Why We’re Barking About Just Be Kind: A Vet-Founded Brand Putting Dogs First
We recently had the joy of working with Just Be Kind, a pioneering vegan pet food brand founded by vet and animal welfare advocate Arielle Griffiths. As part of our packaging design project, Arielle kindly sent our Border Collie Olive a box of samples to try.
Spoiler alert: she’s now a superfan.
(The wet food - Give a Dog a Bean and Jumping Jack - didn’t last long. Nor did the Marshmallow Bites!)
But more than the taste, it’s the brand’s values and Arielle’s personal mission that make this project stand out. For anyone who cares about animals, ethics and nutrition - Just Be Kind is a name to know.
Image courtesy of Just Be Kind
From the vet clinic to the kitchen
With years of experience in veterinary medicine, Arielle became increasingly uncomfortable recommending meat-based diets to the animals she cared for. That led to a major pivot: launching a plant-based, vet-approved pet food range that supports dog health and aligns with animal welfare principles.
Today, Just Be Kind offers a growing collection of vegan dog meals, natural treats, hypoallergenic supplements, and even compostable poo bags - all built around the idea that pets deserve kindness at every stage of life.
And if you're curious to learn more about plant-based pet nutrition, Arielle hosts a brilliant podcast - Plant Powered Paws - where she dives into the science, stories, and ethical questions behind this growing movement.
Design with a gentle touch
We were brought in to design packaging that reflects the brand’s warmth and values. The result? A cohesive system of hand-illustrated ingredient sketches, playful pet icons, and tactile textures that bring clarity, charm, and credibility to the range.
From Shroom Paws to Cranberry Care, each label is built to feel personal and trustworthy - helping Just Be Kind stand out on shelves and build loyalty with conscious pet owners.
Read the full packaging design case study →
Just Be Kind x Yoke Creative Agency
Sustainability baked in
Just Be Kind doesn’t just talk the talk - it walks it. Arielle carefully selects suppliers who use plant-based inks, sustainable materials, and renewable energy. Compostable packaging isn’t a bonus - it’s a baseline.
This approach runs through everything, from the labels to the treats, and has helped build trust with customers who care as much about the planet as they do their pets.
Olive-approved (and on film)
To celebrate launch day, Arielle sent us a surprise box - and we filmed Olive (our in-house canine tester) enjoying every bite. Her verdict: clean bowls, tail wags, and hopeful stares for more.
You can watch the reel [on our Instagram] - it’s joyful, dog-filled, and a lovely glimpse into the product in action. Or see the version below for our case study.
Why we’re proud to support it
Just Be Kind is exactly the kind of business we love to work with: founder-led, ethically minded, and brimming with purpose. As creatives, it’s a gift to collaborate with someone as passionate and thoughtful as Arielle -someone using design, science and story to genuinely make a difference.
With loyal customers, growing retail interest, and a clear vision for what’s next, Just Be Kind is a brand we’re proud to stand behind.
Got a purpose-led brand that needs thoughtful, standout design?
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