Today we’d like to introduce you to Melody Lee
Hi Melody, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started Doodle Treats because my dog, Brobee, would always stare hungrily at me whenever I ate noodles. Like any dog mom, I couldn’t resist his big, round eyes and would give him a bite. But I knew my noodles—full of salt and seasonings—weren’t good for him in the long run.
That’s when I decided to create a pet-friendly version of the noodles I love so Brobee and I could enjoy them together! Since he loves meat, I started by making noodles out of chicken. I experimented with different flavors, and Brobee loved them all. And that was how Doodle Treats was born.
In July 2024, I launched our Cup Doodles at various pop-up markets across Southern California, and they were a hit! People were excited about our Asian-inspired flavors and wanted to try them all. We started with five flavors made from chicken and beef, but soon realized that many pets had allergies to these proteins. Customers began asking for fish-based options, which led us to create our Salmon Cup Doodle, infused with bonito flakes and kelp to mimic the dashi stock found in Japanese udon soups. Around the same time, we also released our Beef Pho Doodles, inspired by the idea of making a pet-friendly version of pho.
We’re still in the early stages of our journey and are always brainstorming new flavors so our furry customers can experience all the delicious noodle soups that humans love!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Our journey has definitely come with its challenges. We launched our pop-ups in the summer of 2024—one of the hottest summers Southern California has ever experienced. With each event, we learned how to adapt, eventually bringing multiple fans and shade structures to make it through the intense heat.
Another challenge was figuring out how to properly dehydrate different types of noodles. Creating our pho flavor took weeks because we struggled to remove the beef tendon noodles from the dehydrating racks. Our first few batches took hours just to peel them off! It was a frustrating but valuable learning experience.
In September, we expanded by launching on Faire, a wholesale platform for retailers nationwide. We were lucky to receive a surge of orders right away, but that came with its own set of challenges. Balancing wholesale fulfillment with our pop-up sales required careful time management. Wholesale orders had strict delivery timelines, but we also didn’t want to show up at our weekly markets with multiple flavors out of stock.
Despite these hurdles, every challenge has helped us grow, and we continue to refine our processes to bring the best noodle treats to pets everywhere!
We’ve been impressed with Doodle Treats, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
At Doodle Treats, we specialize in crafting cup of noodles for dogs and cats! Unlike traditional noodles, our noodles are made from meat, creating a fragrant aroma when mixed with water. What truly sets us apart is our commitment to Asian-inspired flavors, bringing the essence of beloved noodle soups to our furry friends. From Beef Pho and Salmon Udon to Cheese Curry Chicken, we recreate classic Asian noodle soups for pets!
We’re thrilled to introduce two exciting new flavors: Dan Dan Doodles and Tom Yum Goong Doodles!
• Dan Dan Doodles feature tender Chicken Doodles topped with peanuts, sesame, and goat milk, creating a rich, nutty, and creamy broth.
• Tom Yum Goong Doodles are Salmon Doodles infused with shrimp, green mussel powder, shiitake mushrooms, and cranberry powder, offering a seafood-packed experience for seafood lovers.
We can’t wait for our furry customers to try these new flavors, and we’re excited to continue innovating delicious, pet-friendly noodle treats! Stay tuned for more creations from us.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up, I loved eating noodles—I could enjoy them any time of the day! Coming from Hong Kong, I was spoiled with choices, from egg noodles and rice noodles to instant noodles. But when I moved to the United States, my options became much more limited. If I craved a particular type of noodle soup, I had to make it myself. That’s how I first learned to cook.
Beyond my love for food, I always enjoyed seeing others appreciate something I made—it motivated me to keep cooking. When I started Doodle Treats, it felt like hitting two birds with one stone. I was able to combine my passion for noodles with my love for making people happy by creating delicious treats for their fur babies.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.doodletreats.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doodletreats.co/
