Jim Schifman and Melissa “Lissie” Rappaport Schifman — a husband-and-wife team who live in the Cedar-Isles-Dean neighborhood — always had separate careers.
He’s in retail sales and marketing; she’s in finance and sustainability. But they share a love of nature and food, and they believe business can be a force for good.
With Jim’s decades of experience in the pet industry, he saw an opportunity to launch a mission-driven company that could help improve the planet.
He also recognized a need for more innovative dog toys and treats. When he brought the idea to his wife a little over five years ago, she agreed — with one condition: the products had to be made in the U.S., as sustainably as possible. That’s how Project Hive Pet Company was born.
Their mission to save bees was sparked by a 2008 article in The Guardian declaring bees the most important species on the planet. Bees pollinate about a third of our food, including berries, apples, and almonds. Inspired, Jim and Lissie converted most of their lawn into a perennial wildflower garden and have seen the benefits of bee activity firsthand, year after year.
Why do bees need saving?
“It’s like many broader sustainability issues,” Lissie said. “The widespread use of harmful insecticides and herbicides and the impacts of climate change all play a role. But one of the biggest problems is habitat loss.”
That’s why Project Hive donates a portion of every purchase to planting acres of healthy wildflower habitat — a measurable, achievable goal that supports not only bees but also other critical pollinators like butterflies, hummingbirds and insects.
While their goal is to protect all bee species — honeybees and native bees alike — the honeybee aesthetic lends itself well to their brand.
Their Hive Chew Toys resemble beehives, the Hive Fetch Stick is shaped like a honey dipper, and the underside of the Hive Disc features a hexagonal honeycomb pattern and doubles as a lick mat for dogs.
Their Hive Chew Treats are beehive-shaped as well, and each treat contains a small amount of honey to reinforce their mission.
In 2023, they launched the Hive Scented toy collection, featuring aromas of vanilla, lavender, wild berry, coconut and mango — scents inspired by plants that feed or rely on bees. “They smell great to humans, too, and are especially engaging for dogs with poor eyesight,” Lissie noted.
Beyond product design, Project Hive promotes bee conservation through blog posts and social media.
“Climate change and biodiversity loss are the two greatest threats to planetary health,” Lissie said. “Transforming lawns into wildflower gardens helps with both. It also reduces water and fertilizer use and improves air quality — less lawn means less mowing.”
Jim is particularly excited about their latest innovation: the Hive Zoomer Collection, a patented, U.S.- made dog toy launcher he describes as “the easiest, most accessible fetch toy ever invented — so much better than the competition.” The Hive Zoomer recently received the BlogPaws Best Award for Innovation.
To date, the company has planted about 35 million square feet of wildflowers across the U.S. through its partnership with The Bee & Butterfly Habitat Fund. They’ve also launched a similar habitat-planting program in Canada to support their Canadian sales.
Jim is proud of what they’ve accomplished — but he’s not stopping here. His mantra? “The more dog toys and treats we sell, the more bees we save!”
Project Hive Pet Company is B Corp Certified and a member of 1% for the Planet. Their products are available on their website, Amazon, Chewy, and at many local retailers.
