Excellence in dog nutrition: The LOONAWELL story
LOONAWELL is a dog food company based in Zurich, Switzerland. In this story, owner and CEO Maria de Bettencourt Tavares shared with us what it takes to achieve the highest grade of product quality. With a strong foundation in food science, LOONAWELL products contribute to dog wellness worldwide. Hear from Maria directly how RONDO supported LOONAWELL's unique growth journey.
Profile
Customer: LOONAWELL, Zurich, Switzerland
Machine: Compas 4.0 & Polyline
In operation since: 2023
Products: High-end dog treats
Interview
What brought you to create LOONAWELL? What is the story behind the company?
When I looked at the pet food market and realized that many products were driven more by marketing than by nutritional rigor, I knew something had to change. As a dog mom, I felt frustrated and decided to take matters into my own hands. I wanted a brand I could trust. A brand grounded in science, with transparency and high-quality, healthy products for my dogs.
What did the company’s’ growth path look like?
I started producing LOONAWELL baked treats with one cookie cutter and a rolling pin. As LOONAWELL continued to grow, in 2023, we invested in the RONDO polyline, which is what I consider the Rolls-Royce of baking systems.
That journey reflects LOONAWELL itself: disciplined growth, long-term thinking, and investing in excellence when the company is ready for it.
The basis of excellent dog food: Fresh, organic ingredients
In their product development processes, LOONAWELL is following a strictly scientific approach
The dough used to produce these high-end dog treats is very cold, firm and crumbly. With RONDO's Compas 4.0, this "challenging" dough is rolled out to a dough sheet perfectly
RONDO's Polyline helped LOONAWELL automate some of their process steps while keeping product quality consistent
Hygiene is of the utmost importance in dog food production, as the industry is subject to strict quality and safety regulations
The result of these rigorous processes speaks for itself: LOONAWELL's dog treats are loved by dogs and their human companions alike
The basis of excellent dog food: Fresh, organic ingredients
In their product development processes, LOONAWELL is following a strictly scientific approach
The dough used to produce these high-end dog treats is very cold, firm and crumbly. With RONDO's Compas 4.0, this "challenging" dough is rolled out to a dough sheet perfectly
RONDO's Polyline helped LOONAWELL automate some of their process steps while keeping product quality consistent
Hygiene is of the utmost importance in dog food production, as the industry is subject to strict quality and safety regulations
The result of these rigorous processes speaks for itself: LOONAWELL's dog treats are loved by dogs and their human companions alike
What is most important in the production of high-end dog treats? How did you develop your concept?
When judging what is best for dogs and their nutrition, my background in biomedical sciences and food ingredient development comes in handy. The three most important components of outstanding dog food are ingredient quality, nutritional intent and process control. That last point is exactly where RONDO was able to support me. Their machines helped me automate parts of the production process without compromising the quality of the final product. And that even though we usually work with rather firm and thin dough, which is very challenging to automate.
What makes your products special? Can you expand on the choice of your ingredients?
I started out working with ingredient compositions that were uncommon in baked dog treats. We mainly use organic components, functional ingredients and formulations designed with scientific intent rather than cost optimization. Today, our customers love the result of that work, especially the crunch of our baked treats.
RONDO's machines helped me automate parts of the production process without compromising the quality of the final product.
What was your experience like when working with RONDO?
My ideas did not fit into standard industrial schemes. RONDO was open to develop a solution together with us. That openness mattered a lot to me. I visited RONDO ‘s Dough-how Center in 2020 to understand what was technically possible. When LOONAWELL was ready to invest three years later, the decision felt natural.
RONDO’s engineers have worked alongside us throughout the whole process. They adapted and refined elements of the line to support the specific characteristics of our formulations. With RONDO, we have experienced a genuine partnership.
Watch the story on YouTube
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