Why Dogsee Chew Refused A UK Distributor’s Demand To Drop ‘Made In India’

Pet wellness brand Dogsee Chew was once asked by a UK distributor to remove the ‘Made in India’ label from its products, reflecting the perception at the time that India was not known for manufacturing premium goods.

The startup refused. Instead, Dogsee Chew made the Himalayan origins of its yak cheese treats central to its brand story as it expanded across international markets, cofounder Sneh Sharma said during a panel discussion at Inc42’s ‘The D2C & Retail Summit’.

Sharma said the conversation around Indian products has changed significantly over the past decade, with homegrown brands and founders gaining greater recognition in global markets.

Dogsee Chew now earns around 95% of its revenue from exports, and operates across more than 30 countries.

Exports were born out of necessity for the startup rather than being part of its initial plans. As India’s pet care market was still nascent, Dogsee Chew decided against compromising on the ingredients or premium positioning of its Himalayan yak cheese treats to cater to the domestic market.

Its first international query came from Spain, following which the startup expanded into the UK, Europe, and the US.

The panel discussion, moderated by Clovia founder and CEO Pankaj Vermani, also featured Wagh Bakri director Paras Desai, Stelcore chairman and Globbel cofounder Bharat Mandot, and Da Milano director Shivani Malik.

The panellists discussed how Indian consumer brands can move beyond exporting products to building global brands around quality, experience, and authenticity.

However, building an overseas business involves costs that founders can easily underestimate. Mandot said brands must account for regulatory compliance across markets from the outset.

Packaging rules, statutory requirements, and country-specific compliances can weaken the profitability of an apparently lucrative export business if their costs are not factored in upfront, he added.

For Da Milano, international expansion is not limited to making its products available in overseas markets. The company also focuses on replicating its brand experience across geographies.

Malik said Da Milano has standard operating procedures covering store ambience, visual merchandising, music, customer service, and digital interactions. The aim is to offer customers a consistent experience irrespective of where they encounter the brand.

She added that Indian brands should leverage their roots rather than hide them, as global consumers increasingly seek authenticity and craftsmanship.

The larger opportunity for India, according to Malik, lies in moving from merely exporting products to building desirable global brands backed by world-class execution.

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