As a private chef, Ricky Acain is well accustomed to culinary creations for humans. But it wasn’t until recently that he applied his skill set to clients of the four-legged variety.
Launched in September 2022, Middletown-based Sonny Nation Dog Food Co. offers “human grade” dog food made from locally sourced ingredients.
The business takes its namesake from its first two “customers” – Acain’s dogs, Sonny and Nation.
“I was feeding my dogs kibble and their stomachs weren’t taking it so great,” Acain said. “I started adding fresh turkey, things like that to enhance it and make it better.”
But these additions raised expenses on an already pricey, high-end kibble base. Looking for a more affordable option, Acain scrapped the kibble and began making all of his dogs’ food from scratch.
With ingredients such as chicken, kale, pumpkin, quinoa and beef, the food could pass as a meal made for humans if not for its mixed-in nutritional oil supplement, Acain said.
The business currently offers weekly delivery on Aquidneck Island and is also a regular presence at farmers markets in Newport and Middletown.
Acain plans to start selling at small stores that carry premium dog food, and eventually he hopes to break into big-box stores such as Walmart.
