After 15 years in the pet industry, Jess Berger sniffed out the missing ingredient in pet food shopping – joy. That's why she launched Bundle x Joy in 2022. The company bundles and delivers gut-friendly pet food, treats, and supplements (plus toys and care products). Their mission: to bring joy to every dog and their human.

"I really felt like purchasing pet food and pet products had become a bit of a chore, and not necessarily a joyful experience," she said. Part of the problem was the challenge of shopping for her Great Dane, Winston. Jess struggled to find pet food for his sensitive stomach, shopping at several stores to provide him with a nutritious diet while avoiding his food allergies and sensitivities.

Jess leads an all-female pack, representing a different kind of pet food brand. "Women buy about 80% of the pet products today," she said. "And I felt like there wasn't a very female-forward brand in the space." The company also supports other women entrepreneurs through mentorships and charitable donations. Plus, they sell hand-picked products from other women-owned brands.

Bundle x Joy caught on fast. It earned a seven-figure revenue in its first year. And in addition to its ecommerce operation, it now sells products through more than 1,400 stores. Jess attributes part of that success to finding reliable, cost-effective shipping services. "That's a huge part of our business. FedEx has been a lifesaver because we ship 40-pound boxes of dog food every day."

Jess also counts on her local FedEx Office® to help grow the brand. Like when she needed to print several thousand postcards to hand out at an event. And when she needed to ship 1,300 dog toys in 48 hours, she turned to FedEx again.

"It was the coolest thing ever," she said of the number of FedEx trucks that arrived to pick up shipments. "It's almost like somebody put out the rally cry that we needed help." Jess estimates her team shipped 1,000 packages in a single day.

Looking forward, Jess sees an opportunity to connect with more people like herself. "I'm a first-gen American Latina, and I share that as part of my journey and my story," she said. With more diversity among pet owners than ever, Jess sees "a huge opportunity for brands to engage this customer base and make them feel like they're important pet parents."

As a 2024 FedEx® Small Business Grants Program recipient, Jess plans to hire a warehouse manager. And as a growing team, Bundle x Joy aims to get gut-friendly dog food into more dog bowls.