Founded on a simple idea, Whisker has developed into a widely recognised producer of highly functional Internet-of-Things pet products that make pet care easier and more enjoyable. The company manufactures self-cleaning litter boxes, automatic feeders, pet furniture and accessories that solve problems and are intuitive to use, thereby helping pet owners take better care of their pets. Although Whisker offers a variety of products, one clearly stands out: the iconic Litter-Robot. The automatic, self-cleaning litter box has become the highest-rated on the market and is now used by more than 1 million happy pet owners.
The most celebrated litter box in the world
How did it all start? Jacob Zuppke, Whisker’s CEO and President, explains that when Litter-Robot designer and company founder Brad Baxter inherited two cats in 1999, he decided to do something about the unpleasant and inconvenient chore of scooping.
It took him a year and several prototypes to design a self-cleaning litter box that would harness gravity to separate waste from clean litter. The breakthrough idea was a sifting rotational method that filtered clumps into a waste drawer, leaving a clean bed of litter for cats every time.
Since then, the Litter-Robot has undergone several major upgrades, with integrated WiFi and digital features, and the customer base has grown to reach 1 million robots sold by 2022.
In 2008, Whisker moved to a new factory in Juneau, Wisconsin, that has since expanded to match growing demand. Jacob Zuppke joined the company in 2015 as a consultant and moved through various roles in the business before taking the helm as CEO. Under his leadership and with a strong focus on digital marketing, the company has reached new heights.
Today the leader in its category, the company sells directly to the consumer through its own e-commerce platform. “Our strategy is to invest in tomorrow’s customer, not just today’s. We do this by placing our marketing focus on educating people on what the Litter-Robot can do to improve their lives rather than solely focusing on the immediate conversion,” says Zuppke.
The latest model, Litter-Robot 4, launched in 2022. The automatic litter box features integrated cat sensors that can better detect when the cat is using the box. After the cat exits the Litter-Robot 4, the globe fully rotates, sifting both solid and liquid waste into a large waste drawer. The sealed waste drawer, carbon filter and optional accessories result in excellent odour control. Litter-Robot 4 connects to the Whisker app, which monitors litter and waste levels as well as cat weight, and notifies pet owners when the drawer needs emptying.”
Continuous innovation
The Litter-Robot is designed, assembled, and serviced in the company’s 222,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Juneau, while Whisker’s strong engineering department and customer service centre are located in Auburn Hills, Michigan. “We are shaping the future of pet care through our own innovations and capabilities. I’m very proud that most of our revenue comes from our own websites, not from retailers,” says Zuppke.
He affirms that product improvement is a continuous effort at Whisker and the company has some exciting innovations in the pipeline. “My goal is to bring innovative pet care solutions to pets and their owners before they need them, such as tracking in real-time the pet’s eating and drinking behaviour as well as its weight, so that any irregularities can be flagged. That would be really helpful for both the pet and its owner.”
Since he joined in 2015, the company has been on a growth trajectory. Zuppke points out that scaling up manufacturing to keep up with consumer demand was the biggest challenge in 2022, coupled with supply chain issues and the busy period of launching a new product. All that has been handled well.
“Now in 2023, our biggest challenge is probably around building an inventive culture that allows us to continue bringing new innovations to market in smaller teams so that we don’t lose our inventiveness as we grow,” he says. “We need to get the balance between headcount growth and innovation, so that innovation accelerates, not slows down.”
Outgrowing the category
The plan is to double and later triple production output. This should be possible within the existing manufacturing facility without the need for further expansion, Zuppke explains. “The next step is to locate some of our suppliers closer to us. Adding another manufacturing plant somewhere else is not on our immediate radar.”
The company will focus on enhancing its identity as a pet technology company and Zuppke affirms that there is still an opportunity to grow within the cat segment. “We aim for omnichannel, worldwide development. To this end, the company has recently appointed an International Business Manager to oversee the global expansion.”
In addition to the US, the Litter-Robot is available in Canada, the UK, and the EU, where it is sold directly to consumers. Whisker also has a network of distributors to serve some Asian countries, Australia, New Zealand and Israel. “Our Canada business is very healthy, with the EU and UK business expected to grow significantly. There is a clear interest in the Litter-Robot on a global scale and we are set to make use of it,” Zuppke states.
In conclusion, he affirms that helping the company soar has been an exciting and rewarding experience. “It has been really exciting and fun to see we outgrew the company over and over again. Since 2000, we’ve helped pet owners outsmart daily chores by solving the problems that matter most.”
He affirms that the company will continue to focus on delivering solution-oriented products that are enjoyable and intuitive to use, improving the lives of pets and people alike.
To learn more visit: Litter-Robot.com
