As pet ownership reaches an all-time high in the United States, the opportunities for pet retailers seem endless, including when it comes to developing pet foods, treats and private label supplements.
Kurt McCracken, vice president of business planning and category development at Simmons Pet Food, and Louis Greth, senior director of private brands, pets and babies at Walmart, joined Store Brands managing editor/associate publisher Greg Sleter, to discuss category trends at the recent Webinar on Store Brand Trends in Pet Products.
The dominant trend in this category is health and wellness, much like the food, drink and supplement trends that pet owners have turned to themselves.
“Shoppers are really looking for science-based food solutions, similar to how we eat on the human consumption side,” McCracken said. “Whether it’s the lack of negative effects or functional health benefits for their dog or cat, we’re seeing a lot of these trends as well. Humanization and “premiumization” are two big things that are similar, but different.
On the retail side, Greth said offering higher-demand, premium private label pet food solutions has been a balancing act as inflation continues to take a toll. impact on ingredient availability and manufacturing costs.
“Customers are not willing to compromise, just because times are tough, they don’t necessarily want to opt for something that may not be healthy or beneficial for their pet,” he said. -he declares. “It’s really on us as a retailer to ensure that we continue to deliver our products. How can we continue to provide high quality products at the best possible value, even when times are a little tougher and there are significant cost pressures? »
The event can be viewed on demand here.