When it comes to her pets, Kelly Costello has always had a sense of occasion. As a child, she hosted weddings for the family dogs, a tradition she carried into adulthood, throwing birthday parties for her four pups.
That love of celebrating dogs inspired her to create Puppy Cake, the company she founded in 2007 to make dog-friendly cake mixes and treats. At the time, she was working in marketing when she came across one of her client’s old ads for a birthday cake mix — and her mind immediately went to imagining what a canine version would look like.
“That was my lightbulb moment,” she recalled.
Costello started researching canine nutrition and experimenting with recipes in the kitchen of her tiny one-bedroom Pittsburgh apartment. She whipped up carob- and banana-flavored cakes, which became the foundation for her first products.
Today, Puppy Cake offers dozens of dog-friendly treats, from its best-selling peanut butter cake mix and birthday cake to shelf-stable ice cream (the only canine ice cream available online).
“I pour my heart into every recipe, ensuring that each product is something I’d be proud to share with my own dog,” said Costello.
Her passion for celebrating pets has resonated with customers. Puppy Cake has grown into a multi-million-dollar company, operating out of a 19,000-square-foot factory in Portersville, Pennsylvania, and peaking at employing 22 people. All ingredients are sourced in the U.S and everything is manufactured on-site, a point of pride for Costello, who is committed to creating jobs in her community while delighting customers nationwide.
Much of the brand’s success, she says, is thanks to her Amazon storefront, which has often topped the cake mix category—beating even human-focused brands. In addition to selling online in the U.S. with Amazon and at retailers nationwide, Puppy Cake caters to Canadian customers via Amazon Global, making her dog-friendly treats available to even more pet lovers.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see how a simple, thoughtfully made cake can bring people together, strengthen the bond between pets and their owners, and sprinkle a little extra happiness into everyone’s day,” she said.
For Costello, her work is about more than just sales: it’s about helping pet owners turn everyday moments into joyful memories.
“Whether you’re marking a milestone or just looking to add a little sparkle to your pup’s day, I’m here to help make those moments unforgettable,” she says. “Here’s to many more joyful, tail-wagging celebrations together.”