Hillary Coles was initially skeptical when Atomic Labs approached her amid the crowded pet food market. “I had the same reaction you did,” she mentioned before launching her new venture, Golden Child. Coles, a co-founder of Hims & Hers, shifted to this new direction after focusing on brand and consumer strategy for years.
The convincing factor was Atomic’s method of using “painted door tests” to evaluate real consumer behavior. When applied to pet food, the tests revealed significant interest. Analyzing 11,000 reviews, they discovered recurring issues: inconvenience, dog health problems, and preparation hassles. Coles and co-founder Quentin Lacornerie found a lack of innovation in the industry over the past 12 years, despite competition in the premium segment.
Lacornerie noted parallels with Hims & Hers’ early days, emphasizing consumer demand for high-quality pet products matching their own wellness values. Golden Child offers two main products: a fresh frozen meal and an innovative “drizzle,” a shelf-stable liquid enhancer, with the meal starting at $3 per day and the drizzle at $19.95 per bottle.
Golden Child’s food is produced at U.S. facilities using human-grade supply chains, with recipes developed by a PhD in animal nutrition, one of 80 board-certified veterinary nutritionists, and a chef with ties to Ina Garten and Guy Fieri. Their “protein block” delivers enhanced amino acids not found in standard meat cuts.
The company launches with $37 million in funding from a seed round and a Series A led by Redpoint Ventures, with Atomic and A-Star participating. Lacornerie emphasized the importance of having in-house experts, resulting in a team including the nutritionist and chef.
The brand name Golden Child was chosen for its broad potential. Coles indicated potential expansion beyond food into other areas like shampoos and veterinary access, aligning with pet owners’ desires to integrate their pets into all life aspects. Their ambition is to become a household brand, not just in pet food.
Atomic’s history includes both successful ventures like Hims & Hers and setbacks such as OpenStore, highlighting the unpredictable nature of startup success.