She Made: discovery & recovery of Ukraine
Dog Treats Production “Myas-Myas”
Natalia Vysotska
*The article contains descriptions of traumatic events. If you are sensitive to such topics, please proceed with caution.
During the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a Russian missile struck the house where Natalia’s grandmother lived and where her father was staying that day while caring for her. Natalia’s father was killed along with nearly all the other residents. Only her grandmother survived.
While sheltering in a basement and caring for immobile relatives during the occupation of the Chernihiv region, Natalia Vysotska and her husband conceived the idea for their business. It was a time when both people and their pets faced an acute shortage of food.
The project “She Made: discovery & recovery of Ukraine” was created by Marie Claire Business Ukraine and UN Women Ukraine funded by The United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF). WPHF mobilizes critical support for local and grassroots civil society organizations working on women, peace and security and humanitarian action. WPHF is a flexible and rapid financing mechanism supporting quality interventions designed to enhance the capacity of women to prevent conflict, respond to crises and emergencies, and seize key peacebuilding opportunities.
- Natalia, you arranged for us to meet at "The First Cannon." Could you tell us about this local tradition?
Natalia Vysotska: Yes, we’re in a very important park. These cannons were once used to defend the city during World War I. For us, Chernihiv residents, it seemed like this would be the first place Russian invaders would destroy, but fortunately, this landmark survived.
There are twelve cannons here, and we have a myth, a legend: when a girl wants to turn down a boy, she arranges to meet him at the thirteenth cannon. He comes, but there are only twelve. The thirteenth cannon does exist, but it’s not here—it’s a more decorative one located in the city center.
“When I worked as an employee, I always had the feeling that I would 100% have my own business! But when? With what money? It seemed so difficult. I couldn’t even save for a vacation, let alone start a business.” — Natalia Vysotska, founder of the dog treats production “Myas-Myas.”
- How did you decide to become an entrepreneur?
Natalia Vysotska: I was born into a family of entrepreneurs. Both my mother and father were sole proprietors their entire lives. I understood what it meant to work not for someone else, but for yourself. I saw how they developed their ideas, created marketing cards back when the word "marketing" probably didn’t even exist in our language. I was five years old, and even then, I was captivated by it! I was inspired over and over again by what they did.
When I worked as an employee, a marketing specialist, I always had the feeling that I would 100% have my own business someday! But when? With what money? It seemed so difficult. I couldn’t even save for a vacation, let alone start a business.
When Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, I realized that I had lost my job in that moment. During the first week of the war, all I wanted was to survive. And then, on March 3, 2022, a Russian missile struck my grandmother’s house, killing my father.
It’s hard for me to talk about this, so I need to take pauses…
Because of the constant shelling, the debris couldn’t be cleared, and my father’s body was retrieved only on the thirteenth day after he died. Fortunately, I didn’t see this.
I didn’t see the funeral or how his body looked when they finally recovered it. And I think this helped me process the loss more easily.
I’m a strong person, and many of my friends, colleagues, and peers have told me that no one else could have endured such a loss the way I did. Of course, it hurts. My father and I were very close. We had a unique, though not always simple, relationship. It was like the clash of two elements that can’t coexist—water and fire. We argued constantly, but at the same time, we loved and supported each other deeply.
He always said that a person can survive anything. I would argue with him: "What about death? A person can’t survive death, right?" He believed that when a person dies, their trial is over. I’ve accepted this, and it makes it easier for me to live with.
“At night in the bomb shelter, lying among other people, mostly elderly who also couldn’t leave, I had plenty of time to think: what do we want, and what should we do next?”
When my father passed away, it gave me a sort of push. I realized that the same thing could happen to me. In just a moment—there was a person, with dreams and plans, and then suddenly, they’re gone. This thought propelled me to consider: "If not now, then maybe never."
My grandmother survived the missile strike that my father didn’t. She was the only survivor in that house. She suffered a concussion. My husband’s grandmother also had a stroke. So, they wouldn’t have been able to endure the journey to relocate. But most importantly, our family simply didn’t want to leave. Everyone helped the city and the people in whatever way they could, until the very end. My parents used to say they would leave Chernihiv only if they died, and my husband’s parents believed that we would persevere and that there would be no need to leave. We stayed and volunteered.
I remember lying at night in the bomb shelter, among other people, mostly elderly who also couldn’t leave. I had plenty of time to think: what do we want, and what should we do next?
It sounds liks
“We spent 300 UAH on our first one-time purchase of offal. Now, a single purchase costs 12,000–13,000 UAH.”
The idea for creating dog treats was sparked by the need to feed our dogs—me feeding Zephyr (the name of Natalia's dog—Editor's note) and my mom feeding her two pets. At that time, of course, we weren’t making treats but food: we would cut up lean offal and vacuum-seal it. The idea was to create ready-to-use meal kits for dogs with a long shelf life and easy preparation.
Previously, I lived day to day and didn’t have any reserves. When there’s no food, you can tell yourself, "Well, if there’s no pate, there will be potatoes." But how do you explain that to a dog? That the city is under blockade, and there’s nothing to eat? For example, my mom’s dog turned gray from the constant explosions.
Today, I recall it more easily, but back then, it felt like we were living in some kind of survival game: finding food for ourselves, finding food for the dogs… My mom occasionally brought ground meat from bombed-out stores, and we split it among the dogs. But Zephyr needed specialized food because of allergies.
One day, my mom brought a massive amount of offal—about 100 kilograms—from some warehouse. It smelled terrible. But that was the first spark of the idea. We cut it all up and gave it away. Cut and gave it away. And then I thought, "Food made from such natural ingredients could be defatted, pre-cut, and sold for dogs. Why isn’t anyone doing this?"
My husband said, "Who’s going to do that? It smells awful and is disgusting." I replied, "We will! We’re already doing it."
In April, after the Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated Chernihiv Oblast, pushed back Russian troops, and lifted the blockade, I seriously started considering this idea. We began searching for suppliers.
That’s how our business started with 4,300 UAH. Of that, 4,000 UAH went toward buying a vacuum sealer for pre-cut offal to sell portioned dog food. The remaining 300 UAH was spent on our first one-time purchase of offal.
Now, a single purchase costs 12,000–13,000 UAH.
It sounds like
“Honestly, many people believed in me, but the idea itself had to be defended constantly. It’s hard for people to believe in something that doesn’t exist yet.”
- Who supported you during that time?
Natalia Vysotska: Honestly, many people believed in me, but the idea itself had to be defended constantly. It’s hard for people to believe in something that doesn’t exist yet. For instance, when you say you want to open a cafe, people understand the concept: how to open it, how customers will come. The business model of any cafe is clear to everyone. But when you say you’ve come up with an innovative approach, you have to "sell" the idea. You have to convince people that it’s really worthwhile! And then you encounter thoughts like, "Why is this necessary? I can just do it myself! I can buy the same meat and cut it myself."
When you’re starting out, you constantly face these "why" questions. We were compared to butchers, waste processors... It’s hard to imagine, but it’s true. This is my life, and we chose this path for ourselves.
We want to convey to a wide audience the idea that you can’t just feed your dog anything. You need to make conscious and thoughtful choices. I understand that we’re addressing the challenging topic of promoting responsible pet care, but that doesn’t stop or demotivate me.
I’m a very goal-oriented person, and it so happens that everyone around me, especially my family, is also highly determined. Everyone believes in each other wholeheartedly. And as long as I don’t give up, they won’t give up either.
- Did you immediately reach the level of having your current 100 m² production facility?
Natalia Vysotska: In 2022, when we came up with the idea of cutting and vacuum-sealing offal, we were doing everything in our own kitchen, meticulously sanitizing to maintain sterility.
If bacteria got into the vacuum-sealed product, that was it—the product would spoil. It was critical for us to ensure everything was clinically clean. However, creating a hygienic environment in a home kitchen was incredibly challenging.
Initially, we operated on a very small scale because people didn’t fully understand our product. In 2022, we purchased our first dehydrator and started drying treats. We opened a store, but unfortunately, it burned down in 2023. That’s when we decided to launch an online store, completely stop cutting offal for food, and focus exclusively on drying and selling through Instagram. The demand was overwhelming, and we struggled to meet our clients’ needs. As production volumes grew, our neighbors began complaining about the constant smell.
Later in 2023, clients started asking us to bring back the natural food line and reopen a physical store.
Understanding the workload and responding to our neighbors’ concerns, we decided to move production to a separate private house. However, we eventually reserved that space for personal use and found a dedicated workspace with a 100 m² area. It was perfect for us, both in size and because it had an industrial ventilation system. By then, demand had far exceeded supply.
We couldn’t keep up. There were waitlists several weeks long, and we shipped orders with significant delays. But people were willing to wait. For comparison, we now ship orders within one or two days.
“We strive to set an example of responsible pet parenting and conscious production. It wasn’t easy, as this was my first time building a business and certifying a product that didn’t previously exist, but it was important to us, so I decided to pursue it.”
- How do you form your product range and where do you source your raw materials?
Natalia Vysotska: We have agreements, not directly with farms, but with intermediaries who purchase meat from farms. They provide all the necessary certifications for the products. Geographically, these are regional farms: two in Kyiv Oblast, one in Chernihiv Oblast, and one in Ternopil Oblast. Each of them offers a unique assortment.
Since I’m a marketing specialist, I shaped our product range based on in-depth analysis. Now, I understand what’s in demand. But back then, we tested in very small batches, as we didn’t have a "safety net" in case my hypotheses failed.
In 2022, we worked with only one supplier. We spent the first year accumulating knowledge. Later, we borrowed about 8,000 UAH from my mom and purchased our first dehydrator on an installment plan to start drying treats. Initially, we sold through small pet stores. Over time, we’ve gradually developed the market, and while similar products are now beginning to appear, back then, we created everything from scratch, as no established technology existed. Later, we took it a step further and developed technical specifications for voluntary certification, even though it wasn’t required by law.
We strive to set an example of responsible pet parenting and conscious production. It wasn’t easy, as this was my first time building a business and certifying a product that didn’t previously exist, but it was important to us, so I decided to pursue it. Currently, we sell fruit leather, pet-friendly cookies, and dehydrated treats made from offal with added chamomile, sesame, and herbs.
- Do you have plans to export your product?
Natalia Vysotska: Honestly, it’s very challenging because there’s no existing certification for such a product abroad. Obtaining one is either extremely expensive or requires me to have EU residency and collaborate with local suppliers who already possess the necessary certifications.
For now, we don’t plan to adapt to these markets and are focusing more on Ukraine.
However, our treats can easily travel as gifts with people going abroad. If you purchase our product, we research the transportation regulations for treats and provide special labels.
This allows you to safely take our vacuum-sealed treats and transport them to any country where it’s permitted.
- The project by the National Network for the Development of Local Philanthropy, through which you participated and received equipment funded by UN Women Ukraine and WPHF—what did it provide for you?
Natalia Vysotska: Honestly, it was an incredible grant from the fund! My mom was involved in securing it, and we were thrilled when we received it. We were able to purchase a full range of equipment and utensils all at once. We established a dedicated confectionery workshop where we produce cookies and plan to create croissants for dogs. This grant provided us with crucial support.
- What are your other development plans?
Natalia Vysotska: We’ve already created tasting boxes tailored to the breed of your dog. Moving forward, we plan to expand our confectionery department and start making cakes for dogs, as celebrating pets’ birthdays has become very popular. People create social media pages for their dogs, turning them into influencers, and, in general, your dog deserves its own celebration.
We understand that the growth of the meat market and its high consumption poses a challenge for the planet. However, our product is a byproduct, and we work with parts that are typically discarded. Some of these items are even provided to us for free because they would otherwise be thrown away, and we repurpose them for dogs.
"That said, we’re developing a direction that will allow us to transition to plant-based products. We want to expand into alternative proteins like turkey and quail, while also creating and growing a vegan product line featuring pumpkin, apple, banana, sweet potato, and beetroot. We even have a vegan fruit leather called 'Borscht,' which is entirely plant-based."
- What other social initiatives do you support?
Natalia Vysotska: We collaborate with several shelters on a regular basis, providing them with monthly food support. Additionally, shelters often contact us directly for help—for instance, to raise funds for specific food supplies or to share information about a dog or kitten in need of a home. We never say no, but we address these requests gradually, as there’s a constant queue of such appeals.
From personal experience, I know how challenging this can be. For example, when I was raising funds for the unit where my stepfather served before becoming disabled, my audience was hesitant to respond to direct requests for the military. In such cases, I support the Armed Forces of Ukraine by offering my marketing expertise for their needs free of charge. Currently, our audience is highly engaged in supporting initiatives for military dogs, dogs evacuated from frontline areas, and dogs who have lost limbs.
We’ve truly built a focused community with a social mission: to raise awareness that animals need help. They have no one to support them and cannot even ask for assistance. So, help them however you can: if you don’t have the funds, take a shelter dog for a walk. If you don’t have the time but can afford it, consider sponsoring an animal online until it finds a home. You can cover their medication, temporary care, vet visits, or other needs.
I convey our values through social media. We host live streams where we discuss pressing issues and challenges of pet care. For example, what to do if you adopt a shelter dog that remembers its old name and doesn’t respond to a new one? These are common issues in pet adoption, and I believe they are particularly relevant right now.
“Even though we’ve only been around for a year and a half, it’s rewarding to see how we’re inspiring other small businesses as we continue to grow.”
- What is your business dream?
Natalia Vysotska: My dream is to scale our production, and I’m thrilled that we’ve developed ideas that set trends. Many brands have reached out to me, asking, "Can we also make fruit leather?" Well, I can’t stop you. Of course, you can! With different flavors—please, go ahead!
Although we’ve only been in business for a year and a half, it’s rewarding to see that we’re influencing the direction of other small businesses while continuing to grow ourselves.
My dream is to expand our production to the point where I can employ my entire family. My husband and I dream that when we have children, they’ll be able to work in various roles within the company to explore their interests and discover what they truly want in life.
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The idea and coordination of the project: the UN Women Ukraine team. The civil society organizations that were involved in selecting entrepreneurship stories: The National Network for the Development of Local Philanthropy.
Media Expedition: General Producer of Marie Claire Business and Project Creative Director: Julia Brosko. Head of Brand Marie Claire Ukraine: Kateryna Fastovets. Expedition Team Administration: Yanina Provotar. Photos on this page: Nadia Berska. Video: Marharyta Omelchuk. Editing: Viktor Khodosov. Texts: Julia Brosko. Retouching: Olena Chykylova. Web: Vitalii Provotar. Expedition Driver: Svitlana Sapon.
The United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) is the only global mechanism exclusively dedicated to supporting women’s participation in peacebuilding, security processes, and humanitarian assistance. Governed by a group of representatives from civil society, governments, and the UN, WPHF is a multi-partner trust fund that mobilizes urgently needed funding for local, women-led organizations and works alongside women on the front lines to build sustainable peace.
Since 2016, WPHF has provided funding and strengthened the capacity of more than 1,000 local women’s civil society organizations working on the "Women, Peace, and Security" agenda and implementing humanitarian initiatives in 41 crisis-affected countries worldwide.
This publication is produced with funding from the United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF), however, the views expressed and content included does not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.