More people are reading the labels and asking questions about the nutritional value of the pet foods. These are the reasons why Must be Ruff was created in the first place, to provide a high-quality product with health benefiting ingredients for your dogs. One of the bigger trends that I see taking place in the twin cities are the dog-friendly breweries. Here is a list of breweries where you can enjoy a delicious beer and your pooch can enjoy some soft-baked Must be Ruff treats. 56Brewing, Able Seedhouse Brewing, Bent Brewstillery, and Utepils to name a few.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: mustberuff.co
- Instagram: must.beruff
- Facebook: facebook.com/mustberuff
