February 2023 Pet Insight

February 2023 Global Pet Expo 2023 Preview

An insider’s guide for attendees at the industry’s must-see show:

• Which products they can be first to market with

• Which trends are driving purchasing decisions

• How they can increase basket rings

• Who they can count on seeing

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Special Report

Chewy

Online leading pet retailer Chewy was launched in 2011 by Michael Day and Ryan Cohen. The partners had a dream of providing pet owners with accessible, high-quality pet supplies and products through online shopping.

Cohen and Day used their own cash and took out small loans to jump start their vision of building a large e-commerce business.

decided on this location due to shipping convenience: the ability to provide overnight shipping and delivery to consumers in areas such as Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. Later that

dependent retailers who rely on loyal consumers within the community to shop local.

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“Building off our relationship with both pet parents and veterinarians, Chewy is uniquely positioned to make pet healthcare more accessible and affordable for every American household. By making these types of medications more widely available, we want to better serve pet parents who need a customized solution in an otherwise limited marketplace.”

— Mita Malhotra, Chewy

Today, the company has more than 20,000 employees, 9 million square feet of fulfillment centers, more than 2,000 brands and 24 locations.

History

After the initial launch of Chewy in 2011, Cohen strenuously worked to ensure Chewy’s success through various business ventures. In the beginning, he traveled to Silicon Valley from the company’s South Florida headquarters in order to demonstrate how Chewy would be successful to potential investors, but many rejected the offer to invest. In 2012, the duo met with Larry Cheng at Volition Capital and pitched Cheng the idea. After the initial meeting, Cheng turned down the idea, but six months later, had reached out due to the company exceeding expectations of its sales projections. This led Cheng to officially invest $15 million in the company.

In an interview with Harvard Business Review, Cohen expressed what the investment meant to him and how the weight of the partnership would impact future plans.

“From that point on, the mission was larger,” Cohen told Harvard Business Review. “I was even more committed to making Chewy an industry leader, because it was no longer just our own money on the line. Larry had gone out on a limb for us. I felt that responsibility.”

In 2014, the company had found its fulfillment center in Mechanicsburg, PA. According to Cohen, the company

year, Chewy opened a 400,000-squarefoot facility for distribution.

The company was able to continue growing and expanding through various partnerships and investments. By 2016, Chewy’s revenue was $901 million and growing 100 percent each year. This success led the company to looking into an IPO. This endeavor led the company to its partnership with PetSmart. In 2018, Cohen decided to leave the company, a year before the partnership. The same year, Sumit Singh became and has remained CEO.

PetSmart Acquisition

While Chewy was looking into an IPO, PetSmart reached out with an offer to acquire the company, which led Chewy to pivot and agree to sell the company for $3.35 billion in 2017, which is regarded as the biggest acquisition in e-commerce history.

In 2019, PetSmart and Chewy announced that the two companies would split and continue forward as two independent entities. The split followed PetSmart ultimately realizing the decision was not the best for the company financially and going their separate ways gave the company an opportunity to focus on amenities such as pharmacy and veterinarian services.

While the merger was great for some in the industry, the news of the split gave independent pet specialty retailers some peace of mind, according to officials. The merger impacted the market and industry as a whole, and at the center of that impact were smaller, in-

Although Chewy launched its online pharmacy services in 2018, the company expanded these services to include compound medications in 2020 as a promise to service veterinarians in the future.

“Building off our relationship with both pet parents and veterinarians, Chewy is uniquely positioned to make pet healthcare more accessible and affordable for every American household,” said Mita Malhotra, Vice President of Healthcare at Chewy. “By making these types of medications more widely available, we want to better serve pet parents who need a customized solution in an otherwise limited marketplace.”

Chewy has always kept pets’ needs as a top priority, and the expansion of medical services reflects that, especially through the company’s new partnership with Lemonade Pet, a leader in pet insurance. This partnership expands CarePlus, Chewy’s insurance and wellness offerings launched just four months earlier than the announcement of the partnership. Millions of consumers will be able to conveniently select and create plans that meet each pets’ needs.

“Chewy launched CarePlus to help make pet healthcare more affordable and accessible. Finances are a main barrier when it comes to pet health, and we don’t want pet parents to choose between their pets’ health and their financial well-being. We are proud to partner with Lemonade to broaden our offering and meet more pet parents’ needs. Together, we share a deep commitment to innovation and delivering a customer-centric, digital experience to make insurance simple for everyone,” said Malhotra.

Special Report

Online Pet Merchandising

The pandemic forced consumers to turn to shopping online, and many realized the ease and convenience of utilizing the channel. Retailers had to make investments in new infrastructure to keep up, but they also got to reach consumers in more remote areas that they traditionally would have missed. All of these factors, coupled with the increased number of pet adoptions in recent years, has everyone now vying for a piece of the online pet merchandising pie. It’s quite substantial: the American Pet Products Association (APPA) last year announced industry sales hit a record $103.6 billion in 2020 and was projected to reach $109.6 billion within 2022. Within those figures, Packaged Facts reported roughly 30 percent of those 2020 sales were made online, a 6 percent increase over 2019.

These e-commerce players now include companies like Chewy and Amazon that emerged in the online space along with traditional mass retailers like Walmart with the infrastructure, manpower and wherewithal to develop and grow their own omnichannel strategies. While these giants continue to battle it out over their online shares, advocates for independent pet retailers also insist there is a place for them in the omnichannel space, but it will likely involve a pooling together—or alignment—of resources in order to compete against these pet retail behemoths.

Battle of the Titans

According to Packaged Facts’ data covering 2021 to 2022, Amazon led all online pet product sales, following by Chewy and then Walmart.

Last spring, Amazon celebrated its first Amazon Pet Day. Though introduced as a way to mark National Pet Month, the special occasion was more akin to the online retailer’s regular Prime Days that feature significant sales and specials across a host of merchandise categories; in this case, all the categories were under pet. Industry watchers were quick to point out this was one of the more aggressive plays on Amazon’s part in order to chip away at Chewy’s hold on internet sales. Tom Ryan shared in RetailWire last May a bit more history: “Amazon became more

serious about the pet category in 2018 with the launch of its private label dog brand, Wag.”

Ryan’s piece posed the question of whether Pet Day would hurt Chewy, which reported quarterly losses at the time tied directly to continued supply chain issues and out-of-stocks. Gene Detroyer, Professor of International Business at Guizhou University of Finance and Economics and University of Sanya in China shared, “Pet Day is all about trial and conversion. The Amazon retail business is based on developing one ‘go-to’ place. They see the weakness (particularly out-of-stocks) in the Chewy business as an opportunity to convert Chewy customers. Unlike Chewy, Amazon is not known for pet products yet leads in the share of online business. This salvo will not only grab share from Chewy but any other player that stumbles. The pet care business is hugely desirable for retailers. It carries a high degree of loyalty, and it seems to be inflation- and recession-proof. It is a perfect target for Amazon.”

Ricardo Belmar, Retail Transformation Thought Leader, Advisor and Strategist added, “Prime Day has shown us that Amazon absolutely has an opportunity to compete in almost any category online. With pet food, Chewy’s advantage is the great relationship they have built with their customer base. Amazon will try to entice those shoppers to buy during Pet Day with the hope they build a muscle memory and just keep coming back to Amazon as they do with other product categories. Definitely something to watch and see. I expect Amazon will have a successful Pet Day based on their own customer base that may not have tried Amazon to order pet products before, but less likely to succeed winning those loyal Chewy customers. The real question here is how Chewy will continue to grow their customer base and take share away from Amazon. It is an uphill battle, and we may see Chewy more focused on taking share from other sources in the near term.”

In the third quarter of 2022, Chewy reported to investors net sales of $2.53 billion, an improvement of 14.5 percent year over year. And net income was $2.3

million, a marked improvement over a loss of $32.2 million in Q3 of 2021. “We delivered double-digit top-line growth and expanded our gross adjusted EBITDA margin. Customer engagement remains high as Net Sales per Active Customer, or NSPAC, reached a new record of $477.”

“Chewy’s third quarter results showed accelerating double-digit topline growth, sustained gross margin expansion, and solid free cash flow generation. The fact that we are simultaneously driving top line growth and expanding margins is yet another proof point of our ability to get big fast and get fit fast, regardless of the macro environment,” said Sumit Singh, CEO of Chewy. “Our results are a clear indication of the resiliency of the pet category and how Chewy’s compelling value proposition of low prices, personalized service, and delivery convenience across a broad selection of products continues to resonate with our customers.”

To Belmar’s point about the solid customer service built into Chewy’s business model tailored to pet parents, the company in 2022 had also expanded its CarePlus suite of insurance and wellness offerings, with plans provided by Lemonade. “Combining products from Lemonade and Trupanion under the CarePlus banner enables us to diversify our product offerings across the full spectrum of price points and coverage options in order to meet the needs of a wider range of pet parents,” the company told investors.

Chewy also launched its first private brand in pet wellness last year: the Vibeful line of pet supplements. “The non-prescription pet health and wellness category has an estimated 2022 TAM of more than $2.4 billion and given the increased consumer focus on wellness and the ongoing trend toward pet humanization, we believe this launch gives us another opportunity to strengthen our connection with customers and drive top- and bottom- line results.”

In response to the unique needs of its supplier partners, Chewy in No-

r Cont'd on Pg. 8

Special Report: Online Pet Merchandising

r From Pg. 6

vember launched a beta version of its sponsored ads program, the company described in its Q3 Fiscal 2022 letter to shareholders, “dedicated product placements on Chewy.com that promote specific products from select vendors. With these ads, our suppliers can seamlessly advertise to our 20-plus million active customers. We believe sponsored ads will enable us to scale contextual advertisements, which in turn should deliver highly relevant products to customers and high-margin revenue to our business.”

With the full launch on track for 2023, Chewy is demonstrating a commitment to manufacturers in a way that Amazon can’t support, at least not without outside help. According to Channel Key, a full-service channel management marketplace consulting agency that has helped generate nearly $500 million in Amazon sales for retail brands worldwide, “Online marketplaces are becoming more crowded by the day. There are currently more than 6 million third party sellers on Amazon, an increase from 2.5 million just two years ago. The longer pet brands wait to establish their presence on platforms like Amazon, the more competitive these marketplaces will grow.”

Meanwhile, traditional mass retailer Walmart hasn’t exactly been twiddling its thumbs either with regards to pet. It’s Ol’ Roy private brand dog food has been a mainstay of its pet inventory since 1981 (nothwithstanding current manufacturing challenges). The company went online in earnest beginning in 2019 with a focus on services, launching PetRx along with pet care clinics at select stores, and in 2020 announcing the launch of Walmart Pet Care, a full-service, omnichannel pet care offering that would leverage industry-leading providers to be able to provide a host of pet care programs under one umbrella, including Walmart Pet Insurance and services like dog walking and pet sitting.

“We’re on a mission to help families live better—and that goes for pets, too,” Melody Richard, Merchandising VP, Pets, said. “Especially as adoption rates soar as a result of the pandemic, and

more people become pet owners, this was the perfect time to launch expanded services in Walmart Pet Care for our customers. As the most shopped omnichannel retailer for pet products, our new pet care services and support offer our customers trusted, convenient services that provide the exceptional care their pets deserve.”

Talk Business & Politics touched on some of these providers helping Walmart round out its entire omnichannel suite of services, shortly after the company announcement. The first providers for the in-store pet clinics were Essentials Pet Care and VetIQ. Pet sitting and dog walking services are offered through a partnership with Rover. Pet insurance options come through working with Petplan.

Carol Spieckerman, CEO of Spieckerman Retail, told Talk Business & Politics that Walmart’s expanding pet portfolio mirrors its expansion into people’s services and healthcare. “If anything, ignoring the pet opportunity would have created a gaping hole in Walmart’s growing suite of services,” she said. “The only challenge is one of awareness and integration. As Walmart extends its tentacles into new businesses, getting the word out and articulating benefits and a clear value proposition is of utmost importance.”

The Independent Channel

Watching from the side lines, the rapid growth of omnichannel among retail powerhouses has set the independent pet retail channel on edge, even as neighborhood mom-and-pop pet stores who’ve served their respective communities sometimes for decades try and catch up with both the technology and its applications in the online world. In recent years, some smaller operators have embraced consolidations or connecting with a larger franchising enterprise in order to have access to a more solid technological infrastructure to integrate online.

Still others are continuing to soldier ahead in whatever capacity they have. Luckily for them, there is support to be found in IndiePet, an organization of independent pet retail peers founded to empower fellow neighborhood pet retailers to collaborate where opportunities lie in order to sustain the health of

the overall pet industry. The organization has been busy building up a number of programs for its members.

“IndiePet is working hard to help the administration of mom-and-pop retailers,” said IndiePet Executive Director Todd Dittman. “One example is a new education platform that will help store owners train their employees on store operations, products on hand, and customer service. IndiePet has also created a mentorship program where a store owner who needs advice on a specific project, can set up a few calls with another member who has been there and done that. IndiePet is also in the process of creating shared human resource assets like staff retirement programs that make it affordable for mom-and-pop stores to offer added benefits to their employees. And if a store owner wants to jump to a franchise operation like Earthwise or Pet Supplies Plus, who are also IndiePet members, we can help connect them to the right contacts.”

Overall, “The health of the independent pet retailer is stable,” he said. “Even in the face of historic inflation, the members I talk to tell me their business is either maintaining or slowly growing. They have expressed that some products are doing better than others—like food vs. toys—but their loyal customers continue to come in for their product knowledge and pet services.”

Without Amazon’s ability to sidestep most supply issues, supply chain unpredictability continues to vex small pet retailers, but again, IndiePet has provided the forum for key players to share information about how to communicate these hiccups to consumers. “One issue still facing the independents is supply chain shortages,” Dittman said. “In a recent IndieChat member call on the topic, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers all discussed how each can address the issue and work together to keep the customer experience at the independent pet stores a positive and recurring trip.”

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Market Focus

Phoenix

Theshare of households in the Phoenix metro area collectively own more dogs and cats than any other big city dwellers, according to a report from Axios last fall, which is backed by data from the US Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey. The survey found that only Riverside, CA recorded more dog owners per household, and Phoenix ranked third in cat ownership behind Philadelphia and Seattle. Also nothing to sneeze at: while 782,000 households in the Valley have at least one dog, about 36,000 households keep small mammals as pets, 66,000 have fish, 53,000 have birds and 62,000 have reptiles.

In summary: Phoenix is a vibrant, pet-friendly marketplace in which a mostly mild climate—summers being the outlier—and ample access to open spaces and various natural areas only make it that much more enticing for residents to want to share their lives with one or more animal companions. Pet retailers spanning the spectrum from mass retail to independent neighborhood pet stores have for decades staked their claims on the region, meeting every need and whim of local pet owners while also helping them learn about new innovations in the always growing pet marketplace.

Early Southwest Pioneers

Though Phoenix-based, PetSmart Founder Jim Dougherty technically began his Petfood Warehouse enterprise in Las Vegas, he astutely noted both markets were ripe for pet retail innovation in the early 80s. According to media reports, Dougherty’s proximity to Phoenix from his then home base of Las Vegas gave him the insight that there was a large canine population in the Southwest region and that grocery stores were where pet owners were buying their pet food. The pet retail opportunity could not have been clearer.

In light of PetSmart’s growth and av-

erage store size, Dougherty saw more opportunities. He went a step further in 2005 by founding Petsense in nearby Scottsdale, AZ, conceived of as a smaller format store serving primarily small and mid-sized communities. It was acquired by Tractor Supply in 2016, which at the time consisted of 136 stores, and last year it was rebranded as Petsense by Tractor Supply.

Matthew Rubin, SVP and GM of Petsense by Tractor Supply said shortly after the rebranding that there were now 187 stores with more to come. “We have had such great success at Petsense over the last couple of years,” he said. “Certainly we’ve had some tailwinds that have been beneficial; customers moving away from the cities, a little bit more towards ex-urban and rural environments where a lot of our stores are located so that’s been helpful, record high pet adoptions and the humanization of pets and the premiumization of that category is certainly helpful to the overall pet industry.”

PetSmart, now the No. 1 pet retailer in North America by number of store locations, has continued to grow and evolve with the times, conceiving of and testing new initiatives in its fertile home headquarters region. In 2022, the retailer announced the launch of PetSmart Veterinary Services (PVS), an opportunity for veterinarians to own a business via a franchising arrangement given that industry consolidation has progressively squeezed out indepen-

dent veterinary practices.

“PetSmart already has one of the largest veterinary offerings with more than 700 partnering veterinary hospitals inside our stores providing convenient access to quality pet care,” said J.K. Symancyk, President and CEO of PetSmart. “With the PVS independent ownership model, we can bring our size, capabilities and expertise as the leading pet retailer to support veterinarians seeking the independence and rewards of owning a practice. These efforts will provide critical veterinary care to the rising number of pets and pet parents and is an important part of our growth strategy to give our customers all the products, services, solutions and care they need within one location.”

In September, the first veterinarian hospital under PVS opened in nearby Peoria, AZ. “PetSmart Veterinary Services is all about putting veterinary hospital ownership back in the hands of veterinarians,” said Dr. Jaime Klimsey Pickett, DVM and Owner of the location. “Since I began practicing veterinary medicine, I have seen the difference in the care provided to pets and the happiness and fulfillment of the veterinarians themselves when they are in control of their own business. This independent ownership model empowers doctors to continue to do what they love while supporting their own career and personal development. It is a win-win for veterinarians across the country.”

Relative newcomers to the Arizona landscape are also evolving products and services for pet owners. With five in-state locations, Exceptional Pets was founded in Phoenix in 2019 and is marketed as an all-inclusive pet destination that features services and amenities like a pet salon and spa, preventative and emergency veterinary care, resort boarding and day camps, while also carrying an assortment of pet food and supplies. Its resort stay options come with 24-hour access to medical care and

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Market Focus: Phoenix

three walks a day along with daily food and treats.

As a means to better introduce its updated suite of services particularly after its acquisition by Destination Pet in 2020, Exceptional Pet partnered with a local law firm to launch the inaugural No Stray Left Behind food drive this past December to benefit the pet food banks at the Arizona Humane Society and Lost Our Home Pet Rescue.

Homeless Pets Advocates

A higher density of pets overall goes hand in hand with the higher incidence of homeless animals as well. Agencies like the Arizona Humane Society and Maricopa County Animal Care & Control make regular pleas via local media in advocacy for the homeless pets in their care as they regularly hit capacity.

Lisa Thayer, Owner of Gordy’s Goodies Pet Food and Supplies, told VoyagePhoenix, that long before the idea came to her to open her own store, she’d spent considerable time working for the Arizona Humane Society in various roles all to support the adoptions of pets. “This was a place where people could look at pets available for adoption in a retail setting,” she said. “Many people have a hard time walking into shelters, so this concept was reaching people who otherwise would not adopt a pet. It also had all the retail needs for the pet and pet parent, so it was a one stop shop.”

Describing herself as a “crazy” animal lover, Thayer said the experience helped her cultivate an appreciation for how to promote pet adoption. Following the death of her old English sheepdog named Gordy who died of lymphoma when he was 12, Thayer sprung into action. “I decided that I would use my years of retail experience and knowledge to open a store that could offer the best customer experience along with education for pet parents on the best things they need for their pets. I always say happy pets make happy pet parents. But this was only half the concept. The other half was to continue working to help the animal rescues in the valley. So I picked a location where we have an enclosed area indoors so local rescues can hold adoption days all year round.”

She explained, “The homeless animal population in Maricopa County is one of the highest in the country. It’s important these rescues have a place to get their animals seen and hopefully find their forever homes.”

Sustained Demand

A built-in demand for all things pet comes with Phoenix’s dynamic population. “Due to the city’s large and growing population of pet parents, there is a high demand for pet-related products and services, which makes the Phoenix marketplace stand out,” said Todd Singer, Regional Sales Manager – West, with Animal Supply Company (ASC).

Laura Leah English, co-Founder and CEO of Pet Planet, with 13 stores in Arizona—three specifically in the Phoenix area—can attest to that. “The Phoenix valley is a great place to live and an even better place to live with pets,” she said. “It is consistently ranked as one of the cities in the United States with the highest dog population. With the state’s abundance of trails, lakes and wide-open spaces, it attracts families of all kinds, and many of them have pets. Arizonians are active—they love the outdoors and spending time with family and friends. They are wonderfully diverse and they value balance in their lives. They are conscious of their own health and well-being and consequently they are also concerned with the health of their pets.”

Pet Planet originated in Canada and still operates nearly 50 locations north of the border. Yet Arizona is the only US state to attract English when she was looking for growth opportunities. “We were attracted to the Phoenix area for a variety of reasons,” she said. “We believe Pet Planet is a unique retailer with higher standards, and we did not see anyone else in the market that met those same standards. We also believe that there are many consumers looking for an alternative to the ‘big box’ retailer. They are looking for a store right in their community, with only healthy products they can trust and people who can help them in their guardianship journey.”

Andy Avigdor, who owns the My Pet Market chain of eight pet retail stores in the state, said the region is simply teeming with opportunities to enjoy pet ownership. “The Phoenix marketplace offers

an abundance of pet-friendly activities,” he said. “From countless dog parks and hiking trails to pet-friendly dining, our initial enticement to the Phoenix marketplace was the excitement of bringing high-quality pet nutrition and product options to the area. Phoenix enjoys seven months a year of 70 degrees average weather, giving pet parents plenty of great weather to exercise and socialize their pets. Phoenix pet owners as sociable! Active, indulgent and obsessed for their pets. Pet-friendly activities are expected. We see good growth opportunities in the Phoenix area.”

That is the kind of impetus for ASC to ensure it has a solid operation servicing the area. “Like many other distributors covering the Phoenix market, our distribution center is located in Southern California,” Singer explained. “We make deliveries into the market on a daily basis to service our retailers. We also have a dedicated territory sales manager that is in the market, on a monthly basis, visiting retailers.”

ASC has healthy and strong partnerships with Phoenix retailers, helped along by hiring and retaining talent who understand the pet industry, Singer said.

“Our goal is to be their first call and distributor of choice,” he said. “We continue to expand our portfolio with new and innovative brands, which provides our retailers with growth opportunities. We have the best and brightest teammates at ASC. Our territory sales manager in the Phoenix market grew up in independent pet and has experience in managing a pet store prior to joining the company. She possesses a great mix of knowledge which allows us to be successful and connect with retailers.”

Beyond cultivating a great customer experience for ASC’s partners, Singer corroborates several factors that have made Phoenix a fruitful region for ASC and pet ownership in general.

“Retailers dedicated to providing the best possible options for our pets,” he listed. “A growing population, rising pet ownership and spending on pet care; high year-round temperatures lend to more pet activity and increased demand for pet services; and the availability of pet friendly communities, parks and hiking trails.”

Global Pet Expo Preview

Dental Care

Global Pet Expo exhibitors representing the dental care category run the gamut. For some, this year marks their debut at Global and for others, it’s a milestone anniversary in the industry. Uniting these exhibitors is their energy and enthusiasm for teaching retailers and pet owners there are affordable and practical ways to tackle dental care issues at home between visits to the vet.

The No. 1 thing Oxyfresh wants retailers to see at their booth is “that we are more than an incredible pet dental company,” said Chief Marketing Officer Melissa Gulbranson. “We have some amazing pet grooming and pet mess cleaning products. They are perfect for the pet parent who is looking for non-toxic and safe solutions for pet odors.”

This year is meaningful to exhibitor Pet King Brands as the company has reached a milestone anniversary of serving the pet industry.

“2023 is a special year for Pet King Brands as we celebrate 25 years as an industry leader in pet health products and the innovator of enzyme-based dermatology and oral care products for animals,” said Debra Decker, Director of Marketing. “And at Global in celebration we want to say thank you to all of our loyal distributors and retailers who have made our ZYMOX products the No. 1 ear and skin solution that pet parents demand for at-home care of their pets.”

“As we continue to grow our product lines, we are introducing at Global several new specialty pet products for small animals and exotics, birds and reptiles—and another not-yet-announced new product for our dermatology line!” Decker continued. “All of our products are antibiotic-free, veterinarian-recommended products, are easyto-use and get effectiveness from the patented LP3 Enzyme System.”

“Pet King Brands will always continue to strive to meet pet parents’ needs through new products that will help their pets without antibiotics or concern of side effects commonly associated with medications,” she added.

While some companies are commemorating a decades long tenure in the pet industry, other companies are looking forward to putting their best foot for-

ward as first-time exhibitors. This year is the first Global that Bow Wow Labs is exhibiting at.

“We’re excited to make a big splash!” said Johnna Devereaux, VP, Marketing and Chief Nutrition Officer for Bow Wow Labs. “The No. 1 takeaway we want retailers to see or experience while visiting the Bow Wow Labs booth during Global is our relentless commitment to pet health and safety. This commitment is evident in our growing assortment of products from our proprietary Bow Wow Buddy Safety Device to our delicious and nutritious treats and chews to our innovative and award-winning oral care solutions. Bow Wow Labs will also be unveiling the new Epic Chew—a gluten-free, grain-free product made from whole food nutrition that is highly digestible and highly palatable and offers more than 20 minutes of chew time. Epic Chew will be launched at Global and be available in Q3 2023. Last but certainly not least, Bow Wow Labs will be announcing a big national campaign to promote our mission of pet health and safety and will welcome any retailer that shares our commitment to be part of it!”

“When retailers visit the TropiClean booth they are going to hear about dental, dental, dental!” said Bryan Williams, Marketing Manager, Global Distribution and Chain. “While TropiClean’s roots are built on grooming products, we are heavily focusing on the critical role dental plays in the lives of our pet’s daily routines. TropiClean is proud to carry the No. 1 best-selling VOHC-approved water additive (Fresh Breath Dental Health Solution), and we are passionate about ensuring all our customers understand the value dental products can play in their health and wellness sets.”

If attendees were to take away only one thing from Oxyfresh’s booth, Gulbranson said they need to know, “we are more than just a leader in the pet dental category,” she said. “That we’re expanding into all things pet and we have incredible, innovative solutions that can help grow their business.”

“Pet King Brands has been around for 25 years, and not only are we not going anywhere, but we continue to develop

and provide products that help small and large animals have healthy ears, skin and mouths through the power of enzymes, not antibiotics,” Decker said of the message that Pet King Brands would like to impart on retailers after visiting their booth.

Innovation has remained at the center of Bow Wow Labs’ focus, and the company has several plans in motion to showcase its latest product offerings.

“Bow Wow Labs is an innovative company with a unique safety device as well as a wide and constantly growing variety of products coming to market keeping dogs safe, healthy and happy,” Devereaux said. “At Bow Wow Labs, we want all dogs to live their best lives, every day.”

Like most exhibitors, Oxyfresh has a newfound appreciation for meeting with current and potential retailer and distributor partners face-to-face in a setting that fosters camaraderie and advocacy. “We love this event,” Gulbranson said. “We get to connect with our retailers and high-five each other on wins. That is impossible to do on Zoom. We know the value of connecting in person. It’s part of our DNA and Global is the perfect place to do that.”

“After years of social distancing and virtual meetings, TropiClean is excited to be in-person and face-to-face with many of our customers,” Williams said. “Our focus this year is centered around strengthening relationships and digging deep to partner with customers in ways we never have before. Together with our distributors and retailers, our goal is to go above and beyond in serving pets and pet parents the very best health and wellness experience.”

“Global is important for Pet King Brands as it provides the chance to meet face-to-face with retailers and prospective buyers from independent brick-and-mortars to large multi-location retailers,” Decker said. “The show allows our team to share how our ZYMOX and Oratene products provide relief for common pet health conditions and also how retailers can build incremental sales by offering proven, nondrug wellness solutions to promote healthy pet ears, skin and oral care.”

Global Pet Expo Preview

CBDs

Manufacturers in the CBD space are looking forward to the opportunity to share what they’ve been working on in the last year at this year’s Global Pet Expo, and the projects are wide-ranging, illustrating just how dynamic the CBD category can be. From ingestible supplements that come in multiple forms to assorted topical solutions, suppliers are in agreement the category continues to have much potential in both innovation and growth possibilities. In some contexts, strategic partnerships are also an integral part of that growth.

“We have grown so much from our last trip to Global Pet Expo, and we are so excited to share our new products and updated branding with attendees,” said Pet Releaf Vice President and co-Founder Chelsea Gennings. “Above all, we want attendees to learn what sets us apart as the original and No. 1 pet CBD company. From our quality full-spectrum CBD oil to our third-party testing and sustainability practices, we have set the standard for CBD and continue to do so by innovating products.”

This year Pet Releaf will be spotlighting its new line of topical solutions. “New products we are highlighting this year include our brand-new CBD grooming line of Skin & Coat Releaf shampoos and conditioners,” Gennings said. “These products give pet parents an organic, plant-based, limited-ingredient product that they can use and trust during bath time. We are thrilled to expand into this category.”

Meanwhile, the company has also expanded package size options for existing products to better meet the needs of budget-minded consumers. “We have also released additional Stress Releaf and Hip & Joint Releaf products since last year, including our Stress Releaf Oils for dogs, cats, and equine, along with our Hip & Joint Releaf oils for dogs, cats, and equine. Our best-selling Edibites now come in family-size as well for multi-pet families,” Gennings said. “By seeing our new, innovative products and our continued dedication to quality, we hope attendees take away that we are continuing to raise the standard for pet CBD year after year, after record growth in 2022.”

Growth has also been propelling Austin & Kat toward expansion into a new and larger production facility. In the midst of the physical move in 2021, Austin & Kat also introduced a new line of supplement toppers, in the form of meal powders. “That’s been a really nice welcome addition because they’re a non-CBD wellness supplement for pets,” said Founder and CEO Kat Donatello. “We have a cat-focused one and then five need state toppers which include everything from green lipped mussels to dealing with no more wiggles, which is the anti-anxiety and calming formula. We have a senior formula and two hip and joint formulas, so it’s been really exciting to basically have complementary non-CBD products that work in conjunction with all of the need state CBD functional products that we have.”

Meal toppers aren’t a new thing in pet nutrition, but Donatello emphasizes Austin & Kat’s new offerings aren’t intended as food. “They’re definitely a supplement,” she said. “The other thing that’s important to note is that with the equipment that we use, we are able to micro-grind them down to very fine powder and it makes it very easy for consumers. With a lot of the meal powders out there, you have to add water or bone broth to it, so that it becomes part of introducing it to a meal. Since these are micro-ground, they’ll even adhere to a kibble.”

This application better ensures the pet is receiving all the botanical benefits of the ingredients that Austin & Kat has incorporated. “We’re not CBD-exclusive. CBD is an amazing ingredient and obviously that’s where our roots are. Curating and using the very best CBD that we can get our hands on is very important, but there’s also the other ingredients. One of the things that has become a trend in the CBD world—and it’s something that we’ve been doing since 2019—is adding those other very purposeful ingredients that complement CBD, so you can have a product specifically for hip and joint, and you can have a product specifically for seniors.”

Sharing how to best utilize CBD products to support pet health—in conjunction with other ingredients or simply

in providing scientific data on its benefits—is vital to continue pushing the category forward. “This past year, we have seen that public understanding of CBD and its benefits continue to grow,” Gennings with Pet Releaf said. “Our objectives include education on our new products and packaging, education on CBD, and education on what sets us apart, including the fact that we have now helped more than 5 million pets see results.”

Pet Releaf will emphasize that despite its growth, the company has not wavered on procuring only quality ingredients with a focus on sustainability. “One thing that sets us apart is our USDA organic premium soft chews, which use small-batch baking rather than bulk rapid extrusion,” Gennings said. “Our chews are USDA organic and use human-grade, ethically sourced ingredients. In addition, we put focus on sustainability and giving back to the planet through regenerative farming, biodegradable packaging and alternative energy sources. We know that it is important for suppliers, retailers and distributors to support and work with sustainable, eco-friendly brands. We are continuing to expand the ways we give back to the environment and are honored to be a leader in the category when it comes to sustainability.”

Medterra, meanwhile, has put resources toward strategic partnerships in an effort to increase visibility and availability. In December, it announced its full line up of products would be available via the instant delivery platform Gopuff to more than 26 markets including Arizona, California, Illinois and Pennsylvania with further expansions this year. Among the items available are Medterra’s CBD Calming Pet Chews and CBD Calming Pet Oil.

“We believe everyone should have access to innovative solutions that empower them to improve and sustain their mental and physical wellbeing,” said Medterra SVP of Sales Dan Taylor. “With Medterra products now available on Gopuff, we’re looking forward to helping people achieve the relief they need via a robust portfolio of CBD products in a matter of minutes.”

Global Pet Expo Preview

Grooming

Grooming exhibitors are making the time to have conversations with prospective and current retail partners, and Global Pet Expo provides the backdrop to foster that dialogue. The expo offers retailers the chance to understand the key points to discuss with manufacturers about the products on their shelves, the perks of using natural and organic ingredients and that manufacturers are guided by pet owners’ feedback versus their preferences and assumptions.

“Having overcome material challenges to supply chain, earthbath is back in the business of new product development, and we will be showcasing several new products that will be available second quarter,” said earthbath owner Paul Armstrong. “We have three fair trade, nilotica shea butter-based products to fill dogs’ needs for extra moisturizing and skin and coat care, plus we will introduce a foaming face and body wash to complement our needs-based line of green grooming products.”

“At the Warren London booth, the top thing we want retailers to see is our wide selection with our unique products that are loved by customers,” said President and CEO Eric Bittman. “We stand out with our innovative solution based products that no other companies have and that makes us different and a good catch for new retailers.”

Exhibitor Pure and Natural Pet is creating an environment and space within its booth where retailers are comfortable asking questions and conversing with a manufacturer that takes its responsibility of providing safe and effective products seriously. “We want the retailers to see that we are serious about having USDA-certified organic and natural grooming and health and wellness products,” said Julie Creed, VP of Sales and Marketing for Pure and Natural Pet. “We want them to see us and feel comfortable approaching us and asking us questions.”

SynergyLabs is debuting a brand new look for their flagship brand veterinary formula. “If you look at the reviews and the number of units sold and where it’s sold, our veterinary formula has really become America’s favorite specialty

skincare product or family of products for skin conditions,” said Brent Stern, Chief Commercial Officer. “It needed a fresh look. We came up with a custom bottle that’s beautiful, that uses a recycled plastic that has the logo embossed on the sides so it’s unmistakably ours. When you’re giving your dog a bath, things can get a little slippery, so it also acts as some extra resistance or grip there too. We wanted it to have a really polished look, and we accomplished that for sure.”

“The No. 1 is we’re not the old Nilodor. People know Nilodor; we’ve been around. We were one of the first in the industry and we want them to see that we’re not the old Nilodor,” said Todd Sauser, Director of Marketing. “We have new and exciting things, and it’s just not the same old Nilodor. Plus what we have to offer from our full depth of the line of stain and odors, shampoos custom formulation and custom branding, things that a lot of people, when we do a show say, ‘I remember the old Nilodor; I don’t remember you having this many things in your line.’ We’re kind of a hidden secret but people are amazed at what we have to offer once they get into our booth. We found with the way we can manufacture at our facilities we can cater to a lot of people’s needs from the large retailer to a small mom and pop; we have the capabilities to handle everybody’s needs. That’s what has always made us stand out from the competition.”

“Going into Global, we’ve got some targeted people and we’re reaching out,” said David Campanella for Best Shot Pet Products. “I’m talking to a rep group and looking at doing a little bit of retaining, working on a retainer to get to have them help drive introductions to our booth with the people that they know. It’s such a big audience, and it’s important where your booth is. Having been to the show before, not everybody has the luxury to buy a 1,000-squarefoot booth and hang a big revolving billboard above your booth with flashing lights. So where you’re located, the strategy there, the prep with e-mail, reaching out to your customers, and then thinking outside the box of work-

ing up either short term agreements to try to work with somebody to draw qualified leads like a rep group, those are all of the things we’re looking at. You have to look at it as an investment.”

The message earthbath would like for retailers to take away from their booth is how, “we strive to work with our business partners in an honest, transparent, professional manner to achieve mutual success through the conduit of superior quality green grooming products for pets,” Armstrong said.

At the Warren London booth, it’s important for retailers to meet the company’s owners Bittman and Tony Ivancich and feel as though these are people they want to do business with. “Tony and I are people that can be trusted, innovative and knowledgeable in the pet industry, and we know how to help grow retailers’ businesses with our line of products,” Bittman said.

After visiting the Pure and Natural Pet booth, the company wants retailers to walk away secure knowing, “Pure and Natural Pet wants to be their partner,” Creed said. “We want to support them with the best products, the best service and the best marketing support for all pet grooming and pet wellness products.”

After having a conversation with SynergyLabs, the company wants retailers to walk away knowing, “that our brands, and more specifically the veterinary formula is the smartest way to care for your pet,” Stern said. SynergyLabs looks forward to conversations with retailers. “This is a really comprehensive assortment; how can I offer this to my customers? What does the path look like for us to bring this brand on and all of these SKUs? We’ve put a lot of work into showcasing all of the products within the brand to see how they all work together. It’s not just a bottle of shampoo that you buy once per year. We hope retailers will look at our brand as something that’s a value-add to their set because it performs. This, is the smartest way to care for our customers’ pets, and this is going to perform really well in our set. If we can leave them with those two thoughts, that will be a successful interaction.”

Global Pet Expo Preview

Dog Chews

Exhibitors at the front of the dog chews category are intent on making sure retailers trust them and are there for them as an ally and a loyal business partner. Time spent at this year’s Global Pet Expo is earmarked for retailers who need to vent or need in-store merchandising inspiration. Dog chews exhibitors expect for retailers to walk out of their conversations realizing the level of transparency and dedication to ethical business practices they hold themselves to, all while keeping the chews category fresh and relevant, is unmatched.

In January Value Pet Supplies launched one of its major focuses of the show, what Chief Revenue Officer Nick Carter calls—Private Label DIY.

“Last year at the show everyone was asking us about private label which conventionally means custom printed bags with product in it for somebody else’s brand and we talked to a bunch of companies,” Carter said. “We attempted to go down that road and what we found was that people weren’t interested in an opening order of 10,000 bags of product because most of the folks that we do business with are mom-and-pop retailers, which a lot of the audience at Global Pet Expo is. So we built this program to cater to that audience. We try to leave plenty of margin in our retail pricing so that if you buy wholesale, you could sell our product and compete. This is our next big initiative—to cater to that audience and sell them a bag that is ready for them to brand it however they would like.”

Value Pet Supplies is catering to an audience of smaller retailers who are faced with obstacles larger retailers don’t have to overcome.

“We’ve removed the barriers that normally come along with getting product,” Carter said. “With Chewy and Amazon out there, it’s very difficult to talk to a Tier 1 vendor if you’re a small business. They just don’t have time for you and distribution has its own monkey business with credit applications, minimum pallet layer requirements, minimum order quantities to get; they have a lot of rules and regulations—it’s not that convenient. We have taken down the barriers and you can order the quan-

tity that’s right for your business. You can reorder as frequently as you need to. This initiative is designed to cater to these smaller businesses that have limited resources.”

“We consider the retailers not only as partners, but as a part of the Redbarn family,” Lindsay Tracy, VP of Product Development for Redbarn Pet Products. “We have built numerous partnerships throughout our 25-plus years in business, many of which span decades from our humble beginnings. Our relationships are built on integrity and trust, and we rally to offer our support however we are able. Whether it is by product innovation, curating inclusive distributor shows, store events or trade shows, we always strive for excellence. In return, our partners are excited and supportive when we introduce new products and are eager to include them in their offerings on our behalf.”

“We will continue to communicate our life-stage product line with a focus on our best-seller N-Bone Puppy Teething Rings, and N-Bone Adult Dental Rings and Senior Dental Rings that we recently launched,” said Sam Chen, VP of Sales and Marketing for NPIC. “We heard from so many retailers and consumers that the ring is such a unique format and is loved by puppies. We want to make sure that they can continue to enjoy the same thing even when they grow older, but with life stage— appropriate formula to support their changing needs.”

Earth Animal’s focus on product innovation and reiterating its company mission is key for retailers to come away with during the show.

“2023 was the year to bring on lots of new talent in Earth Animal’s Product Development Division, directed by Dr. Bob Goldstein,” said Earth Animal co-Founder Susan Goldstein. “There has been a surge in product innovation and a renewed dedication to Earth Animal’s mission, which is wellness and healing. We hope to inspire and excite our loyal retailers with new products in every category: food (Dr. Bob’s Wisdom), treats (No-Hide), and Nature’s Protection: Flea & Tick. Earth Animal became B-Corp certified at the end of 2022. As a

result, our booth will have a celebratory atmosphere, which will be shared with friends in the industry.”

“The No. 1 thing we want retailers to see is our commitment to innovation of on trend items for today’s consumer,” said Rod Herrenbruck, Sales Manager for Rush Direct.

“Vital Essentials is undergoing a brand transformation, and this will be front and center at the Global Pet Expo,” said Vice President of Sales Nick Ebert for Carnivore Meat Company, home of Vital Essentials. “This transformation encompasses not only how Vital Essentials shows up in market to become the leading premium brand, but also Carnivore Meat Company’s facility expansion that enables Vital Essentials to maintain its 99.5 percent fill rate, to new selling resources that position Vital Essentials to be the most compelling and customer centric selling team in the category. Vital Essentials is a different organization than it was even six months ago. What hasn’t changed though is Vital Essentials commitment to sourcing high-quality, whole animal protein that comes from decades of experience, Vital Essentials’ minimally processed products to preserve vital nutrients and minerals and the large selection of proteins and product formats for picky eaters, pets with allergies and owners who just want to provide unique protein options to their pets.”

The No. 1 thing retailers need to take notice of at the M Pet Group Booth is their products.

“What I would like for the buyers to see is both our Collagen College and then to understand how our products are made and how they’re differentiated from the rest of the market,” said M Pet Group CEO Michael San Roman. “Our products are all handmade and they’re all tested, and the QA process is second to none. When you look at the value equation that our products offer, the health benefits that they offer and the ability to entertain the pet as well as the palatability of the product, our products outperform [the] competition. How do you give a healthy treat that’s

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Global Pet Expo Preview: Dog Chews

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long-lasting? That’s what our products do, and they are all natural. What I’d like the consumers to understand [about collagen] is that our product isn’t a product that’s rawhide that they call collagen. Our product is a patented product that is easy to digest, long-lasting and gives all of the benefits of collagen. Like anything, your pet, and the products we feed your pet, have to surpass expectations, both in the forms of safety, quality and palatability. The pet sleeps in the bed today, and people care more about their pets than they do a lot of other things. So, the product we develop for them has to exceed those standards.”

“I want them to see the quality of our products and our packaging,” said Bob Kramer, President of Canine’s Choice. “We have not made any changes in the last year or so [to our packaging]. I definitely feel we’ve got some of the nicer packaging and some of the better quality on the market. And it’s hard to tell that unless you can touch and feel.”

“We want retailers to come in and be relaxed and know that there’s no pressure,” said Rob Johnson, President and Managing Partner of Canophera. “Global Pet Expo should always be about educating on what’s new, what’s been around, what’s working with that retailer and what’s not working with that retailer for the product line. With 20 years in the industry, I’ve noticed everybody just wants to sell more, more and more, and I believe it’s more about building those relationships and letting the retailers know, ‘hey this company is standing behind you.’”

“It’s supposed to be simple, it’s supposed to be fun,” Johnson continued. “It’s all about educating, getting them to know what the product is, what it does, what it can do for their stores or what it cannot do for their stores. Two stores 5 or 10 miles apart can have two totally different customer base buying habits. So, I believe that us manufacturers have to be more unique now, and we have to come to the table with data for our retailers to help them understand marketplaces with a product line.”

The top message Redbarn Pet Products would like for retailers to take

away from interaction at their booth is that “ethical and transparent business practice are at the forefront of our company values,” Tracy said. “In the pet industry, we thrive on building transparency and honesty. At Redbarn, our word is imperative. The end all be all for our company is that we recognize the promises we have made and strive to over deliver to our most cherished pets and customers.”

“The thing I would like the attendee to take away is that NPIC is celebrating its 25th anniversary,” Chen said. “And what that means is that we have been delivering products of high-quality, great customer value, and continued innovations in a consistent manner for that long of a time. While we take great pride in what we have achieved in the last 25 years, looking ahead, we know there are still so many opportunities ahead of us and we will stay focused and committed to realizing those opportunities. We would like to continue growing with our customers and celebrate the next 25 years.”

“The Earth Animal booth generally offers a special kind of energy and another way of reaching out to retailers and families with animals,” Goldstein said. “We hope that attendees leave with a good feeling and renewed purpose in the shared mission of wellness and healing.”

If attendees are left with one message upon exiting Rush Direct’s booth, the company wants that to be, “Rush Direct is committed to the future and product innovation that is consumer driven,” Herrenbruck said.

After spending time conversing with Carnivore Meat Company’s reps, it should be clear to retailers that “Vital Essentials will continue to transform the categories of frozen and freezedried raw,” Ebert said. “With this latest ‘transformation,’ Vital Essentials will continue to grow these segments and is confident that Vital Essentials will be your partner of choice to grow your business.”

The takeaway from meeting with M Pet Group at Global Pet Expo ideally would be, “that we’re a family-owned company that does the right thing for both the consumer and the retailer and we stand by what we say, and we deliver,” San Roman said.

“I want them to walk away with quite honestly a favorable opinion of Canine’s Choice,” Kramer said. “I hope it’s a successful show for everybody involved.”

If attendees are left with one message upon leaving the Canophera booth, then have it be, “these guys are extremely humble,” Johnson said. “We love the product because of the people behind the product. That is what we want.”

Value Pet Supplies is looking forward to raising awareness about collagen’s benefits and making it accessible. “We thought we’d have to help create the demand for collagen because it’s a relatively new category,” Carter said. “Collagen has a lot of raw material. It also has loads of health benefits, it’s affordable, but most importantly from a business standpoint, it’s more scalable than other chew products. We’re not going to run out of collagen sticks probably under any circumstances, and we can serve a lot of resellers very well with that product. That’s one of the reasons we’re promoting it.”

“Recently I looked at analytics, and we were averaging 14 new B2C type customers per day that were simply searching Google and typing in ‘collagen. They clicked on an ad and came to us and bought collagen,” Carter continued. “People are looking for collagen— this is becoming a wave.”

During one weekend in January, Value Pet Supplies ushered in 63 new customers to the business.

“They found us on Google, and it’s a pretty high number, especially for a new product,” Carter said. “There seems to be a growing zeitgeist out there because celebrities are out there endorsing and promoting it for human consumption, and it’s become very popular especially for female consumers that are familiar with the product’s health benefits. Naturally the idea of offering those health benefits to the pet makes sense to people and they’re gravitating rapidly toward the product. Looking at the data and at all the benefits, collagen is going to be the next bully sticks-type product or yak cheese-type product that’s in an incredibly high demand out there. That’s our strategic take on collagen. We bet very large on the category and, it’s paying off really well.”

Global Pet Expo Preview

Litter

As companies gear up for Global Pet Expo, there are several factors that come into play while preparing for a tradeshow. The annual expo has continued to be a staple for the industry, and these category leaders have many things planned to ensure the expo is a success for everyone involved.

Looking specifically at the litter category, Ultra Pet emphasized that potential is the No. 1 thing retailers should take away from the company’s booth.

“Many retailers have a misunderstanding of the litter category’s overall potential,” said Ultra Pet’s CEO and President Richard Murbach. “There is plenty of significant ‘white space’ opportunity to maximize a complete litter assortment. When retailers adopt this concept, they’ll quickly realize both margin and dollar growth in the litter category.”

“Ultra Pet would like to continue to diversify both our customer assortment and our product catalog,” Murbach. “Our pet specialty partners and e-commerce outlets are eager to expand on their existing assortment after just months or even years of proven sales success. Our refreshed 2022 Litter Pearls package design with ODORBOND technology have inspired our R&D to produce yet another unique innovation that might better support our grocery and mass customers. A package refresh for Ultra brand is indeed possible with that launch.”

As a loyal attendee of Global Pet Expo, Ultra Pet attributes the company’s continued support for the tradeshow to opportunity and partnerships.

“Global Pet Expo represents the best US opportunity for us to meet with our existing worldwide partners and discover new opportunities, quickly identifying industry and market trends while evaluating possible new enterprise,” Murbach continued. “Throughout the

years, Global Pet Expo has produced some of the most mutually beneficial and long-lasting partnerships in Ultra Pet’s nearly 25 years in the industry.”

Eco-Shell has emphasized the company’s booth reflects the various ways it has continued to set itself apart in the litter category.

want attendees to walk away knowing that our brand prioritizes both product performance and the impact we have on our shared world.”

Dr. Elsey’s has several new products the company plans to showcase at the show while connecting with partners and attendees.

“When retailers come by the Naturally Fresh booth, we want them to immediately see what sets us apart from the rest—our litter organically and effectively neutralizes odors better than clay and other alternative litters,” said Helen Cantrell, Director of Marketing and Sales at Eco-Shell.

“For this year’s show, we look forward to speaking to the sustainability of our product—we have results from a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) study that we’re excited to share,” she said.

“This year, we’re diligently working on product innovation, as well as enhancements to our packaging,” she continued. “Global Pet Expo has provided us exposure to retailers and potential partners. It’s great to see the pet industry come together all in one place. The connections we’ve been able to make in years past have been pivotal to our success and growth. We find value in being able to cultivate relationships and enjoy being exposed to other companies and individuals we can learn from.”

“We are strong believers that performance matters,” Cantrell said. “Consumers repurchase a product when it is effective and delivers on its promise. Naturally Fresh does that with its superior odor control. However, we also believe that considering the greater good is imperative. From tree to shelf, Naturally Fresh is ethically and sustainably produced and is a better alternative for cats, pet parents, and the planet. We

“We’re super excited to introduce some new products at this year’s show!” said Mat Brost, Dr. Elsey’s Marketing Director. “We have two new cat litter offerings and a firstto-market food option that we feel is a game-changer for busy pet parents. We’ve just launched our new Ultra+ litter exclusively in select retailers. Ultra+ is our longest-lasting clumping-clay litter and is the perfect solution for maximum odor control in single- and multi-cat households. We’ll also be introducing our pine litter to retailers. Pine has been in the making for some time now. We weren’t willing to launch this lineup until we were certain it was the most effective all-natural, kiln-dried pine litter on the market. As far as our new food product goes, I’d encourage everybody to stop by our booth to check it out. It’s a first-to-market product in the cat industry. It’s an all-meat formula with no added water and will be an amazing option for cat parents that are in a rush or on the go with their cats. I hope everybody stops by our booth and check it out!”

“In addition to introducing our new products, Global Pet Expo is an amazing setting to connect with industry partners face-to-face and collaborate on future growth,” said Brost. “We’re continuously expanding our retail footprint, and Global is a great place to shine a spotlight on that expansion. Our products are available to more pet parents every day, and Global is the perfect place to let customers know that our solutions are available no matter where you’re located.”

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“There are a variety of benefits, but the primary reason for me is face-to-face interaction with customers and partners. There’s a lot of value in talking to people face-to-face and having that real-time dialogue that has been somewhat lost since the boom of digital communication has taken over. A handshake and conversation go a long way in building trust and relationships. You simply don’t get that same connection and trust out of digital meetings and email conversations.” — Mat Brost, Dr. Elsey’s

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Global Pet Expo Preview: Litter

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“There are a variety of benefits, but the primary reason for me is face-to-face interaction with customers and partners,” Brost continued. “There’s a lot of value in talking to people face-to-face and having that real-time dialogue that has been somewhat lost since the boom of digital communication has taken over. A handshake and conversation go a long way in building trust and relationships. You simply don’t get that same connection and trust out of digital meetings and e-mail conversations.”

highest quality bentonite and provides innovative technology that guarantees 40 days of no odor.”

show, as it provides the company a direct avenue to in-person meetings and reconnecting with partners.

“Global Pet Expo represents the best US opportunity for us to meet with our existing worldwide partners and discover new opportunities, quickly identifying industry and market trends while evaluating possible new enterprise. Throughout the years, Global Pet Expo has produced some of the most mutually beneficial and long-lasting partnerships in Ultra Pet’s nearly 25 years in the pet industry.”

“If I could ensure that attendees left Dr. Elsey’s booth with one takeaway, I hope that they see that Dr. Elsey’s primary focus is on the animal and owner. We truly are focused on pets, not profits. High-quality products that help cats and their owners live happier, healthier lives is the foundation we’ve built this business on, and we keep that goal front of mind every day, in everything we do,” said Brost.

Isabelle Larin, Marketing Director at Intersand, outlined the company’s goals for this year’s Global Pet Expo.

“We are thrilled to be launching Intersand’s New OdorLock maxCare at Global Pet Expo 2023,” said Larin. “Did you know that two out of three cats are at risk of developing urinary diseases and/or diabetes? Intersand’s new OdorLock maxCare is the perfect solution for the caring cat parents who wish to monitor their cat’s health and well-being closely. The ultra-premium clay litter contains granules that will turn blue when they come into contact with blood and/or glucose in the cat’s urine, which are excellent early indicators of urinary tract diseases and/or diabetes. Making health monitoring easy, OdorLock maxCare offers cat parents peace of mind. This technology has been tested by Blücare Laboratories specialists, combined with years of experience from actual users all over the world. Intersand’s new OdorLock maxCare is made from the

“Of course, a primary goal for us at the show will be to continue expanding sales and distribution of our Premium OdorLock Cat Litter Brand across the US at pet specialty stores,” said Larin. “We’re also very excited to unveil our newest, health monitoring cat litter product, OdorLock maxCare. This year, we will also reduce our carbon footprint even further with the development and launch of a new brand that is biodegradable and eco-friendly. Furthermore, we are working to migrate our packaging to recyclable bags with all our national brands. That final transition will be finalized by 2024. Intersand also has many partnerships to develop private label banners and bringing diversified solutions to the market. Our robust, personalized private label business is still very important to our company.”

Next Gen International mentioned the company’s goal for the show is to connect with retailers and partners while showcasing the company’s new litter products.

“Our No. 1 priority for people stopping by our booth at Global is for them to see our new Timber Fresh formula!” Janice Yamamoto, Director of Marketing said. “Timber Fresh is now mixed with a small amount of bentonite to provide a smaller more clay-like texture. We are interested to see what new products are on the market, but as always connecting with our customers, partners and friends. As a West coast company, Global provides us with the opportunity to see and add to our East Coast network.”

Yamamoto said the company wants retailers to know, “Our litter is in stock! We are working diligently to ensure that will continue to be the case. Order away!”

Healthy Pet has high hopes for the

“It’s such a great opportunity to talk to our retailers face-to-face and it is one of the few times our entire sales and marketing team are able to get together,” said Ellis. “It’s also a great time to see what other pet brands are doing both in our categories and others to meet the growing demand of today’s pet parents.”

“Healthy Pet is fully vested in helping to support their business for our products, from store associate education to social media content and advertising,” she said. “We are especially proud to participate in the Astro Loyalty Program to help support the smaller independent pet retailers.”

Boxiecat has continued to return to Global Pet Expo as the show provides an unmatched platform for showcasing products and networking.

“We are focused on creating added value and innovative products that enhance the human-animal experience. Global Pet Expo is our primary venue to showcase the latest innovations that are emerging from our research laboratory,” said Ken Wilks, VP of Sales and Marketing.

“We have a lot of exciting things we’re introducing at our booth this year; one of them being a free standing off-shelf display featuring a selection of cat litter formulas to help retailers capture incremental litter sales in store,” Wilks said.

“Our primary goal is to showcase the customer acquisition tools we’ve developed around our premium litter products. We see tremendous opportunity to assist pet stores in capturing a larger share of the $4 billion litter industry,” he continued.

“Pet stores created the premium pet food market,” Wilks said. “A similar opportunity exists today to help customers that are already buying litter somewhere else understand the benefits premium cat litter can have on health, home and hygiene.”

— Richard Murbach, Ultra Pet

Global Pet Expo Preview

Supplements

Retailers perusing the supplement booths will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with new products where they can discuss and trade ideas with manufacturers about strategic and impactful ways to educate pet owners and guide their buying decisions. This year’s supplements exhibitors are committed to making their products accessible to pet owners and are leading pet parents in a smarter approach to caring for pets.

Exhibitors like SynergyLabs believe safe, effective and high caliber products should be accessible to all pet owners. “Good, quality pet care shouldn’t just be for the top earners,” said Brad Stern, Chief Commercial Officer for SynergyLabs. “Because so many homes now have pets, regardless of where you come from or what your income or status is, the quality of pet care is a universal right. Now, why does it have to be reserved for that small pocket of the population that can afford it? It should be for everybody.”

This belief—that everyone should have access to dependable products— coupled with SynergyLab’s strategy to care for pets’ by taking a commonsense approach, are keeping the company at the front of the category and drawing in ambitious retailers. “That was the common theme behind this, what exactly is the smartest way to care for your pet? We have supplements, we have a jerky treat that will be out in the spring, our supplements will be out in the early spring. We’re very intentional about those new products and what direction the line was going to grow because it had to be consistent with that theme of the smartest way to care for your pet.”

“Pet owners, when they’re doing something for their pet, they’re typically emotional anyway,” Stern continued. “And putting them in a distressing situation or something that causes some angst is even more magnified. So, cutting through the clutter—everyone thinks they have a product that can help, but when you have the social proof and the track record of actually doing it, that’s a big reason of why we’ve been able to do the things we’ve been able to do.”

One of VetriScience Laboratories’ ob-

jectives for this year’s show is to build trust amongst retailers who are looking for a manufacturing partner that produces effective supplements that will ease pets’ symptoms and pet owners’ anxieties. “We really want retailers to know that they can depend on VetriScience to provide highly efficacious supplements, and that we can help educate their staff so that their customers can have the best experience possible,” said Derek Archambault, VP of Marketing for FoodScience, which manufactures VetriScience, the supplements arm of the company’s product portfolio. “By having a supplement that is clinically shown to work, like our Composure and GlycoFlex lines, retailers can feel confident that their customers are getting the best product possible. In the long run that can be more cost effective than trying different products and can create loyalty for the retailer.”

One of Pet-Ag’s goals for Global Pet Expo is to draw retailers’ attention towards its latest product Bene•Bac 9, a pre- and probiotic designed to target digestion and improve pets’ joint health, heart health and reduce stress. “Supplements are an important innovation area for companion animals,” said Andrea Henderson VP of Marketing for Pet-Ag. “They address specific health issues to create a happier, healthier pet life. We are excited to introduce Bene•Bac 9, a pre- and probiotic that promotes digestive balance plus nine other multifunctional benefits, including joint health, cardiac function, stress reduction and more. And we still have original Bene•Bac, which offers important probiotics for adult dogs and puppies, even those younger than 12 weeks old.”

“As the industry leader in milk replacers, we’re proud to offer two new milk-based food topper supplements for dogs and cats: Nutri-Mixers,” she continued. “Supporting immunity and digestive health; they’re effective, easyto-serve and easy-to-digest. We’ve also enhanced our iconic Fresh ‘N Clean grooming line with new products, updated fragrances, and contemporary new looks to our labels.”

“Nordic Naturals looks forward to interacting with show attendees to help

educate them about our top-quality omega-3 formulas for pets,” said Derek Bodkin, Pet Sales Specialist for Nordic Naturals. “While many people are familiar with the benefits of omega-3 supplementation for humans, the importance of omega-3s for pet health is often overlooked, and we’re eager to help correct this imbalance. This year, we’re particularly excited to discuss our plans to update packaging and explore innovative new products for pets.”

“We have a target obviously to reach a certain number of representatives from companies that want to add a supplements line or a new treats line to their existing businesses. Our presence there is a targeted presence for that purpose,” said Sam Murrani, Owner of Bimini Pet Health.

For SynergyLabs, Global was where some of the company’s most valued partnerships were formed. It’s one of the reasons why SynergyLabs returns to the show year after year. “Global is the start of the next buying cycle and some of these buying cycles can be protracted and take a year, or even longer when you’re trying to just make a relationship and show the buyer what kind of value you can bring to the set,” Stern said. “But for us, for people who continue to see us and continue to see the evolution of our brands and what we’re doing and how we’re making pet ownership and care more accessible is important to us and to more and more retailers. Some of the best relationships we’ve had, we’ve started at Global, and it’s also a way for us to be able to gather in one spot and not have to fly all over the country seeing seven or eight people.”

“Global is a great place for us to connect with our loyal customers and retailers, and we look forward to meeting new potential partners as well!” Henderson with Pet-Ag said. “We’re proud and honored to have been in the animal health and wellness industry for decades. Global is an excellent opportunity to talk to our retail and distribution partners about how we got here, and especially how we keep our portfolio innovative and relevant with solutions that are backed by science and developed by animal nutritionists.”

Global Pet Expo Preview

Premium Foods

Three years beyond the onset of a global pandemic that has turned worldwide trade on its head—and continues to trigger aftershocks impacting supply side logistics and labor—premium pet foods manufacturers are ready to show everyone at this year’s Global Pet Expo that the days of treading water are over, and the innovation engine is once again running full steam ahead. Category leaders also plan to take advantage of the opportunity to maximize exposure opportunities to reassure partners that they will continue to serve as reliable and trustworthy suppliers, even while the greater economy lumbers along.

“This is a year of innovation for Petcurean, and we want retailers to see our amazing new products that will be featured at our booth and the New Products Showcase,” said Trade Marketing Manager Kambria Newton. “We hope they will walk away excited, wanting to learn more about these new recipes. We’re also looking forward to sharing a special surprise update regarding our nutrition training and a new product roll-out strategy.”

Not content with the status quo, “our focus at Global Pet Expo will be to connect with retailers and demonstrate how we are staying on top of the economic and consumer trends with respect to innovation and training strategies,” she said. “Our team is committed to making advancements in the premium food category, and we can’t wait to share our excitement with retailers.”

Celebrating partnerships is a strong focus for Open Farm. “We are excited to see our retailer partners and continue to demonstrate how committed we are to building our business in neighborhood pet!” said Chief Marketing Officer Mark Sapir. “We remain committed to our mission and thank the retailers for their support over time believing in our mission and together offering our products to more pet parents, helping pets and planets.”

Along with the show of gratitude, Sapir said the company will use the opportunity to both reassure and entice partners and prospective partners with new programs in the works. “Our No. 1 objective is to thank retailers for contin-

ued support and ensure we have plans, product and support in place to allow them to continue to grow. We do have some exciting innovation to share, and some meaningful upgrades on packaging to share. We have some exciting additions to our ‘Obsessed Retailer’ program, but most importantly we want to use the time to help our current retailers grow and hopefully meet new retailers that can join our mission.”

Jiminy’s is far from a newcomer to the show, but the company nonetheless has a full agenda to share, including introducing its venture into the dental chews category. “Come see our newest product, Jiminy’s Dental Chews!” said Founder and CEO Anne Carlson. “It’s a tangent we’ve long targeted and it’ll be exciting to share exactly why we think our insect protein chews are the next big thing. The chews have a terrific cinnamon flavor and scent and finally allow us to laser in on a dog’s oral health. Grubs contain medium-chain fatty acids which help support healthy inflammatory responses. In other words, it helps to solve teeth and mouth issues. Anecdotally, our dog Tuco has been eating Jiminy’s food since the beginning and his teeth are white. He’s eight years old and we’ve never brushed his teeth (I know, bad pet parenting), so something’s up. Our Dental Chew is a terrific addition to our line and a great tool for improving pups’ oral health.”

Jiminy’s’ distribution continues to grow but Carlson said the opportunity to educate more people about the company and its values is a big incentive for

return visits to shows like Global Pet Expo. “Overall, we’d like to continue to grow awareness of Jiminy’s and amplify the arrival of sustainability to the pet food space,” she said. “For the premium foods category, we want to be known as the best sustainable food option for every dog. It’s a highly competitive category with lots of great brands, so we’ll need to work hard to make sure our biggest differentiator —sustainability—is highlighted. We’d like to be top of mind for retailers seeking the best eco-friendly dog food and treats for their customers. It’s a sizable —and more importantly—growing segment of today’s pet consumers. The hot news flash is Jiminy’s Dental Chews, and they’ll be a big part of the messaging. They’re our first treat that singles out and addresses one primary need. It’s an important piece to our growth strategy of having a complete line of dog foods and treats and this keeps us on pace.”

Annamaet Petfoods will take advantage of the opportunity to engage the retailer outside their store, allowing company representatives to discuss the nutrition and science behind its formulas, up and coming products, as well as get feedback from them, said President and CEO Robert Downey. “We enjoy this chance to strengthen our relationships and partnerships in the industry,” Downey said.

Annamaet will also showcase its newest innovation for the active canine. “Dog sports are rapidly growing worldwide and Annamaet has always been a leader in providing quality supplements for the active canine, given our background,” Downey said. “At this year’s Global, we are proud to introduce Annamaet Recovery Chews, a canine post-exercise treat. These are the soft chew version of our Glycocharge supplement, proven to be the gold standard for post exercise glycogen replenish-

“We are excited to see our retailer partners and continue to demonstrate how committed we are to building our business in neighborhood pet! We remain committed to our mission and thank the retailers for their support over time believing in our mission and together offering our products to more pet parents, helping pets and planets.”

— Mark Sapir, Open Farm

Global Pet Expo Preview: Premium Foods

r From Pg. 30

ment since 1997. Annamaet Recovery Chews have been in development for more than six years and will be effective in the many canine sports and with a variety of working dogs but also for the pet parent that wants to give their dog a healthy treat after a walk or a run.”

There’s more.

“Also new for us at Global will be Annamaet Sensitive Skin & Stomach, this award-winning formula has generated a lot of excitement since its recent release,” said Downey. “Using lamb and fish as a protein base, Sensitive Skin & Stomach also contains nutraceuticals that can provide anti-inflammatory assistance for both skin and digestive issues. This product also contains pumpkin that is well known for natural digestive health support. We will also be very happy to discuss our upcoming Feline Lean formula that many are so excited about, as well as a new, healthy weight alternative small breed formula that will be chicken-free.”

Canine Caviar’s East Regional Sales Manager Scott Goriscak shared his company’s goals for Global attendees: “We would like them to see a company that is fully prepared for the year ahead! Canine Caviar will introduce them to our new soft treats and cat food line Feline Caviar (available in four protein varieties: venison, buffalo, chicken and herring),” he said. “We are always looking to make new friends and grow our current relationships. Canine Caviar would also like to communicate the advantages of partnering with us not for only the benefits of feeding our products but how we support our retail family members. We as a company have not experienced supply chain shortages like many manufacturers in the during 2022.”

SquarePet has got something new to share as well. “With the industry experiencing capacity issues throughout the last few years, we are excited to finally able to launch new, unique products to the marketplace,” said Partner, CSO and CMO Tyler Atkins. “I want retailers

to see and get excited about the launch of our solutions-based VFS canned wet food and the launch of our VFS PowerHound and PowerCat diets. The launch of our solutions based VFS canned wet food diets mimic our highly successful dry product lineup of specialized formulas which feature hydrolyzed protein, guaranteed low fat levels, gentle

ers face-to-face and speak about our goals together for the year ahead. The message we want them to leave with is Canine Caviar is prepared for 2023! Canine Caviar is fully stocked and ready to support them and their customers!”

formula for ideal digestion and guaranteed low phosphorus for dogs with special needs.”

Coming into the event with set goals is always helpful to ensure resources are using efficiently. “We want retailers to discover our diverse range of products and how they can help address many of the challenges and obstacles facing store owners, including food sensitivities and maintaining a balance between price and quality,” said Matt Wilson, Director of Sales and Marketing for FirstMate Pet Foods. “We will focus on new products and the expansion of some of our strongest food categories, including limited ingredient, grain friendly and treats. In addition, existing partnerships are always a focus for us, as are new partnerships with our recent expansion into the Northeastern US.”

So many new products and innovations might get hard to keep track of at some point. Atkins said if there’s just one message he hopes attendees can pull from a visit to his booth, it’s that, “We are still here, thriving and advancing the industry forward. SquarePet continues to provide unique high-quality products that continue to push the industry forward utilizing high-quality ingredients in unique solutions-based formulations,” he said.

For Goriscak with Canine Caviar, the event is the launching pad for the year. “We love Global. It is the official starting line for the year ahead. This show gives us the opportunity to meet our custom-

Downey with Annamaet Petfoods hopes to impart a sense of reliability. “We would like anyone who visits the Annamaet booth to leave with a feeling of trust,” he said. “We stand by our ability to remain transparent and would like everyone to know that they can reach out to us anytime and get an honest and accurate response. With two nutritionists on staff, one should also know we have a great background in 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 pets.”

Wilson would like to emphasize partnership as well. “FirstMate is an ideal partner for indie pet retailers,” he said. “We have built our reputation as a quality food and treat manufacturer in the canned and dry category over the past 33 years, and we view partnership as a long-term commitment to ensuring mutual growth.”

The enduring message for Jiminy’s, said Carlson, is that involving legacy. “Looking at my daughter and my friends’ kids, I can’t help but think of legacy. What am I going to leave them? Is it a world that’s better than right now— or will it be a mess for them to clean up? For all of us, time is running fast, and the turnaround has to start now and on a huge scale. It’s why I started Jiminy’s. There’s been a great response to date, and it’s due to the huge role our dogs play in our lives. Why should we separate them from our biggest hopes and concerns? The best way forward is holistic. Use your purchasing power to force the change you seek. When you don’t, you give away that power. Our dogs, kids and planet can’t afford it.”

“The pet food industry is not immune to many of the challenges being felt in industries worldwide—supply chain disruptions, inflation, workforce shortages, etc. While we are impacted by these challenges, we are also in a position where we can overcome them and continue to achieve long-term growth. Our valued partners can count on us to navigate these uncertainties alongside them so we can move forward together.”

— Kambria Newton, Petcurean

Global Pet Expo Preview

Broths and Toppers

Exhibitors representing the broths and toppers category are intent on partnering with retailers to educate pet owners on proper nutrition by illustrating that toppers help fill nutritional gaps in their pets’ meals. Taking a helpful and educational approach versus a judgmental tone with pet owners should help them to listen to retailers. Manageable steps are all it takes to push pet owners in the right direction to improve their pets’ diet with consistent pours of toppers and broths into their food dish.

“Vital Essentials is undergoing a brand transformation, and this will be front and center at the Global Pet Expo,” said Nick Ebert Carnivore Meat Company’s VP of Sales. “This transformation encompasses not only how Vital Essentials shows up in market to become the leading premium brand, but also Carnivore Meat Company’s facility expansion that enables Vital Essentials to maintain its 99.5 percent fill rate, to new selling resources that position Vital Essentials to be the most compelling and customer centric selling team in the category. Vital Essentials is a different organization than it was even six months ago. What hasn’t changed though is Vital Essentials commitment to sourcing high-quality, whole animal protein that comes from decades of experience, Vital Essentials’ minimally processed products to preserve vital nutrients and minerals and the large selection of proteins and product formats for picky eaters, pets with allergies and owners who just want to provide unique protein options to their pets.”

“We would like retailers to see Caru’s industry leading functional balanced omega blend diets for dogs and cats, which are the next revolutionary advancement in pet nutrition with a positive effect on the immune system,” said co-Founder Adrian Pettyan. “These are true functional diets that are great for all pets’ overall health and vitality, and they look, smell and taste just like homemade.”

The No. 1 thing for retailers to take away from their visit at the Brutus Bone Broth booth is how broths and toppers are an excellent way to increase cart

spend for the consumer because it is an incremental product that is not replacing another product, explained CEO Kim Hehir. “We’re not a kibble company trying to convince you to switch to a different kibble which is really hard for dog owners,” Hehir said. “It’s something you just add to your dog’s bowl to increase the nutrition and the palatability of their overall meal. I always equate it to giving your kid a multivitamin to make sure you have your bases covered. It’s an easy way to add nutrients and for retailers it’s a great way to increase cart spend for the consumer. We also pull in a lot of consumers that wouldn’t necessarily shop in a pet aisle in a grocery store because most of our retailers are mass market, not all pet specialty. We do have pet specialty, but we do have a lot of grocers. It’s a great way to get new consumers into the pet aisle too. We appeal to a lot of people who cook their own dog food or feed their dog raw.”

“And all of our bone broths are fortified with supplements for functional health,” she added. “Our formulators are the people who make nutrient broths for starving people in third world countries. So, half of their business is hotels and restaurants, and the other half of their business is hunger relief so they’re experts at infusing supplements into our broth which is scientifically really hard to do especially to maintain the flavor profile. Along the trends in the pet space everything right now is about functional health. How do you get something extra out of what you’re already feeding your dog?”

During Global, Vital Essentials will communicate to retailers their approach to reconstruct frozen and freeze-dried raw products in the market. “Vital Essentials will continue to transform the categories of frozen and freeze-dried raw,” Ebert said. “With this latest ‘transformation,’ Vital Essentials will continue to grow these segments and is confident that Vital Essentials will be your partner of choice to grow your business.”

If attendees are left with one message upon leaving the Caru booth, “The message would be that pets love the taste of Caru and owners trust the goodness,”

Pettyan said. “We launched in 2014 yet we’ve never had a voluntary or mandated recall,” he continued. “That’s good, but the other message is that we care, we have high service levels, we listen to our customers and to what people tell us. A message that I’d like them to take away is that a) we respect what they tell us and b) we care, and we strive for very high service levels. You’re only as good as what you stand for today, and that’s the thing that we want to let our customers and our partners know, that we recognize what we did yesterday was fine and dandy but you’re looking at what we’re doing today. What are you going to do that’s going to help me look after my customers, help me sell more products, help me have solutions for my customers—that’s where we want to compete. It’s not just about product innovation and money and being competitively priced. It doesn’t matter what you did yesterday. It matters what you’re doing for your partners today and what you can do for them tomorrow.”

Brutus Bone Broth hopes retailers understand that they would be partnering with “real people behind such a high-quality product,” Hehir said. “We have worked hard to maintain our pricing when everyone was trying to increase costs because supply chain went up. We are real people behind a really amazing product. There’s a story behind it and a lot of thought has gone into the product and how we reach our consumers and what we do. Our mission is to nourish your pet while giving back to the community. We work with more than 150 animal shelters nationwide now. All of our buyers that are engaged with us, there are buyers that we have regular conversations with and who are engaged with us and those are the retailers that do extremely well with our products because they get it. I feel like in pet food, there are so many products, like how do you choose? A lot of people don’t realize there are a lot of big companies that own several brands and they just churn stuff out. Whereas the consumer increasingly wants authenticity and transparency, and they also want to support brands that care. We are a brand that cares.”

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Global Pet Expo Preview

Small Animal

As companies prepare for Global Pet Expo, small animal category leaders have noted the importance of providing retailers and consumers with high-quality food and products that help provide safe environments for small animals.

While small animals are becoming a more common household pet, category leaders like FiberCore and Healthy Pet have focused on bedding products. Leaders have prepared to educate partners and pet owners on more environmentally friendly bedding solutions during the expo. “We want the retailers and distributors to see FiberCore’s ECO-BEDDING product line as an economical, ecological and effective bedding which is able to compete against any other national brand,” explained FiberCore Owner Brian Wood.

FiberCore has remained a strong presence in the small animal category due to its eco-bedding, which is a paper bedding made of post-consumer waste. The bedding is dust-free, non-toxic, safe and convenient while providing small animals and birds a more comfortable environment. “We don’t consider ourselves litter as much as bedding for small animals, birds and puppies,” Wood said. “Our primary objective is increasing our distribution footprint to take advantage of our expanded production capacity. We are looking for a national footprint or a consortium of regional distributors who want to compete on product, not pricing.”

Wood acknowledged the expo gives leaders a chance to gauge the latest trends and driving forces of the industry. “Returning to Global Pet Expo allows us to take the temperature of the industry and get a feel for how our customers are doing,” said Wood. “It’s those circuitous conversations which turn into great opportunities. You never know what can come of a visit to Global Pet. There’s a reason we have been around for 15 years—the product works. We have a loyal following who love ECO-BEDDING. We build lasting partnerships with our distributors and retailers. Try it, you’ll

like it.”

Healthy Pet has also maintained its presence in the category through its eco-friendly paper-bedding, carefresh. The bedding provides small animals with 10-day odor control and a dust-

with a great purpose to keep a pulse on what the market needs through research and direct communication with the small animal community. The result is regular, meaningful innovations that enhance the pet parent experience, as well as the health and happiness of pets.”

free environment. The company mentioned its priority at Global Pet Expo is to educate retailers on its products and how Healthy Pet has been able to drive growth to the category.

“We always enjoy showing off our fantastic booth and products to retailers. We work very hard each year to make sure everything is top notch and shows off our products to the fullest extent,” explained Leslie Ellis, Marketing Consumer Communications Manager for Healthy Pet.

“Our main goal for this year’s show is to reconnect with as many retailers as possible and educate anyone who is not familiar with our products,” said Ellis. “We like to take this in-person opportunity to demonstrate what makes our products unique and a must-have for retailers. We are excited to showcase two new carefresh bedding colors at Global this year. The large variety of carefresh bedding colors is unique to the category and it’s great when we can add even more for all our retailers to offer for small pet parents.”

While Global Pet Expo provides ample opportunities for showcasing the’ latest products, category leaders have always been looking for ways to meet consumer needs and maintain their positions in the category through reflecting the ever-evolving market demands.

“Innovation is in our DNA as a company and meeting the evolving needs of pet parents remains a key priority,” Lucas Stock, Communications Manager for Oxbow Animal Health, Manna Pro’s most recent acquisition, told Pet Insight previously. “Our innovation team works

Although the small animal category includes various products and Oxbow Animal Health offers pet owners food, treat, hay and environmental enhancing products, the company has continued to realize the importance of providing safe, effective and premium bedding solutions.

“In days past, bedding products may have been perceived as an afterthought or something that was purchased without much research or consideration,” said Stock. “Now, we’re finding discerning customers who want to know about the specific attributes and functionality of their chosen bedding. This is a sign of pet parents who care deeply about every aspect of their pet’s health. They recognize that many animals spend a significant portion of their day interacting with these substrates and want to provide materials that are safe, comfortable, and effective at keeping pets clean and odors minimized.”

As companies prepare for Global Pet Expo, manufacturers have several goals in mind, specifically what they want retailers to take away from their booth.

“carefresh bedding is ‘must have’ if a retailer plays in the small pet space,” said Jane Wasley, Healthy Pet’s Head of Marketing. “There’s good reason we’ve been the No. 1 brand of small pet bedding for more than 20 years. We are different, purpose-built from scratch from sustainable pulp fiber to provide bedding that meets and beats the expectations of small pet parents, while ensuring the best care, best home for small pets. While other brands use substrates intended for other uses, we take great pride in the uniqueness, quality and value our bedding brings to consumers.”

“We are excited to showcase two new carefresh bedding colors at Global Pet Expo this year. The large variety of carefresh bedding colors is unique to the category and it’s great when we can add even more for all our retailers to offer for small pet parents.” — Leslie Ellis, Healthy Pet

PREMIUM BEDDING AND ENRICHMENT

Global Pet Expo Preview

Treats

Global Pet Expo has continued to provide manufacturers and retailers with the platform to showcase their latest products within the treats space. While product launches and showcasing has been top of mind for leaders, reconnecting and building on current partnerships or diving into new prospects has remained a key component of the expo for companies as they prepare for the show.

PureBites has grown within the treats category while expanding and bringing new and inventive ideas to the category.

“We have expanded our line over the past few years and brought our PureBites philosophy of treats, food, and toppers made with simple high-quality ingredients to new categories like PureBites+ Squeezables with benefits and PureBites RAW Freeze Dried Complete and Balanced Food or Toppers,” said Stuart Menten, Director of Marketing and e-Commerce.

“As a leading treat brand in pet stores throughout North America, this year we are completing our transition to recyclable packaging and our new premium brand look as we continue to focus on sustainability initiatives,” said Menten. “We’re also continuing our investment in advertising and sampling to make pet parents aware and to try PureBites as their preferred treating or topping brand. We introduced PureBites RAW Freeze Dried Complete and Balanced Food or Toppers last year in the USA as well as PureBites Broths and we are looking forward to continued growth in 2023. Finally, we also have new innovations that we are working on that we might be showing at Global Pet Expo 2023.”

“We return to Global year after year because nothing can quite replace the value and feedback you get from interacting with customers, suppliers, pet parents and fellow brands,” he continued. “Being able to touch and feel our treats, food or toppers and then showing how our brand can be merchandised as a complete solution for our customer partners is something that can never be replicated over Zoom or in an office.”

The company wants to ensure “that PureBites is their premier destination

for limited and single ingredient treats, food and toppers driving innovation in this growing space and making meaningful investments into ensuring pet parents love our brand experience and delivering exceptional service levels for our customer partners,” Menten said.

Shameless Pets has been a key player in eliminating food waste and has planned to reduce its ecological footprint even more. “We are so excited about our product portfolio of treats made with upcycled superfoods, and the fact that we are the leaders in this work with more than 1 million pounds of food saved to date, on track to save 5 million by 2025. What’s special about our mission is that we are able to deliver this positive impact for the planet, while making a lot of pets and pet parents happy along the way with our fun and healthy treats,” said James Bello with Shameless Pets.

Shameless Pets has announced it recently formed a partnership with Virgin Hotels. Although different entities entirely, the partners are representing different parts of the industry while sharing common ideas for including pets in your life

“We are thrilled to announce that we are the official pet partner of Virgin Hotels,” Bello said. “When staying at Virgin’s pet friendly locations, you can expect a small gift from Shameless Pets, plus more exciting events on the horizon. We’re excited to introduce new treat products for dogs with functional health benefits, expand our seasonal holiday cat treat offerings, update our packaging to reflect our more premium ingredients and health benefits, and go deeper into brand partnerships to bring more value to consumers and be introduced to new audiences.”

“It’s amazing to connect with the many brands and vendors that are a part of the show,” he continued. “We are always learning from our peers and partners, and love to see the trends on display at Global Pet Expo. It’s a great opportunity to deepen relationships and connect with others in the industry as well.”

“Shameless Pets is the No. 1 brand delivering joy to pets and pet parents

through our healthy and delicious treats, all while having a positive impact on our planet,” said Bello.

Dog-O’s has several product launches for 2023 and many of them are expected to be showcased at this year’s Global Pet Expo.

“We are absolutely thrilled to introduce retailers to all the new products Dog-O’s is launching this year!” said Beth Marcoot, co-Owner of Dog-O’s. “To add to our very popular Dog-O’s Cheesy Chompers line (Original and Bacon), we’ll launch four new flavors of Cheesy Chompers in 2023.”

“Cheesy Chompers with Berries, and Cheesy Chompers with Sweet Potato will launch at Global Pet Expo in March, and then our Cheesy Chompers with Pumpkin, and Cheesy Chompers with Apple will be available in Fall 2023 (Q3),” Marcoot said.

“In addition, we made quite a big splash last year launching several DogO’s products for the freezer section under our protein-packed Ice Ice Doggy frozen items, and now, our family has scaled our frozen offerings to launch new Dog-O’s Ice Creams in four delicious pup-favorite flavors: Pumpkin Crunch, Peanut Butter & Banana Smash, Cheddar & Bacon Chunk and Classic Vanilla,” she said. “At Dog-O’s, we want pets and pet parents to celebrate the everyday!”

While Dog-O’s was able to launch several products last year, the company is keeping up with the momentum and building off that success. “In addition to the new Dog-O’s products highlighted above that we are launching at Global Pet Expo 2023, we are thrilled to further cultivate and spread the word about our growing list of distribution partners— both regional distributors that are great partners as well as national distribution partners like Animal Supply Company,” Marcoot continued. “We want our retailers to be able to buy where and how they want to, and we’ll meet them and serve them to the best of our ability.”

For Dog-O’s, spending time with prospective and current partners has become as equally important as launching

r Cont'd on Pg. 40

Global Pet Expo Preview: Treats

r From Pg. 38

products and raising awareness surrounding the new products.

“Relationships are so important to us and our family, and we not only enjoy, but greatly value getting to meet our customers face-to-face,” she said. “This personal time allows us the opportunity to grow our customer base and build better relationships with our retailers and distribution partners. It’s also a time where we can highlight new products from Dog-O’s and add value to our customers’ assortments to drive revenue and a better relationship.”

Preppy Pet Bakery has been preparing to showcase its layered cakes and giving retailers a glimpse of the benefits to offering niche and specialty products.

“Our Layered Cakes, offered in Girl, Boy, Neutral and Gotcha Day feature a decorated top with a special birthday or gotcha day sentiment,” said Sarah Cotter with Preppy Pet Bakery. “Our proprietary soft filling is sandwiched between each distinct layer in our peanut butter and oat recipe. This cake is made with human quality ingredients that are all wheat, corn, and soy-free. Preppy Puppy always uses USA-made and sourced ingredients. Our layered cakes are sold with a candle and edible image marker for the dog owners’ personalization, making each cake unique for their pet.”

The company has continued to impress upon retailers and distributors they are a reliable, dependable partner.

“Our clean ingredient statement, thorough communication and quick turnaround time has made us the go-to treat distributor for retailers, especially when it comes to soft filled pastries and birthday items,” said Cotter. “We are always looking to build new components to our business; this year we are launching an all-natural treat line in concurrence with our plentiful seasonal varieties.”

“The Global Pet Expo has always been a great trade show for us to exhibit at. Retailers are drawn to this tradeshow because it encompasses so many departments within their stores making it a very efficient use of their time. Also, the family-friendly atmosphere and geographical proximity to Disney have helped retail owners compound

the tradeshow with a family vacation. However, even without family vacations there is a lot to see and do in Orlando on their personal time so when it comes to trade show time the stress is down and retailers are open minded and excited about their endless business opportunities, most especially about our decorated dog treats!” Cotter said.

The company has high hopes retailers will understand how Preppy Puppy Bakery was able to solidify itself as a leader in the category.

“Preppy Puppy is an American-tothe-bone, family-owned and operated dog bakery. Leaving our booth each retailer will experience the professionalism, vast knowledge and expertise in the decorated treat category. Our owners have dominated the human baking industry which has resulted in many improvements to our product line throughout the years. Our top-notch quality ingredients are always wheat, corn and soy-free. Preppy Puppy has always been innovative with ingredients, designs and practical with cost, resulting in minimal price increases, low processing times understanding customer needs.”

Phelps Pet Products has prepared to showcase a new line of dog treats at the expo this year.

“This year we are taking a different approach,” said Rick Ruffolo, CEO and President of Phelps Pet Products. “We have had great success with our standalone booth generating interest and business growth with the big national retail customers the last several years. Now, we are expanding our reach by partnering with Phillips Pet Food & Supplies Distribution to invest our efforts on the Table Scraps Disney dog treats line with local and regional pet specialty stores. We will have a special show promotion and be able to engage directly with buyers and owners in the pet specialty channel.”

Bosco & Roxy’s has ensured the company’s booth will reflect and highlight the company’s treats—bringing attention to all Bosco & Roxy’s has to offer retailers.

“This year we want them to see not only the themes and bright colors of our treats but we want them to take away

some ideas on how to merchandise them in their stores,” said Jaymie Crook, Owner of Bosco & Roxy’s. “We are bringing some different ideas around how to merchandise in the store, how to display them so they have a lot of light and customers can see the bright themes that are on our treats. That’s the new look of our booth that we are debuting at Global this year.”

“Our objectives are to meet as many retailers as we can. We are also really excited to put names and faces together at these shows,” Crook said. “We are located near Toronto, Canada so it is really hard to get to see some of our customers and so this is an opportunity to do that.”

Project Hive Pet Company has been able to provide high-quality vegetarian treats to pets and their owners while impacting the planet in a positive way.

“I think our goal on the treat part of our business is to really have more retailers, distributors and customers find out about Project Hive since we are a newer brand,” Jim Schifman, co-Founder of Project Hive Pet Company said. “So, one of the things we are doing is making sure folks know who we are, what we are doing and why we are different in the marketplace. Our treats are different, we are making vegetarian treats. They are all USA manufactured, but we also are non-GMO Project Verified. These [treats] are all healthier for our planet and our dogs, and for people. We just really appreciate folks realizing we have a differentiation in the marketplace.”

“One thing we are super proud of as a company is we have already created almost 10 million-square-feet of bee pollinator habitat through our business. What that means is bees represent about a third of our food supply—their pollination services,” Schifman said. “We are really proud that we have created a healthy habitat for bees because they are losing their habitats through pesticides, farming practices and climate change. We feel we are making an impact on our planet and that’s really one of the big differentiations. We are creating a business for good that we can create a positive impact to our planet, our people and our pets.”

IN CONVERSATION

Looking at 2023, what are your goals and priorities for PetSmart?

Professional History

Tell us how your career path led you to the pet industry and joining PetSmart in 2019?

I started my career as a consultant at Accenture in the technology space and while I learned so much from this field, I quickly learned that wasn’t for me. From there, I joined the Peace Corps to work in small business development which took me to El Salvador. There, I worked with a women’s co-op to sell their artisanal goods to retail stores. This is when it all clicked, and I felt in my heart that retail was where I wanted to be.

When I got back from the Peace Corps, I went to business school and received my MBA, and then followed my love of retail and joined the team at Target. I started as a senior buyer and progressed through several roles to become Vice President Merchandise Manager, Beauty and Personal Care. Here I managed the overall strategic direction of the business as well as all product assortment, pricing, promotion, and presentation decisions. It’s at Target where my love for this industry really grew and I found excitement in exploring new and innovative ways to connect and engage with customers and build high performing teams.

I left Target to start two business ventures—one focused on retail and brand consulting and the other in the fitness industry. When I was ready to jump back into the corporate world in 2019, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to join the team at PetSmart.

“Looking ahead to 2023, we remain focused on meeting the needs and wants of pet parents. We make our decisions based on how we can we bring pet parents closer to their pets, and that has been a winning strategy. In short, we’ll do anything for pets! We will continue to focus on our unique partnerships, like Nate + Jeremiah, as well as expand our proprietary brands that really give us the freedom to innovate and bring new products to market quickly. We will invest in our services business—our salons, training centers and PetsHotels—to serve pets and pet parents better than anyone in the industry all under one roof, and we will expand our industry-leading veterinary service footprint through PVS.”

Professionally, what makes the pet industry a good fit for you? What do you enjoy the most about working in pet?

I have always loved pets. Growing up I had fish, cats and a very loyal Cocker Spaniel named Tiffney Amanda Lu. And today we have two dogs, a Frenchie named Archie and an energetic Vizsla named Ruby. So, the passion and excitement I have for this business is genuine. It’s also a really exciting time for the category. Our pets have become more than just our best friends. They are our family, and people are looking for more ways to involve their pets in their everyday lives. So much of how people are engaging with their pets follows the same trends humans are following. This means changes in the foods and treats, new ways of incorporating pet products into the design of the home, and a heightened focus on the apparel and accessories, so it’s really a fun time to be in the pet industry.

At this point in your career, what are your goals, and what opportunities are there in the pet industry to help you achieve them?

Being in merchandising I always am looking ahead for the next trend to bring newness and innovation to our customers—that is what drives me each day. As I mentioned, we’re at a really exciting time for the pet industry where trends

and seasons are driving new products and consumer behaviors. Being in this industry allows me to stay on top of this innovation and think of how I can help to bring pets and pet parents closer together.

What aspect or aspects of your personal work ethic have helped you most to become successful?

From early on in my career, I’ve been willing to bet on myself—something I learned from my greatest role model, my dad. This way of thinking about caring for yourself and taking chances on yourself is what builds selfless leaders. And while this may sound counterintuitive, I’ve seen it play out in my life and the lives of other well-respected leaders time and time again. I consciously make time for myself to get out there and move my body; to leave space to think and dream; to allow myself to be authentically and unapologetically me; and to make time to focus on ways that I can develop culture and talent in my teams. One way this all comes together for me is running, I do it nearly every day. Running gives me the opportunity to not only take care of my physical health and move my body, but it gives me the time and space I need to think big, to process things and be more strategic and creative in my work. By focusing on these “selfish” things, I have

Kristin Shane, Senior Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer PetSmart

— Kristin Shane, PetSmart

In Conversation: Kristin Shane, PetSmart

become a more effective and connected leader.

How have your career accomplishments and experiences informed your industry leadership?

My career accomplishments have all been supported by the teams around me. One of my favorite parts of my job is developing talent and sharing success together. At the end of the day, we all want to feel that we have made an impact, so consistently acknowledging the many contributions of those around me has also helped me become a better leader in the retail industry. Retail is truly a space where you succeed and fail as a team. I’ve really embraced how growing and supporting others ultimately drives my own growth and success, and that’s helped me become the retail leader I am today.

State of the Market

their social lives—take them to brunch or adventure with them on seasonal excursions—because people don’t want to leave their pets at home. We develop

What do you attribute to PetSmart’s continued success?

“We remain focused on our key strategies which serve our customers and solve their problems to ensure continued success in this highly competitive market. One key piece of our strategy is our focus on our proprietary brands, products that are only available in PetSmart stores or online. Our proprietary brands provide value for our customers and are one way we’re able to offer differentiation and fill gaps we see in the market. Proprietary brands give us ample room to innovate and play so we can best meet the needs and exceed the expectations of pet parents. With a mix of new and mature names in our collection of proprietary brands, we have 10 with more than $100 million in annualized revenue each, and continue to grow additional brands.”

— Kristin Shane, PetSmart

Beyond our great products, our passionate associates connect to our customers to help them get all they need to care for their pet. It’s rare in retail to have your associates and your customer deeply share in the same passion —a passion for pets—and this creates a unique shopping experience where we’re more of a community of pet lovers than anything. During the pandemic, the industry experienced an uptick in pet adoptions. How has the meteoric rise in pet adoptions impacted pet retailers like PetSmart and the veterinary services that PetSmart locations provide?

What makes the pet industry dynamic and vibrant? How would you describe the current state of the pet industry, compared to when you joined PetSmart?

Pets have become like family to so many of us, and their elevated place in our lives has led to so many new opportunities to foster the bond between pet and pet parent. Driven by Millennials and Gen-Z, the humanization of pets is pushing demand in categories like indulgent products, décor, fresh foods, accessories, and seasonal items as pet parents look for more ways to incorporate their pets seamlessly into their lives, sharing all of their own passions and interests with them.

As an example, prior to the pandemic, when we would talk about travel items for pets, it was typically items to make car or plane travel easier. Now, when we think of travel, we think of all the ways people want to incorporate pets into

products and solutions that allow pet parents to truly do anything for pets because we know they would do anything for us.

What is the role of pet specialty retailers in the pet industry? Why is it important to facilitate a community of pet owners to promote education and the pet and pet parent bond?

Pet specialty retail is critical in supporting pets and those who love them. We offer the largest variety of pet products and services in one convenient place. No other retailer offers the variety of food, treats, toys, collars and leashes, as well as salon and veterinary services as PetSmart. Additionally, specialty pet retail is critical to ensure pet parents have access to all they need to provide the best care for pets of all species. We support not just cats and dogs, but have essential and fun items for small pets, reptiles, aquatics and so much more.

The rise in pet adoptions during the pandemic was primarily led by Millennials and Gen-Zers. These new pet parents are driving a lot of the innovation in the products that we offer as they are looking to shop with us for all they need, and for also those indulgent items they really want. We’ve launched brand collaborations with household names in pop culture, such as Harry Potter and Stranger Things, and we’ve challenged ourselves in the decor space through a partnership with nationally renown designers Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent, who helped us develop a first of its kind collection for specialty pets that is both functional and aesthetically beautiful.

Additionally, the increase in adoptions also means an increase in pets who need veterinary care. The record demand for these services has meant longer wait times and more barriers to care for pet parents and their pets. That is why we recently launched PetSmart Veterinary Services (PVS), an independent business ownership model that allows veterinarians to open their own franchised practice inside our PetSmart stores. PetSmart already has one of the

r From Pg 42 r Cont'd on Pg. 46

In Conversation: Kristin Shane, PetSmart

largest veterinary offerings with more than 750 veterinary hospitals inside our stores and PVS will allow us to further extend this lead and provide convenient access to quality pet care to even more pets.

PetSmart

What do you attribute to PetSmart’s continued success?

We remain focused on our key strategies which serve our customers and solve their problems to ensure continued success in this highly competitive market. One key piece of our strategy is our focus on our proprietary brands, products that are only available in PetSmart stores or online. Our proprietary brands provide value for our customers and are one way we’re able to offer differentiation and fill gaps we see in the market. Proprietary brands give us ample room to innovate and play so we can best meet the needs and exceed the expectations of pet parents. With a mix of new and mature names in our collection of proprietary brands, we have 10 with more than $100 million in annualized revenue each, and continue to grow additional brands. How did PetSmart help support and guide pet owners through the pandemic and now through supply chain and inflationary pressures?

ents with us, even as we all take on the macroeconomic challenges facing retail. One great example of this is our Treats loyalty program. We continue to learn from our customer data and analytics to provide more personalized and target-

pet parents find the right product or solution for their needs. When they walk through our doors, we hope pet parents feel this love and support and know that we will do anything for pets. How would you characterize the pet owners who shop at PetSmart locations?

What is the role of pet specialty retailers in the pet industry? Why is it important to facilitate a community of pet owners to promote education and the pet and pet parent bond?

“Pet specialty retail is critical in supporting pets and those who love them. We offer the largest variety of pet products and services in one convenient place. No other retailer offers the variety of food, treats, toys, collars and leashes, as well as salon and veterinary services as PetSmart. Additionally, specialty pet retail is critical to ensure pet parents have access to all they need to provide the best care for pets of all species. We support not just cats and dogs, but have essential and fun items for small pets, reptiles, aquatics and so much more. Beyond our great products, our passionate associates connect to our customers to help them get all they need to care for their pet. It’s rare in retail to have your associates and your customer deeply share in the same passion—a passion for pets—and this creates a unique shopping experience where we’re more of a community of pet lovers than anything.”

— Kristin Shane, PetSmart

Our customers are just as diverse as the pets we support, and because we offer such a wide variety of products for so many species, we have the pleasure of serving many different customer groups. However, we find that most of our customers have multiple pet species in their homes, which is why PetSmart’s unrivaled support for so many pets is such an important differentiator. Additionally, we know customers are looking for new products they have never seen before. Newness drives our business and we are motivated to find the next trendy partnership or create the next must-have product.

Looking at 2023, what are your goals and priorities for PetSmart?

As an essential business, we were there for pet parents throughout the pandemic to ensure they could continue to get the supplies needed to care for their pet during. With the rise in adoptions during the pandemic we also had the opportunity to be a part of the new pet journey for so many as they added beds, collars, toys and consumables to their carts for its new companion.

We work hard to build connection and trust with our customers and these relationships are what keep pet par-

ed offerings to engage this active customer set and are seeing great results. The value of our program goes beyond sales incentives as Treats members truly get more. We are testing new ways to drive sales through early member access to new collections and products, as well as allowing members to donate their Treats points to PetSmart Charities to support pets in need. What is the impression that PetSmart wants its staff to leave on pet owners during and after they visit a PetSmart store?

Caring for pets is our business—we are pet parents too, and we love and care for all pets as if they are our own. Our associates aren’t just passionate, they are knowledgeable and can help

Looking ahead to 2023, we remain focused on meeting the needs and wants of pet parents. We make our decisions based on how we can we bring pet parents closer to their pets, and that has been a winning strategy. In short, we’ll do anything for pets! We will continue to focus on our unique partnerships, like Nate + Jeremiah, as well as expand our proprietary brands that really give us the freedom to innovate and bring new products to market quickly. We will invest in our services business—our salons, training centers and PetsHotels—to serve pets and pet parents better than anyone in the industry all under one roof, and we will expand our industry-leading veterinary service footprint through PVS.

Turning Empathy into Action for Domestic Abuse Survivors with Pets Purina’s Purple Leash® Project

By Nina Leigh Krueger, President and CEO of Nestlé Purina PetCare

For several years now, Purina’s purpose of enriching the lives of pets and the people who love them has been brought to life through our Purple Leash Project program, which is helping domesti c violence shelters across the country become pet friendly. While we have always believed that pets and people are bett er together, it has never been truer than for victi ms of domesti c abuse and their beloved pets. Not only does domesti c abuse impact one-third of women and a quarter of men in this country, but for victi ms with pets, leaving is made even more diffi cult by the fact that only 15% of shelters allow pets.

We believe that we can help change that. Perhaps like many of you, I hadn’t spent much ti me internalizing the issue of domesti c violence before Purina started doing work in the space. And while I have been sheltered from the realiti es of abuse in many ways throughout my life, the more I’ve learned, the more I’ve realized that domesti c abuse is far too often a story that isn’t told. That is all the more reason why lending our voices and brands to shine a light on this issue through the Purple Leash Project has been so inspiring to me, and I’ve been humbled by the willingness of our retail partners to support this work.

Together, we are making a diff erence. What started nearly a decade ago as a phone call to see how Purina could help a single domesti c violence shelter become pet friendly has evolved into a mission to change the narrati ve and the domesti c violence survivor services landscape altogether at a

nati onal scale. From getti ng handson at shelters to make pet-friendly improvements through associate volunteer days to lobbying for federal support for survivors with pets in Washington, D.C., Purina is committ ed to doing more than writi ng checks to make a diff erence. We’re putti ng in work to make real change.

And because of your support, and the support of our brands, we’ve helped 30 domesti c violence shelters become pet friendly and donated more than $1 million to the Purple Leash Project fund since creati ng the Purple Leash Project with our nonprofi t partner, RedRover, in 2019.

More survivors and pets are safe today because of this work. This program is saving lives.

The Purple Leash Project is inspiring pet owners to get involved and join us on this mission. In fact, in additi on to the funding Purina provides, consumers have donated more than $400,000 to the Purple Leash Project so far.

But there is more work to do. There are more doors to open for survivors of domesti c violence with pets, so they can escape abuse and heal together. It is only through the support and advocacy of many that we will conti nue to lead this charge and protect the bond between survivors and their beloved pets. To our partners who have embraced the Purple Leash Project, thank you. And to those who are considering it, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your Purina sales rep to fi nd out how you can support this initi ati ve during key periods throughout the year with merch programs designed to drive att enti on and awareness of this issue and give your customers a way to get involved by donati ng and purchasing specially marked Purina products.

We hope you had an exciting and productive time at SuperZoo catching up with your fellow pet professionals, making connections with suppliers, sampling a host of new products and discovering strategies to drive success for your business. We don’t know about you, but we’re already hyped to see what next year’s SuperZoo will have in store – catch you there!