Growlers Dog Bones celebrates 10 years!
A decade of creative partnerships, meaningful employment, and treats worth barking about!
Ten years. Ten paid employees with IDD. Thousands of dog treats. And tons of spent brewery grains put to good use.
Founded by Tina Garriott in 2016, Growlers Dog Bones turns spent grains from local breweries into tasty treats for dogs. Instead of letting those brewing byproducts go to waste, the team gives them a second life in its original dog bone recipe—made from scratch with peanut butter, local farm-fresh eggs, and grinding their own rice flour.
But the wholesome, all-natural treats are only part of the story.
Serving man and man’s best friend
Amy Noltemeyer founded Growlers Dog Bones in 2016. Tina Garriott joined as co-founder later that year, bringing her own energy and vision to the organization. Amy handed the business over to Tina in March 2019, and Tina crystallized its purpose.
Growlers Dog Bones is a nonprofit Social Enterprise whose mission is to create meaningful employment opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
Today, the organization employs 10 paid team members with IDD. Two of Growlers' bakers have earned Ohio Food Handler Certification, demonstrating their dedication to professional growth and food safety.
At SEA Change, we teach that social impact can be baked right into a business model in five core ways. Growlers is a great example of the employment model in action—the business creates and sells a product which provides job opportunities for people who deserve the chance to contribute their talents.
So, when you buy a bag of Growlers Dog Bones, you're not just treating your pup. You're supporting inclusive employment, too.
The power of creative partnerships
Tina and Amy completed SEA Change's Signature Cohort in 2017. They put the $23,000 in cash awards they received to work by hiring a kitchen manager and improving their packaging.
Since then, the organization has found new ways to connect its mission with the community:
18 local breweries like Columbus Brewing Co, Land Grant, and Thunderwing provide the spent grains.
Retailers like Lynd Fruit Farm, Weiland's Market, The Junto Hotel, and pet groomers help get the treats onto shelves.
And businesses like Atlas Butler and Nationwide Insurance have found ways to bring Growlers into their own promotions—from custom-branded treat bags to donations to local animal shelters.
In 2019, Growlers moved into donated space inside Mitchell Hall at Columbus State Community College, the home of the School of Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts.
One particularly big collaboration with Express Wash Concepts (ie. MOO MOO Car Wash) brought 17,000 packages of dog treats into its annual Dog Days of Summer promotion. That’s a lot of happy dogs—and a meaningful opportunity for the Growlers team to put its skills to work.
These creative partnerships help keep the business moving while bringing more people into its mission.
A decade of doing good
At SEA Change, we talk a lot about building businesses that do good from day one. Growlers Dog Bones is a reminder that nonprofits can be Social Enterprises who don’t have to rely solely on donations. Tina has found a way over the past decade to build a sustainable business model where every dollar helps further their social mission.
Congratulations to Tina Garriott and the entire Growlers Dog Bones team on 10 years of impact! Keep up the good work baking with purpose.
Want to support the mission?
Shop Growlers Dog Bones online or find them at a retailer near you.
If you want to learn how to start your own Social Enterprise, apply for a free SEA Change cohort (and join the ranks of awesome Alumni like Tina). Social Enterprise is the business of the future. Join the movement!
