Petco has partnered with dog nutrition brand Ollie to offer human-grade dog food to Petco customers.
The partnership, announced Tuesday, August 15, offers pet parents access to a service previously available only through a direct-to-consumer online subscription, making Petco the first national pet retailer selling pet products. ‘Ollie.
“The fresh food category continues to see incredible growth as pet parents seek the same high-quality ingredients for their furry family members as they do for themselves,” said Amy Collegedirector of merchandising at Petco.
The partnership is the latest example of Petco responding to consumers’ desire for humane grade animal carea trend PYMNTS noticed last year.
“As the relationship between people and their pets continues to evolve, we are constantly focused on customer feedback, understanding trends, what consumers are looking for and truly leading the way in innovation , design and functionality,” said Petco Senior Vice President, Omnichannel Experience Jenny Wolski said PYMNTS’ Karen Webster in a December interview.
His comments came after Petco CEO Ron Coughlin told investors and analysts that its company is now a “pet platform company” with 1,500 stores and an active customer base of more than 25 million pet parents.
Wolski elaborated on this point: “We have very rich customer data, we have a world-class enterprise data and analytics team, and we have a truly one-of-a-kind ecosystem. When we think about continually growing the ecosystem and platform, we look for partners who help fill a need in the pet space and are also the best in their respective fields.
Earlier this year, candy maker Mars said it aimed to double its sales by focusing on its pet-related business, as the relationship between people and animals evolved.
“Forty years ago, a pet lived in the garden,” CEO said Poul Weihrauch.
“Today, 80% of millennials in the United States sleep in the same bed as their dog.”
Meanwhile, PYMNTS wrote earlier this year that pet essentials “have become the central theme of the pet industry. For example, Soft May saw its biggest gain in nearly four years, fueled by the pet products company’s impressive sales, which exceeded expectations.
In a results release, CEO Sumit Singh says the retailer reached record levels in net sales per active customer and in sales through Autoship, which offers prescription refills, discounts and scheduled deliveries of supplies.
Intelligent animalsfor its part, launched a partnership with Instacart offering same-day delivery from 1,500 stores across the United States, making it easier for pet owners to purchase essential products.