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5 clever ways a New York startup turned our doggie devotion into more than $200 million a year

Bark, the maker of the “Dognald” chew toy, is teaching the pet industry new tricks.

5 clever ways a New York startup turned our doggie devotion into more than $200 million a year
Georgia, a 4-year- old terrier mix, rips into Zoe the Zombie Squirrel. [Photo: Arturo Olmos]

The New York–based startup behind the popular dog-toy and dog-treat subscription service BarkBox is an emerging player in the $86 billion pet industry. Bark produces more than 35 playful, pun-in-cheek products each month—a fiery-haired “Dog­nald” chew toy and “Playwatch” squirrels dressed as lifeguards among them—and sells them via subscription boxes, retailers including Target and Urban Outfitters, and on barkshop.com. Here are five ways Bark turned our doggie devotion into more than $200 million in revenue a year.

Pick the right pack

After cofounding Bark in 2012, CEO Matt Meeker, along with creative lead Henrik Werdelin and COO Carly Strife, built out a team that includes veterans of legacy toy makers such as Lego, Mattel, and Hasbro, plus stand-up comedians who know their way around pop culture. Together, they come up with toys that are both functional and whimsical.