Global Pet Expo Takeaways: Premium Foods

r From Pg. 43 nutrition and science in addition to our lifelong involvement in dogs – adding to this trust factor. We would like everyone to realize the passion we have for providing quality products to maximize the health and well-being of our beloved pets.”

Meanwhile, it was heartening to see so many international companies back at Global, he said. “We had many of our export distributors set up meetings and it was great to see them again. Some we haven’t seen since the pandemic started. We also had several new export distributors come by to learn about Annamaet as a company and the products we provide. We had meaningful conversations with people from 10 different countries, numbers we haven’t been seen since before the pandemic.” back about the relaunch of our SUMMIT product line as it appeals to both pre-existing and new consumers who are looking for premium quality nutrition at an accessible price point. We will use this feedback as we identify future opportunities to highlight the full Summit line-up and the differentiators of each recipe,” she said. body health for our pets.”

If the company’s messages had to be further distilled, however, Hagan said she hoped visitors would walk away with the message that, “We understand the importance of solution-based products, so we focus on providing solutions to the most common sensitivities for pets, like itchy bellies or sensitive tummies, which can benefit from a simple and nutritious diet. Whatever needs pets may have, Natural Balance provides recipes to help,” she said.

Reflecting on what was trending in the category, Hagan shared, “It is safe to say that sustainability has continued to evolve in the pet industry,” she said.

Representatives with Petcurean likewise took full advantage of the face-toface networking and education opportunities at Global to showcase what the company has been working on in the last year. “We were excited to attend Global Pet Expo and to educate retailers on our new innovations as well as provide them with proactive training and tools, all with a focus on pet nutrition and wellness,” said Natalie Asaro, Nutrition Manager. “Our goal was to help retailers understand the nutritional philosophies behind our new products: Go! Solutions Sensitivities Limited Ingredient Grain-Free Insect Recipe for Dogs and Go! Solutions

Global Pet Expo provided an opportune environment to connect with retailers and hear their feedback, said Theresa Lantz, Companion Animal Nutritionist. “We always view these as opportunities to source important insights that help influence our future innovations,” she said. “At Petcurean, we continue to be committed to offering expert solutions for the dietary needs of our four-legged friends, and this includes looking for ways to innovate with new recipe formulations to best serve the needs of our valued pets and pet parents.”

Skin + Coat Care

Large Breed Puppy + Adult Salmon Recipes with Grains for Dogs. In doing so, we offered two in-booth seminars—one that explored alternative / novel proteins and one focused on large breed dog nutrition. We were also thrilled to introduce our new University of Petcurean online platform and to relaunch our SUMMIT brand with new and improved recipes. We are so happy that we were able to come together again at Global. Overall, we had excellent engagement and interest in our new products, and we enjoyed great interaction at our in-booth seminars.”

Reception of the Summit brand has been very positive, said Victoria Byrne, Assistant Trade Marketing Manager. “We’re thrilled to have received a lot of retailer interest and positive feed-

That focus on dietary needs spurred Natural Balance Pet Foods to place their booth within the Natural Pet section of the show. “This year, the location of the Natural Balance booth was critical at Global,” said VP of Sales Darcy Hagan. “We chose to show in the Natural Pet section which best represents our company and our values. We had a lot to talk about during this year’s expo, including debuting our limited ingredient products and rebranded Original Ultra line. We were pleased to be kept busy meeting with valued customers and receiving positive feedback.”

Hagan said Natural Balance sought to emphasize a few simple messages for its booth visitors: “1) Our Limited Ingredient product line focuses on pets with food sensitivities, itchy skin, or sensitive stomachs. We’re excited to launch Natural Balance’s first-ever Limited Ingredient stews for dogs (coming soon) to further our leadership in this category. 2) In Fall/Winter 2023, our relaunched Original Ultra product line will hit shelves with delicious broth coating that makes these recipes an ideal choice for picky eaters. 3) Natural Balance remains independently owned and committed to serving the pet specialty channel with innovations that are solutions-focused and offer a balanced approach to nutrition to support whole-

This is an area where Open Farm shines. “Pet parents are looking for options that are not only best for their pets, but also kind to the planet,” said Open Farm Chief Marketing Officer Mark Sapir, prior to the show. “We are seeing this intersection work very well. It resonates with a growing audience, and we’re happy to see the overall category recognize it’s not enough to just deliver great nutrition, but we need to also be mindful of that path-to-market.”

Sapir lauded this year’s Global as a great show. “[It was] great to see our retail partners again and to share our progress together. Great to share our upcoming innovation and our continued plans to support neighborhood pet as well partner together on how we build our shared business moving forward,” he said. “Our retail partners continue to be interested in learning about our mission and together, excited to continue to find paths to make great nutrition to nourish pets and planet. We continue to be excited about our journey and appreciative of retailers that support us.”

Because Open Farm embodies a value that is increasingly dominant in the pet industry. “Pet parents overwhelmingly want nutrition they can trust, nutrition that will perform well, but also want in tandem with brands that are increasingly aware of impact their brand has on the planet,” Sapir said. “It is becoming more and more apparent that being kind to planet is not only possible, but in many ways can support and unlock great nutrition.”