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James Bello
Experienced Business Executive and Co-Founder of Shameless Pets
James Bello is the Co-Founder and CEO of Shameless Pets, a company that creates pet treats using upcycled ingredients that would otherwise go to waste.1 He founded the company in 2018 after a career at Target Corporation, where he worked in various roles including merchandising.24
Career Background
Before starting Shameless Pets, James Bello had an extensive career in retail and business:
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He worked at Target Corporation for several years, holding positions such as:
- Principal, Innovation Food + Future
- Sr Buyer Merchandising, TV
- Enterprise Strategy Manager
- Business Partnerships & Negotiations Leader - Grocery4
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He also had a brief stint as Head of Business Development, North America at INFARM from June 2017 to December 2018.4
Education
James Bello holds the following educational qualifications:
- Bachelor of Science in Finance from Miami University (2001-2005)
- MBA in Strategy from SDA Bocconi (2010-2011)
- He also studied at China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) in 20114
Shameless Pets
James Bello co-founded Shameless Pets in March 2018 with Alex Waite.34 The company's mission is to create healthy and environmentally friendly pet treats by upcycling human food waste.3 Since its founding, Shameless Pets has:
- Saved over 2 million pounds of food from becoming waste
- Expanded to sell in over 8,000 retail locations
- Grown from 4 product SKUs to 30, including both dog and cat treats
- Successfully raised funds through seed and Series A rounds12
James Bello's inspiration for Shameless Pets came from his observations of food waste in the grocery sector during his time at Target.2 The company collaborates with farmers and food processors to rescue nutritious ingredients that would otherwise be discarded, transforming them into healthy treats for pets.2
Highlights
It's been a blast working with Whole Foods Market in creating our #upcycled air dried dog food or topper! We're now live nationwide and exclusively with Whole Foods!! Go check it out and let us know what your pup thinks!! Great job Wendy Pawelek and Allison Sparks in bringing this from an idea to actual product in record time!!
Excited to announce our partnership with #VirginHotels!! Use link below to win a 2 night night stay with your pup and bottomless bags of treats!!! Great job Allison Sparks for bringing this to life!! https://lnkd.in/gWanGKXC
