Simplified: Roxi & Co, a Sioux Falls pet shop, last week brought in $100,000 worth of dog food thanks to the generosity of NutriSource, a third-generation family business based in northern Minnesota. Here's how the two local businesses worked together to fill a need in the community.

Why it matters

  • Local animal shelters have been particularly strapped lately with rising costs of both pet food and veterinary care, all amid an increase in surrenders. That's part of the challenge Roxi & Co's store manager was describing to the folks over at NutriSource when she was asking for a donation to support local rescues.
  • The ask came at a good time, said Sabrina O'Brien, corporate communications specialist for the Minnesota company, because NutriSource just happened to have some inventory it needed to offload at a deeply discounted rate anyway. So when Roxi & Co asked for some support, they responded, "How much room do you have?"
  • Quite a bit of room, it turns out. Last week, Roxi & Co. received 28 pallets of dog food, which amounts to more than 33,000 pounds of food, all of which will be distributed to animal shelters in the area.
"It blew us out of the water," Roxi & Co Owner Telly Rollinger said. "We were just hoping for a handful of bags, and they called and sent that many pallets."

Tell me more

One of the big takeaways in all of this, Rollinger said, is the impact that local businesses can have on a community.

  • Roxi & Co as a business makes a point to stock products from family owned, multigenerational local and regional businesses, including NutriSource, which is one of the store's top sellers.
  • Rollinger credits his customers for their support, and said without them, Roxi & Co wouldn't have built the strong relationship it has with NutriSource.
"Our world revolves around pets, and that's where we focus most of our charitable giving," Rollinger said. "We wouldn't be able to do that if customers didn't support us."

For NutriSource, Roxi & Co stood out as a business that not only aligned with their values but could also do some real good with the donation. KLN Family Brands, the parent company for NutriSource, donates about $1 million each year, O'Brien said.

"It’s so nice to be a part of an organization where you can just feel the ripple effect of people giving back and people caring," O'Brien said. "We don't just care about pets – we care about people."

For Rollinger, the ability to donate $100,000 worth of food to Sioux Falls-area animal rescues is also a massive win during what's been a tough summer for the business.

  • Roxi & Co's store has been significantly impacted by the ongoing construction at Cliff Avenue and Interstate 229, which has meant a few slow months of business, Rollinger said.

What happens next?

Roxi & Co is still working out the logistics for how it'll distribute the 33,000 pounds of dog food, but Rollinger said the first step will be working with rescue organizations that have an established relationship with the business.

"We’re not some national company with stores all over the place," he said. "If we're going to have an impact, we want to have it right here at home."