Just Russel

Just Russel is a Belgian direct-to-consumer pet nutrition company that sells personalised food for dogs and cats. Pet owners complete an online questionnaire covering breed, age, weight, size, activity level, allergies or intolerances and daily treat intake; the company's algorithm and its veterinarians translate this into a tailored recipe and calorie-adjusted feeding plan, which is delivered to the customer's home. Personalised dry food forms the core of the offer, complemented by fresh food, wet food and snacks, available either as a recurring plan or as one-off purchases through an online shop [0][1][5].

Deliveries run on a flexible subscription cycle of roughly every four to six weeks, with free home delivery and the ability to pause, postpone, resize or cancel orders from a customer account or app ahead of a change deadline typically 7-9 days before the next shipment. Recipes can be swapped free of charge, first orders carry a 14-day money-back guarantee, customer service operates weekdays 8:00-18:00, and initial orders ship within two to four working days [0][1]. Before each delivery the company emails a reminder that lets customers add toys or treats, with the payment adjusted automatically [5].

The company positions itself as a data-driven, preventive-health pet tech business aiming to be a "HelloFresh for pets," operating from Ghent in Flanders with an internationalised footprint [3][5]."]

Founding story

Co-founder Victor Mortreu observed that although most pet owners want to give their animals the best care, buying the right food in the right quantities is harder than it should be; Just Russel was launched in February 2020 to solve this with an algorithmic personalised food plan delivered to the door [5].

Business model

Direct-to-consumer e-commerce: Just Russel sells its own personalised pet food directly from its website, bypassing pet shop and supermarket retail margins, and delivers to the home free of charge. Revenue is primarily recurring subscription-based, with an automatically recurring plan every four to six weeks and add-on purchases (treats, toys, fresh and wet food, snacks) either appended to a scheduled delivery or bought one-off through the shop [0][1][5].

Recurring subscription payments for personalised food plans, supplemented by one-off shop orders and pre-delivery add-ons; recurring payments are processed via a payment service provider [0][1][5].

Traction

The company reports more than 100,000 satisfied customers and serving over 50,000 pets per month; a 2024 customer survey of 259 consumers over three months found 93% noticed a difference within six weeks. It has grown to a headcount in the 51-100 range across marketing, engineering, operations and other departments [0][1][3].

Latest developments

Just Russel works with payment provider Mollie to reduce payment failure rates, improve conversion and support recurring cross-border payments as it expands into further European markets [5]. It has also attracted three international investors according to advisory firm The Harbour [4].