Today we’d like to introduce you to Valerie Zapata.
Hi Valerie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
When Nashville Voyager first featured my business, I was known as the founder of Wet Nose Dog Food—a local Nashville company preparing fresh, human-grade meals for dogs. Since then, both my business and I have evolved in ways I never expected.
Today, that business has grown into Pure Pet Pantry. While my mission has remained the same, the way I serve pet owners has completely transformed.
When I first started, my focus was preparing fresh meals for local dogs throughout Middle Tennessee. There was nothing more rewarding than watching dogs thrive after switching to fresh, balanced nutrition. But as I deepened my education in food science, recipe formulation, and species-specific nutrition, I realized my impact could extend far beyond the meals I could physically prepare. I expanded my studies into both canine and feline nutrition, learning not only how to formulate complete and balanced recipes, but how nutrition truly affects the body from the inside out.
As I began sharing what I was learning through educational content online, something incredible happened.
People from outside of Nashville started reaching out. Then people from other states. Then clients from other countries.
I realized I could spend my life preparing meals for a few hundred local dogs, or I could teach thousands of pet owners around the world how to confidently nourish their own pets. That realization changed the direction of my business forever.
I used to think my purpose was feeding dogs. I realized my purpose is educating the people who love them.
Today, Pure Pet Pantry has evolved into a science-forward pet nutrition brand dedicated to making fresh feeding approachable, realistic, and accessible for everyday pet owners. I work one-on-one with families around the world through custom nutrition consultations, balanced recipe formulation for both dogs and cats, educational resources, and ongoing support. My consultation process doesn’t end after one appointment—every client receives two months of continued guidance while we monitor their pet’s progress, make adjustments when needed, and ensure they’re confident every step of the way. Nutrition isn’t a one-time conversation; it’s a journey, and I believe pet owners deserve support throughout that process.
One of the biggest surprises throughout this journey has been social media.
Ironically, I never wanted to become a content creator. I intentionally stayed away from social media because I wanted to maintain a healthy relationship with it. I knew how easy it was to become consumed by it, so when I finally committed to using it for my business, I approached it completely differently. Instead of consuming social media, I studied it like another profession. I immersed myself in learning algorithms, search behavior, storytelling, audience psychology, search engine optimization, viewer retention, and how people actually consume educational content online. What started as something I once avoided has become one of the greatest tools I’ve ever had to educate pet owners across the world.
That platform has also allowed me to build something I believe the pet industry desperately needs: a trustworthy place where education comes before marketing.
The online pet space has grown tremendously over the past few years, but it’s also become saturated with fear-based marketing, conflicting opinions, sponsorships, and content created for clicks rather than clarity. My goal has never been to create dependency on me. My goal is to give pet owners enough knowledge that they feel confident making informed decisions for their own pets. Whether someone chooses homemade food, a commercial diet, or something in between, I want them to understand the “why” behind those choices so they feel empowered—not overwhelmed.
That’s what makes Pure Pet Pantry different.
We’re building more than a nutrition business—we’re building a trusted resource centered around responsible pet ownership. I want Pure Pet Pantry to be a place where pet parents know they’re receiving honest, science-based education, practical guidance, and recommendations they can genuinely trust.
To support that mission, I’ve launched a Shopify storefront featuring products I’ve personally researched and vetted for ingredient quality, transparency, and overall safety. I don’t recommend products simply because they’re trending or sponsored. Every recommendation reflects the same standards I use for my own pets because trust is something I refuse to compromise. If I wouldn’t confidently use it with my own family, it doesn’t belong on my platform.
Everything I build has to answer one simple question:
“Would this have helped me when I was desperately searching for answers for Cash?”
If the answer is no, I don’t create it.
As Pure Pet Pantry continues to grow, so does my vision. I’m expanding our educational resources, creating grocery-store-friendly recipes that make fresh feeding more accessible no matter where someone lives, growing our cat nutrition resources, and continuing to make balanced nutrition easier and less intimidating for everyday families. My Shopify store will continue growing with carefully vetted products that align with my philosophy of clean, transparent nutrition, and I also look forward to introducing our own line of human-grade products—including skincare that can be safely used by both pets and the people who love them.
My hope has grown far beyond helping individual pets.
My dream isn’t simply to build a successful business. It’s to help raise the standard for pet health through education.
Every time a pet owner learns how to read an ingredient panel, understands balanced nutrition, asks better questions, or experiences positive changes in their own pet through nutrition, they’re helping create demand for greater transparency and higher standards throughout the pet industry. I believe meaningful change starts with educated pet owners.
Looking ahead, I hope Pure Pet Pantry continues to grow into a company that not only educates but also gives back. One day, I’d love to help fund independent nutrition research, support organizations dedicated to animal welfare and rescue, and continue creating educational resources that make responsible pet ownership more accessible to everyone. If I can use this platform to contribute to better conversations around companion animal nutrition and encourage greater transparency across the industry, then I’ll know I’m making the impact I set out to make.
Looking back, it’s incredible to think that adopting one little Craigslist puppy named Cash completely changed the direction of my life. At the time, I thought I was simply trying to help one dog feel better. What I didn’t realize was that he was leading me toward my life’s purpose.
I thought I was building a dog food company.
What I was really building was a mission rooted in education, science, transparency, and the belief that every pet deserves an owner empowered with knowledge.
Every consultation, every recipe, every educational video, every vetted product, and every conversation brings us one step closer to raising the standard of pet health.
And as much as Pure Pet Pantry has grown, I can honestly say this still feels like only the beginning.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Overall, this chapter of my business has been surprisingly smooth. The biggest challenge hasn’t been growth—it’s been learning how to organize and share everything I’ve learned. As I’ve continued expanding my education in pet nutrition, food science, and recipe formulation, I’ve found myself with more ideas than I have time to create. Finding a sustainable rhythm for consistently producing educational content while continuing to serve consultation clients has been my biggest learning curve.
Another challenge has been refining my services. As Pure Pet Pantry has evolved, I’ve learned what pet owners truly need, which has allowed me to simplify my consultation process into a more personalized experience that includes ongoing support and better long-term results.
Honestly, those have been good problems to have. They haven’t slowed the growth of the business; they’ve simply challenged me to become more organized, more intentional, and a better educator. Every step has reinforced that I’m building something with long-term purpose, and I’m excited for what’s ahead. If anything, my biggest challenge now is deciding which idea to bring to life next.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
If someone had asked me a few years ago what I did, I would have said I owned a fresh dog food company. Today, I’d answer very differently. I’m a pet nutritionist, recipe formulator, educator, content creator, and founder of Pure Pet Pantry. My days are spent researching nutrition, creating balanced recipes for both dogs and cats, working one-on-one with pet owners through consultations, and sharing science-based educational content that makes pet nutrition approachable instead of overwhelming.
Beyond nutrition, I’m passionate about clean living for the entire family—pets included. I believe the products we bring into our homes matter, which is why I’m intentional about researching ingredients, vetting every recommendation I make, and creating a trusted space where pet owners can feel confident in the choices they’re making. Whether it’s food, supplements, or products I feature through my Shopify store, if I wouldn’t use it with my own family, I won’t recommend it.
More than anything, I hope I’m known for my heart. I genuinely care about the people and pets I serve, and I think that’s what truly sets both me and Pure Pet Pantry apart. My goal has never been to tell people what they have to do—it’s to educate, encourage, and empower them with honest, science-based information so they can make the best decisions for their own families. If I can help even one person feel more confident in caring for their pet, then I know I’m doing exactly what I was meant to do.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I’ve learned that growth requires the courage to evolve. The biggest risk I took was walking away from what was familiar to build something with even greater impact. That decision allowed Pure Pet Pantry to grow from serving one community to helping pet owners around the world. Some of the greatest opportunities in my life have come from trusting my purpose more than my comfort.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Purepetpantry.com
- Instagram: @purepetpantry
- Other: TikTok- @purepetpantry
