In the small town of Lantana, Texas, two teenage sisters have turned a hobby into a thriving small‑business venture. Alexis Gray, 15, and Aubrey Gray, 12, founded Kopi Treats five years ago after a Christmas cookbook sparked an idea to bake homemade dog treats for neighbors at a garage sale.
From Garage Sale to Licensed Business
The treat‑making experiment quickly caught the attention of local shoppers, leading to word‑of‑mouth posts online and a steady stream of orders. In 2021 the Lantana Ladies League invited the girls to showcase their treats at a dog show, prompting their parents, Ashley and Matt Gray, to formalize the operation. The family filed an LLC in 2024 and began navigating the rigorous licensing requirements for pet food in Texas.
Product Line and Production
Kopi Treats now offers four flavors—bacon, peanut butter, carrot, and pumpkin—packaged in 20‑treat bags. All ingredients are sourced for natural, wholesome quality, and each batch is sent to a local laboratory for nutritional analysis and guaranteed‑analysis labeling, a step required for state licensing. The sisters operate a 10‑quart mixer and schedule baking days every other Saturday, sometimes adding a Sunday session to meet demand. A typical production day can yield three to four batches, enough to restock their inventory and fulfill retailer orders.
Retail Presence and Community Reach
To date, Kopi Treats has secured placement in eight Texas retailers, including Pet Wants locations in Roanoke and Plano, Little Joe’s Farmstead in Argyle, and even the unconventional Dusty Roads Bicycles bike shop. The girls also sell directly at local Saturday markets, where they engage customers with scripted product pitches and friendly cold calls—a testament to their growing business acumen.
Future Plans and Educational Goals
Both sisters view the venture as a launchpad for future careers. Alexis, now a sophomore at Guyer High School, is enrolled in two business courses and plans to major in business in college. Aubrey aims to study animal nutrition with a minor in business management. Their mother, Ashley Gray, credits “God’s hand” for guiding the endeavor and praises the sisters’ dedication and entrepreneurial spirit.
Community Impact
Beyond profit, Kopi Treats reflects a family‑centered approach to entrepreneurship, encouraging other young people in the area to explore business opportunities rooted in faith, hard work, and community support. The sisters’ story underscores how a simple idea, nurtured by family and local organizations, can blossom into a legitimate enterprise that contributes to the local economy.
Original reporting: Cross Timbers Gazette — read the source article.
