Mountain Dog Treats Named 2025 Made in Alaska Manufacturer of the Year

The Made in Alaska Program has named Mountain Dog Treats the 2025 Manufacturer of the Year, recognizing a Palmer-based business that has turned Alaska resources, family resilience, and purposeful manufacturing into a growing Alaska-made brand.

Mountain Dog Treats manufactures premium freeze-dried dog and cat treats using 100% wild-caught Alaskan salmon. Their Made in Alaska products include single-ingredient salmon treats, salmon mini training treats, and salmon topper, all produced without fillers or artificial additives.

But Mountain Dog’s story is about more than pet treats.

It is a story about overcoming obstacles, building something new, and choosing to manufacture in Alaska.

About the Made in Alaska Program

The Made in Alaska Program is a State of Alaska program run through the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, within the Division of Community and Regional Affairs. The program helps promote products that are made, manufactured, or handcrafted in Alaska and gives qualifying businesses the ability to use the Made in Alaska logo.

Each year, the Made in Alaska Program recognizes one business as Manufacturer of the Year, highlighting a company that demonstrates strong examples of overcoming challenges, business growth, innovation, community leadership, and collaboration.

AKMA is proud to work with the Made in Alaska Program as part of the selection process for this award. While the Made in Alaska Program leads the award and program administration, AKMA brings a manufacturing industry perspective to help celebrate businesses that are strengthening Alaska’s manufacturing economy.

Mountain Dog Treats is a strong example of what this award is meant to recognize: resilience, growth, innovation, community impact, and collaboration across Alaska.

Built from Resilience

Mountain Dog was founded by Kevin and Hannah Thompson and their family after a major life change.

Kevin is a U.S. Army veteran who served in Iraq from 2003 to 2004. After leaving the military due to injuries sustained in combat, he went on to work with companies supporting the Department of Defense, became a helicopter pilot, and later moved to Alaska with his family in 2016.

After contracting COVID and developing a secondary infection, Kevin spent 32 days in the hospital, including eight days on a ventilator. His recovery took more than a year and ended the aviation career path he had been working toward.

Out of that challenge, the Thompson family began building something new.

Before Kevin became sick, Hannah had purchased a Harvest Right freeze dryer to make healthier backpacking meals for their family. With Kevin’s background around farming, ranching, and animal care, he began looking closely at the dog treat market. After reading ingredient labels and talking with veterinary friends and local canine nutrition experts, he saw an opportunity to create a healthier, high-quality, single-ingredient treat.

That idea became Mountain Dog Treats.

Manufacturing in Palmer, Alaska

Mountain Dog has committed to manufacturing in Palmer using wild-caught Alaskan salmon. That commitment matters.

Manufacturing in Alaska comes with real challenges, including high shipping costs, supply chain limitations, and the complexity of scaling production in a rural state. Rather than outsourcing production, Mountain Dog has built lean operations, developed strong retail partnerships, and continued growing from within Alaska.

Since launching in 2022, Mountain Dog has grown from a small startup into a rapidly expanding Alaska manufacturer with products sold in more than 125 retail locations statewide.

That growth reflects what many Alaska manufacturers know well: building here takes persistence, resourcefulness, and a strong commitment to both product and place.

Ready for Larger Sales Channels

Mountain Dog is not only growing — they are preparing for the next stage of growth.

With products already sold across more than 125 retail locations in Alaska, Mountain Dog has shown that there is demand for high-quality, Alaska-made pet products. Their team has also continued increasing production capacity, expanding their product line, and building strong repeat demand through specialty retail, convenience stores, and direct-to-consumer sales.

Now, Mountain Dog has the capacity and interest to pursue larger sales channels.

That could include larger retailers, distributors, tourism-focused sales channels, pet industry buyers, corporate gifting, specialty outdoor retailers, or other partners looking for premium Alaska-made products with a strong brand story.

This is an important reminder that Alaska manufacturers are not always looking to stay small. Many are building the systems, capacity, and product lines needed to serve broader markets while keeping production rooted here in Alaska.

Innovation with Alaska Ingredients

Mountain Dog’s products combine Alaska-made premium nutrition with practical design for active dog owners, working dog handlers, and outdoor lifestyles.

One example is the company’s MK-9 Deployable Pack, a rugged, field-ready training treat system designed for quick access to high-value salmon treats during training, deployments, hiking, travel, and outdoor activities. Inspired by military and working-dog functionality, the pack is compact, durable, and easy to carry on belts, packs, or gear systems.

In September, the company plans to launch a new line of freeze-dried joint and calming supplements featuring Wild Alaskan salmon, Alaska-grown honeyberries, and other premium, all-natural ingredients. The new formulas are being developed to support targeted wellness for dogs and cats while reflecting Mountain Dog’s commitment to clean nutrition, responsibly sourced ingredients, and pet health.

This kind of product development shows how Alaska manufacturers can take local resources and turn them into value-added products with broader market potential.

Community Leadership and Veteran Support

As a family-run business, the company supports organizations that serve veterans and their families, including Miners Baseball Veteran Night, Alaska Healing Hearts, Battle Dawgs, Outreach 22, and Fallen Outdoors. Mountain Dog has also supported opportunities for young entrepreneurs, including Mat-Su Central’s Black Feather Market.

That community involvement reflects the broader role many Alaska manufacturers play. They are not just making products. They are supporting local jobs, local causes, and the communities they are part of.

Collaboration Across Alaska

Collaboration has been central to Mountain Dog’s growth.

The company works with Alaska businesses including Copper River Seafood for high-quality wild-caught salmon and JKD Brands for branding solutions. Mountain Dog also collaborates with Alaska retailers, gift shops, tourism businesses, pet stores, and convenience stores to expand the visibility of Alaska-made products.

Mountain Dog has also used promotions and monthly giveaways to highlight other Alaska-made and veteran-made businesses, helping bring more awareness to small businesses across the state.

This is exactly the kind of collaboration that strengthens Alaska’s manufacturing ecosystem. When manufacturers, suppliers, retailers, and service providers work together, the entire business climate becomes stronger.

Why This Award Matters

The Made in Alaska Manufacturer of the Year award helps bring visibility to businesses that are making, manufacturing, and producing here in Alaska.

Mountain Dog Treats shows what that can look like in practice.

They have overcome personal and business challenges.

They have grown into more than 125 retail locations across Alaska.

They have developed innovative products rooted in Alaska ingredients and outdoor lifestyles.

They support veterans, families, and young entrepreneurs.

They collaborate with Alaska businesses to strengthen the local economy.

Their story is a reminder that Alaska manufacturing comes in many forms. It can be food, gear, building materials, marine products, textiles, technology, pet products, and more. What connects these businesses is their ability to create value here, solve problems here, and build products that carry Alaska’s identity beyond their own community.

Congratulations, Mountain Dog Treats

AKMA congratulates Mountain Dog Treats on being named the 2025 Made in Alaska Manufacturer of the Year.

Their story reflects the resilience, creativity, and collaboration that define Alaska manufacturing. From wild-caught salmon to freeze-dried pet treats and new wellness products, Mountain Dog is showing what is possible when Alaska resources, entrepreneurial drive, and local manufacturing come together.

Congratulations to Kevin, Hannah, and the Mountain Dog team on this well-deserved recognition.

Interested in Carrying Mountain Dog Products?

Mountain Dog Treats has the production capacity and is actively seeking larger sales channels.

If you are a retailer, distributor, tourism business, pet industry buyer, corporate gifting partner, or organization interested in carrying premium Alaska-made pet products, this is a great opportunity to connect with a growing local manufacturer.

AKMA is proud to help make connections that support Alaska manufacturers and expand the reach of Alaska-made products.