When Newton resident John Edwards started researching pet food and comparing ingredients, he realized that Sasha, his golden Lab mix, might be healthier if she ate the same natural, fresher, and locally sourced foods as humans.

Edwards, 36, saw an opportunity for a pet food made in New England with organic, premium ingredients. He launched his company, The Well Fed Dog, in 2010, using unorthodox ingredients such as collard greens, blueberries, and celery and formulating recipes such as beef and sweet potato and salmon and pumpkin.