“We want the best for dogs and cats”
How did the ékinoé brand come about?
In 2018, I passed the refresher course and received training in the courseGraduate School of Economics and Business (ESSEC). I met there Eric, Ludovic and Olivier, became my partners. Brand equinox therefore, it was born from the meeting of 4 fathers interested in the future of the planet and the quality of food for pets.
Indeed, about 40% of dogs and 35% of cats France is overweight. Some suffer from food intolerances or allergies. In addition, the global population of domestic dogs and cats is estimated to consume approximately 20% of the animal protein produced each year. This production requires a lot of environmental resources and emits a lot of greenhouse gases. To overcome these challenges, we chose to work on insects.
This is how we created it equinox In 2020 – under full protection! Our website was created 2 years later. Our brand was referred to in the same year Crossroads.
What explanation is hidden behind this original name?
Equino It is formed from the combination of 2 words. “Eki” refers to the nutritional balance of the constitution of our recipes, and “noé” refers to the biblical character who built the ark to protect the animal species. My partners and I thought it was a great image.
Founders Erwan Le Bras, Éric Leconte, Ludovic Gay and Olivier Airiau / © ékinoé
What values guide you?
Our company is based on several values: transparency, traceability, but also respect for the planet, people and animals. We know exactly what the insects that enter our products eat. We can perfectly follow the plants fed to the larvae into the dog and cat bowls.
in the house of equinox, we take our positions. We decided to include maximum animal proteins in our compositions to provide the body of local carnivores.
What insects do you use? Why did you bet on these little animals?
We include 2 insects in our recipes: the mealworm (tenebrio molitor) and the black soldier flies (Hermetia illucens). They are rich in proteins, essential amino acids, as well as omega 3 and 6. In addition, they are highly digestible and naturally hypoallergenic for dogs and cats.
Plus, raising insects requires less water, food, and land than raising livestock and poultry. It also emits less CO2.
© equino
Where do your insects come from? Do they have an impact on biodiversity?
Our insects are bred France. They are fed French crops that do not contain GMOs and do not use antibiotics. Larvae grow naturally, then turn into protein powder and oil. We do not use the latter for technical and industrial reasons.
Our insects do not affect biodiversity as they are endemic species. On the other hand, since the larvae are not very mobile, they have little chance to escape. As for adults, they live only ten days.
How were Ekinoe recipes developed?
Recipesequinox formulated by nutritionist engineers specializing in the field of veterinary medicine. We want the best for dogs and cats. Due to their carnivorous nature, we required a high amount of animal protein provided by insects.
We also incorporate starchy plants, especially chickpeas and sorghum, which act as binders and allow us to control cooking. Indeed, without starch, the cooking temperature will be higher and the digestibility of the protein will decrease. It should be noted that sorghum is a naturally gluten-free grain that consumes few resources and is very resistant to drought.
In addition to croquettes made from black soldier flies, we offer nutritional supplements based on mealworms: “remineralization treatment” and “health premium”.
© equino
Also Read: Faced with the vagaries of life, a woman manages to climb a slope thanks to the unconditional love of her dog.
2023 is fast approaching. What are your projects?
The first goal is to gain fame. We want to promote our business and at the same time expand our customer and distributor base to further develop our business.
for now, equinox offers 2 food recipes suitable for adult or senior dogs and cats, sterilized or not. The difference is not in the composition, but in the amount of daily energy to be provided. We have built a calculator to the nearest gram so that owners can adjust the ration to their animal and its physical activity. Later, we plan to expand our range by developing a recipe especially for cats and puppies.
For more information, visit the ékinoé website by clicking here.
