LITTLETON, Colo. — Littleton-based, zero-waste pet food company, Goobr, has created a way to get dog food to pet owners without using traditional plastic pet food bags.
"We're the first. We actually have patented technology on vending bulk dry goods, especially in a solar-powered capacity," said CEO of Goobr, Tage Harding.
He took over the relatively new business in November 2025.
Denver7's Danielle Kreutter reports on the company's efforts to provide a more sustainable alternative for your furry friends in the video player below:
"I've always been in the pet industry, and love dogs, but I really wanted to make an impact in other ways as well," Harding said.
Typical dog food bags are made out of a type of plastic that can't go into a standard residential recycling bin.
"Plastic bags come from oil, so anytime that you're able to reduce that amount of any plastic that we're generating, we're reducing our overall dependence on oil, as well as the climate impacts," said Jim Lamancusa, CEO of The Pet Sustainability Coalition, PSC.
The Colorado-based nonprofit works with the pet food industry on sustainability initiatives.
"The last time that we did an industry wide survey was in 2019. At that point in time, it was 300 million pounds of pet food packaging goes into the landfill each year," said Lamancusa. He notes after the increase in pet ownership seen in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, it's possible that number could be even higher.
Goobr has eliminated the need for any dog food bags, at all. Customers can bring their own container to the Goobr vending machine located right next to the Belleview Station Dog Park. The machine also vends reusable bags for that purpose.
Customers use a touch screen to select a flavor (chicken or lamb), review feeding instructions or nutritional information, and the machine will dispense as much food as the customer wants.
"We try to use upcycled ingredients in our food as well. We use all parts of the protein that you think of. It's actually better for dogs to eat organs and sometimes bone meal," said Harding. He added that the company worked with General Mills scientists to formulate the AAFCO-certified recipes.
The PSC said what is inside pet food bags can often have an even bigger impact than the packaging.
"We try to educate our members to find the most environmentally-friendly protein source, which is typically using the whole animal. There's been a bit of a worrying trend in the industry towards what's being labeled as 'Human Grade' pet food, which is basically pet food that competes with the human supply chain," said Lamancusa. "We shouldn't be using whole chicken breasts and whole steaks to feed our pets, there's the other half of the animal that is actually more nutritious for the pet to eat."
Right now, Goobr food is made from a White Label manufacturer based in Colorado and delivered with electric vehicles in stainless steel containers. Harding said as the business expands, he's hoping to open up their own food-making facility in Littleton.
"This business makes an impact in so many different ways, with healthier food, a healthier planet, and happier customers," he said.
Goobr offers free delivery of their kibble and fresh food options. The vending machine is available 24/7. The food is stored in stainless steel silos in a climate-controlled environment run by solar panels.
For the kibble recipes, customers are charged $60 a month for an unlimited amount of food for one dog.
The vending machine can be found in the parking lot right next to the Belleview Station Dog Park.
