Old Maker of Food Learned New Trick

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Marco Giannini spent more than a decade manufacturing pet food, but now he sees more opportunity in selling kibble than in making it.

“I don’t think we need another pet food in the world,” he said. “I think we need to know how to find the right pet food and how to shop more efficiently.”

That’s why, about a year ago, Giannini founded West L.A. retailer Protein for Pets, which has been expanding quickly. The company last month opened a Santa Clarita location, its ninth, and plans to open as many as 16 more by the end of the year.

Giannini said shopping at big-box pet stores such as Petco and PetSmart can be exhausting, especially since many items are organized by brand instead of product type. In contrast, Protein for Pets locations are small – at no more than 1,500 square feet, they’re about one-tenth the size of a Petco – and offer a much smaller selection of products, mostly food from low- to high-price points.

Along with all-natural wet and dry pet food, the stores offer a selection of exotic proteins such as rabbit, venison and kangaroo.

Gianni founded West L.A.’s Dogswell, a maker of pet food and treats, in 2003, sold it to a private equity firm in 2008 and left the company last year to start Protein for Pets. He enjoyed his time building his previous company but said he much prefers retailing.

“Being a manufacturer you operate a little bit in a vacuum because you don’t get as much consumer experience,” he said. “In retail, you’re much closer to the community.”

– Subrina Hudson

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