Gaines Family Farmstead

Gaines Family Farmstead exists because of a dog named Beam. When the Gaines family's dog got sick from a rawhide chew, Dewar Gaines decided the pet treat market had a problem worth solving. In 2016, he and his brother Paden started hand-slicing sweet potatoes in a 700-square-foot barn in Birmingham, Alabama. The idea was dead simple: single-ingredient treats made from American-grown produce, no fillers, no preservatives, nothing a dog owner couldn't identify on sight.

That simplicity turned out to be the product's strongest selling point. Each sweet potato chew is exactly what it looks like — dehydrated sweet potato. The fries are sweet potato. The chips are sweet potato. When they expanded into protein treats, the same rule applied: one ingredient per product, sourced from American farms, with nothing added.

Dewar runs the company as CEO. The brothers grew the business from that barn into a multimillion-dollar operation that now sells through their own website, Amazon, Chewy, Costco, and TJ Maxx, plus more than 2,000 independent pet retailers nationwide. A TikTok video sent sales up 6,000% overnight, but the brand was already building steady demand through pet store shelves before that spike hit.

The company raised a modest $1.1 million Series B in 2023, but that's growth capital — Dewar still owns and operates the business with no PE acquisition and no corporate parent. The Gaines family name isn't just branding. It's the actual ownership structure.

Every treat is grain-free, preservative-free, and made without artificial flavoring. For dog owners who've given up reading ingredient panels full of maltodextrin and sodium tripolyphosphate, the Gaines label is a relief. One ingredient. American-grown. Done.

Products

• Sweet Potato Chews
• Sweet Potato Fries
• Sweet Potato Chips
• Beef treats (single-ingredient)
• Chicken treats (single-ingredient)
• Variety packs and bundles

Why We List Them

• Family-owned by brothers Dewar and Paden Gaines — no PE, no corporate parent
• Single-ingredient, American-sourced treats with nothing added
• Started in a 700-square-foot barn, grew through product quality
• No preservatives, no artificial flavoring, no grain fillers
• Available at 2,000+ independent pet retailers plus major online channels
• Featured by Business Alabama and Pet Age as a standout independent brand