James Bello

James Bello is the Co-Founder and CEO of Shameless Pets, a company that creates pet treats using upcycled ingredients that would otherwise go to waste.1 He founded the company in 2018 after a career at Target Corporation, where he worked in various roles including merchandising.24

Career Background

Before starting Shameless Pets, James Bello had an extensive career in retail and business:

• He worked at Target Corporation for several years, holding positions such as:

  • Principal, Innovation Food + Future
  • Sr Buyer Merchandising, TV
  • Enterprise Strategy Manager
  • Business Partnerships & Negotiations Leader - Grocery4

• He also had a brief stint as Head of Business Development, North America at INFARM from June 2017 to December 2018.4

Education

James Bello holds the following educational qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science in Finance from Miami University (2001-2005)
• MBA in Strategy from SDA Bocconi (2010-2011)
• He also studied at China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) in 20114

Shameless Pets

James Bello co-founded Shameless Pets in March 2018 with Alex Waite.34 The company's mission is to create healthy and environmentally friendly pet treats by upcycling human food waste.3 Since its founding, Shameless Pets has:

• Saved over 2 million pounds of food from becoming waste
• Expanded to sell in over 8,000 retail locations
• Grown from 4 product SKUs to 30, including both dog and cat treats
• Successfully raised funds through seed and Series A rounds12

James Bello's inspiration for Shameless Pets came from his observations of food waste in the grocery sector during his time at Target.2 The company collaborates with farmers and food processors to rescue nutritious ingredients that would otherwise be discarded, transforming them into healthy treats for pets.2