Help your dog and cat find balance

The idea behind EQUALS was cooked up by a group of idealists. People who believe whole-heartedly that animals, and in this case, dogs and cats, should be treated as “equals”. Giving them our respect as well as our love. Which means making sure they eat as well as we do.

What better way of showing this respect than cooking for them? Knowing exactly what ingredients are in their food. Giving our attention, to make sure they get a balanced diet, with all the vitamins and minerals they need. And damned tasty too!

“Diet is all about variety,” says Kirill Repin, Managing Director of EQUALS. “Look at humans, for example. We eat a variety of food daily but mostly it lacks the nutrition we need. Diversity and quality are key. As long as we have all the nutrients in our diet and their sources are natural and clean, our bodies (and minds) will work in balance. That’s how we should think for animals!”. Kirill first had a degree in Business, later in his career he studied Nutrition. “Speaking personally, food and cooking for my family is my health insurance.”

Finding balance will help improve the health of your cat or dog. Balance is about tending to all their bodily needs, both physically and mentally. EQUALS can help, providing balanced tailor-made recipes, freshly made food, specially formulated supplements and all-natural multivitamins.

Repin Kirill, EQUALS Founder

Real nutrition is learning from nature

“The science of nutrition is more than just calories or balancing the ingredients. Real nutrition is learning from nature,” says Dr Tatang Cahyono, EQUALS Chief Nutritionist. He runs a holistic veterinarian clinic in Jakarta. He has also been carrying out acupuncture for pets for over 20 years. “Have you heard the phrase ‘Food is your medicine’? Well, it’s true. The world is experiencing an unprecedented rise in both human and animal death rates. An unbalanced diet is one of the main contributors. The soil is becoming less fertile, water is scarcer and industrial agriculture using chemical fertilisers is increasing every year. Those fertilisers, together with animal hormone boosters containing heavy metals ends up in our stomachs and the stomach of our pets. Long-term, this leads to the entire body being out of balance. And unfortunately, an earlier death.”

In 2020, the global petfood market reached the milestone of USD 100 billion. Dominated by a few multinational corporations producing dry and wet food on an industrial scale. But change is coming. In the United States alone, fresh food for dogs and cats now accounts for USD 2 billion annually.

Kirill shares an insight: “Most people start to cook for their dog or cat when they become ill or are older. Simply speaking, boiled chicken with carrots is a much better option than any mass-produced petfood. However, long-term intake only of limited ingredients will lead to unbalance. That’s why education on nutrition is important. That’s what we are doing at EQUALS. Introducing not only solutions but also teaching on why and how these solutions should be applied in each individual situation.”

“Hong Kong is a very busy city,” says Fai Kung, co-founder of EQUALS, while picking up another ringing phone in his busy office. “We barely have time to eat! Not to mention cooking. And cooking for pets – well, you can forget about it!”

For busy Hong Kong dwellers, EQUALS offer freshly made recipes, perfectly balanced and cooked to order. Packed in the form of meatballs (both cat and dog food) or sausages (for dogs), they only need to be warmed up a little before serving. The nutrition data available online goes far beyond the usual ingredients list. On the website you will find all the recipes with detailed information about each vitamin, mineral, acid and other nutrients that you won’t find on any consumer packaging.

It’s not always possible to get all the vitamins a dog or a cat needs in their normal daily food. That’s why EQUALS have created multivitamins and other functional supplements. Scientifically formulated to boost the immune system, heart, kidneys, liver and eyes. Also, improve the skin and coat, maintain healthy digestion, improve cognitive development and help our beloved animals age gracefully.

Organic growth

EQUALS, though a young company (three years old) have a big dream: to make cooking for dogs and cats a habit for pet lovers worldwide. Our main operations are in Hong Kong, and we have a small office in Amsterdam. We have just started in Singapore (with Amazon) and have plans for Shanghai in 2023. Kirill adds: “We don’t have an ‘industrial petfood’ mentality. We want to grow organically, and each new city starts with our kitchen, the heart of EQUALS. That’s how we can provide freshly made food made with local ingredients. Helping local farmers as well as avoiding using global supply chains. It’s a truly win-together attitude.”

Fai adds: “The market is quite congested, especially in Hong Kong. However, we have partners who stands for the same values as EQUALS and who can deliver the promise. Barkmall is a good example. On top of excellent customer service, they help us to build the EQUALS brand and awareness. Their team is young and willing to try new things (which is quite unusual). We truly appreciate their innovations and customer service excellence.”

“Your dog or cat is part of your family, that’s why we encourage you to cook for them once in a while. It’s a real labour of love,” says Paul Falla, Chief Creative Officer at EQUALS. “It’s an opportunity to increase the bond between you. It’s also the ideal way to create the perfect recipe, whether your cat or dog is a picky eater or has special dietary needs. Just think of all the benefits of balance. Healthier eyes, teeth and skin. Stronger bones. An improved digestive system and boosted immunity. Your friend will live a healthier, happier and longer life.”