The Category Catalysts Series
Special Report
Treats Unleashed
As it relates to building a burgeoning business, strong partnerships throughout the industry are fundamental, and Treats Unleashed exemplifies this by fostering deeply rooted, lasting partnerships with its consumer base and its manufacturers. Many of the individuals who work alongside Treats Unleashed have been part of this journey for decades, creating a culture of loyalty, trust and similar values. These long-term collaborators often speak highly of the experience, lauding commitment to quality and an emphasis on community and customer service that defines Treats Unleashed. As a family-owned and operated business, Treats Unleashed values the same principles of integrity and service that their manufacturers hold themselves to. This compatibility is crucial—it ensures Treats Unleashed and its partners are aligned in their mission to deliver exceptional products while treating customers with the utmost respect and care and associates treating consumers’ pets with the same care as they would their own.
Budding Partnerships: “We love working with Treats Unleashed because we share the same values around building long-term partnerships built on trust and fairness,” said Sodapup Founder Adam Baker. “I would characterize our relationship as ‘easy.’ They are very easy to work with. They are responsive in their communication and they pay us on time which doesn’t always happen with larger retailers. It demonstrates to us that they are committed to us and understand what it takes to run a business: cash flow!”
West Paw and Treats Unleashed have a decades-long history that involved sharing each other’s experiences as two up and coming companies advancing within pet. “We’ve been in partnership for 20 years, starting back in 2004 when Treats Unleashed had just one store,” West Paw President Peter Cleary reminisced. “Since then, we have grown together in our shared mission to provide environmentally friendly, quality products to our community.”
“This partnership Weruva has developed throughout the years with Treats Unleashed is still evolving with their
new stores coming online,” said Weruva’s Central Sales Team Leader, Danny Brosius. “With Weruva's ever-growing dog and cat lines, it works nicely. Over the years, we have shown Ian and Teresa Owners of Treats Unleashed our dedication to our continuing partnership for success. As their partner, we genuinely care about the employees at the store level and the corporate office.”
“Since their very first order back in 2017, Treats Unleashed has been a dedicated supporter of Ruff Dawg’s product line, consistently showcasing our high-quality, Made in the USA toys,” said VP of Sales and Marketing Jerry Moffett. “The partnership between Ruff Dawg and Treats Unleashed can best be described as strong, dynamic and truly mutually supportive! They’ve embraced the unique value that we bring to the pet market, particularly with our exclusive Lifetime Guarantee, which their customers absolutely love. Over the years, this partnership has only grown, with Treats Unleashed not only highlighting the durability and safety of our products but also actively engaging with their community to spread the word about the reliability of Ruff Dawg’s toys. It’s been exciting to see our brands come together to provide the very best for pets and their owners!”
“We have seen an exciting growth pattern with Treats Unleashed—they have recently expanded the Skout’s Honor selection in their stores from just a few SKUs to offering more than 20-plus top performing Skout’s Honor best sellers to support customer demand,” said VP of Sales Shannan Morlas.
The Right Fit: Treats Unleashed has cultivated a loyal and engaged following of pet owners that value what Treats Unleashed offers, said Treat Planet’s VP of Sales Josh Meyer. “Their involvement in the community and focus on educating customers helps us present our products authentically. Plus, their insights keep us agile and aligned with market needs,” he said.
An enduring partnership looks like companies rooting for one another. “We are proud of our relationship with Treats Unleashed and have enjoyed watching them grow to 20 locations
while keeping the same level of customer service and care that they’ve always had,” Cleary with West Paw said. “We feel a particular joy in working with a company that shares our unwavering commitment to quality and service.”
“Treats Unleashed has a reputation for quality products, specialty merchandising and white glove customer service,” said Tall Tails Director of Marketing George Barton. “They help validate our brands by simply carrying them in their stores. Treats Unleashed also helps extend our assortment and offering into the St. Louis and Kansas City markets in a meaningful way.”
“There are many advantages of partnering with Treats Unleashed, and to touch on the most prominent of these: These are great people with a vision for growth,” Brosius said. “Also, they strive to provide their customers with an experience at the stores that will bring them back.”
“With 20 years of experience, Treats Unleashed has a deep understanding of what pet owners want, especially when it comes to all-natural, high-quality pet products,” Moffett said. “Their family-owned approach fosters a genuine, community-focused atmosphere, and their team of trained pet food experts ensures that customers receive personalized, knowledgeable service every time. Plus, their presence across multiple locations gives us the opportunity to reach an even broader audience of pet lovers. Treats Unleashed has built a loyal customer base that trusts them to offer only the best, making them an ideal partner for Ruff Dawg’s innovative, durable toys. It’s a collaboration rooted in shared values and a passion for enhancing pets’ lives!”
“Partnering with a like-minded retailer like Treats Unleashed offers numerous advantages,” Boxiecat's Brand Marketing Manager April Liu. “Firstly, their commitment to quality aligns perfectly with our values, ensuring that we both prioritize the health and well-being of pets. This shared mission creates a strong foundation for collaboration and trust. Additionally, Treats Unleashed emphasizes education for both their
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Your support is what Your support is what makes our journey in the makes our journey in the pet supply industry pet supply industry rewarding. rewarding.
As we enter the holiday season, our As we enter the holiday season, our team at Animal Supply Company team at Animal Supply Company expresses our gratitude and expresses our gratitude and appreciation for our customers and appreciation for our customers and brand partners. brand partners.
This season, let’s celebrate the spirit This season, let’s celebrate the spirit of partnership and the joy of serving of partnership and the joy of serving the pet industry. the pet industry.
Special Report: Treats Unleashed
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team and customers. By partnering with them, we gain access to their wealth of knowledge and resources, allowing us to enhance our own educational efforts. This ultimately benefits pet parents, as they can make more informed decisions about their pets’ care and nutrition. Moreover, their community-focused approach fosters a loyal customer base that values high-quality products. By aligning ourselves with a retailer that has a strong reputation for premium offerings, we can tap into that loyalty and expand our reach in a supportive environment. Overall, collaborating with Treats Unleashed not only strengthens our brand but also enhances the overall pet care experience for consumers.”
"Their 20-year legacy in pet retail is built on making advanced nutrition accessible to everyday pet parents," said Nick Ebert, CCO at Vital Essentials. "This expertise is especially valuable as we introduce innovative products like our Freeze-Dried Raw Bar and single-source protein Mini-Nib Entrees. Their team expertly guides customers through the benefits of raw feeding, from increased energy and improved skin and coat health to overall vitality. Most importantly, they create a welcoming environment where pet parents can learn, ask questions, and gain confidence in their raw feeding journey. Whether you're new to raw feeding or looking to expand your pet's raw diet options, their knowledgeable staff meets you where you are with personalized guidance and support."
“Indie pet stores are the backbone of our business, and Treats Unleashed exemplifies what we value in our retail partnerships,” said Huxley & Kent President Michael Dagne. “Our longstanding relationship with them shows our commitment to supporting neighborhood pet stores and achieving mutual success.”
“Treats Unleashed is a valued partner and advocate of Earth Rated,” said Justin Hansen Key Account Manager, Distribution. “Their customer-centric approach to doing business is refreshing and goes a long way with their clientele. Working with a partner like Treats Unleashed means that we know we are a brand they trust which, in turn, translates to
each and every customer they service.”
“Skout’s Honor is a pet specialty brand—that means we are committed to supporting independent pet specialty retailers like Treats Unleashed,” Morlas said. “We are at our best as a brand partner when we can cultivate a supportive, mutually beneficial relationship with our retail partners, providing them with education/training, marketing support and overall customer service to help grow our business together.”
Solid Attributes: "It’s so important to have engagement and support at the store level when selling premium pet food products," said Kevin Steele, VP of Sales for ORIJEN and ACANA pet food. "We especially appreciate that Treats Unleashed prioritizes learning and development within their team, as well as a fun shopping experience for customers. We can always count on our instore training sessions to be highly engaged and spirited, with a real desire to learn more about what makes ORIJEN and ACANA unique."
Baker said Treats Unleashed leverages one of Sodapup’s strengths: product introductions. “Many larger retailers select a narrow assortment and stick with it for a long time, but Treats Unleashed has evolved their assortment along with Sodapup’s product offering, showing their consumers new items,” he explained. “The importance of this can’t be overstated. They understand that one of the most powerful tools in retail is keeping the shopping experience new and exciting. While certain product categories like food and cat litter may be ‘stable stars’ in an assortment, they can use Sodapup as ‘eye candy’ to elevate the overall shopping experience. Treats Unleashed leverages the breadth of the Sodapup product offering to keep it fresh.”
A solid, enduring partnership is also built on shared priorities. “Both of us care about pets, people, quality and innovation,” Meyer said. “They know and understand their customers inside and out and the carefully selected products make sure our stuff gets to the right people in the best way possible.”
Treats Unleashed and Pioneer Pet are going on 11 years of doing business together. “Treats Unleashed has always been loyal to the SmartCat brand. We
love our partnership,” said Brenda Brewster, Account Manager for Pioneer Pet Products. “Our technology has grown throughout the years and their business continues to seek advancement. Together it creates a wonderful working relationship.”
It’s important for pet owners to realize when choosing toys, there is no one size fits all solution. They need to consider the purpose of the toy—enrichment or exercise—and the pet’s play and chew style given that no matter how durably a toy is designed, it’s irresponsible and unsafe to the pet to promise that toy will last forever. “Treats Unleashed is a solid partner for Tall Tails because they believe in our Toys for Every Tail strategy—they carry Tall Tails toys that fit all dog breeds, sizes and playstyles,” Barton said. “From plush sensory toys and leather fetch toys to durable chews and foraging mats, Treats Unleashed customers can find a Tall Tails toy that matches their dog's preferences. Treats Unleashed also carries our other brand—Territory. Territory offers a similar quality as Tall Tails at a more affordable price point with a more whimsical look.”
“Treats Unleashed is deeply committed to enhancing the lives of both pets and their owners by offering a carefully curated selection of premium products tailored specifically for pets,” Liu with Boxiecat said. “Their passion extends beyond just selling high-quality products; they prioritize the health and well-being of pets, ensuring that every product meets rigorous standards for a safe household. This premium service to the community and to pet products aligns with Boxie, and we are actively exploring new opportunities for collaboration, particularly through increased store presence with new technology, substrates and formulas.”
“Treats Unleashed is a growing pet specialty retailer that is killing it in their midwest region—which is so exciting to see,” Morlas with Skout's Honor said. “We love partnering with retail brands who are growing, just like us, because they tend to have the same hyper-focused mentality when it comes to building and supporting a brand, growing a customer base and ensuring high-quality product offerings.”
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Market Spotlight
St. Louis
The greater St. Louis metro pet market is a vibrant network of retailers dedicated to enhancing the lives of pets and their owners. These retailers play a crucial role in educating pet owners about the unique needs of their pets, whether based on breed, age or health conditions. Further, the greater St. Louis metro pet market is not limited to retail; it's a community hub where pet owners uncover resources, products and support tailored to their specific needs. Through a combination of diverse offerings, educational initiatives and community involvement, this community of retailers contribute fundamentally to the well-being of pets in the region.
Overview: The greater St. Louis pet market liberally encompasses St. Louis proper (17 pet stores), St. Charles (five pet stores), O’Fallon (four pet stores) and Florissant (three pet stores) and Edwardsville, IL (four pet stores). This parcel is home to 31 different companies that operate 79 pet specialty store locations. Petco, PetSmart and Treats Unleashed have 14 locations each and make up 53 percent of the market.
Single store retailers, such as EarthWise Pet franchisees and Pet Connection, represent 25 percent of the market. Multi-store retailers like Pet Supplies Plus, with seven locations and one Wag N’ Wash storefront, and twostore operators such as Four Muddy Paws, Lola & Penelope’s and Three Tails Parlor & Pantry take up 21 percent of the market share.
Retailers: Before operating Four Muddy Paws, a pet specialty, grooming and bakery business in St. Louis, Jeff Jensen excelled in a decades-long career in retail at department stores.
Even though Jensen was immersed in his career in apparel and cosmetics, animals had a constant presence in his periphery. “Animals have always been a significant part of my life,” he explained. “I was a docent volunteer at the St. Louis Zoo for 10 years prior to opening Four Muddy Paws, and I’ve grown up with dogs and cats my entire life.”
Four Muddy Paws Co-Owner Matt Brazelton served his community teaching third graders in the St. Louis public schools. His aspirations of owning a
business stretched back to Brazelton’s father, who owned his own pharmacy. “I always had a dream of opening my own business someday,” he said.
“Before Malawi Aquatics was even a thought, I was working as an avionics technician in the US Air Force Reserves at Scott AFB,” explained Malawi Aquatics Co-Owner Josh Tyler. “Our business came together with the help of my brother, Buddy Tyler, our friend Lynn Wheeler and myself.”
Of the three of them, Buddy was the only one who knew anything about fish. “My knowledge of fish was limited to, ‘No, I don't want hot sauce; I want tartar sauce,’” Tyler quipped.
It was Buddy who knew about the previous pet shop at Malawi Aquatics’ current location. “The owner eventually offered us the opportunity to buy all the aquarium equipment from the store,” Tyler explained. “Initially, the plan was to move the equipment into storage while we found a suitable building to start our business. However, as we were removing the equipment, the landlord approached us and asked if we wanted to give the store a chance at its current location. And the rest was history. So throughout the years, I went from zero knowledge to learning how to keep fish alive while operating Malawi Aquatics, which took quite some time.”
This month marks the 20th anniversary of Four Muddy Paws being in business with the first shop opening in November 2004. It all started with a camping trip.
“Matt and I found a lost puppy running across the road on a camping trip with friends,” Jensen elaborated. “We tried to find out where he lived to no avail so he came to live with us. Salem was the real reason we started Four Muddy Paws.”
Back in 2000, independent pet stores were a new, unfamiliar concept in St. Louis, he said.
“We couldn’t find a shop that really had everything we were looking for in terms of good nutrition for him, and after a couple times washing Salem in the bathtub we recognized the true benefits of a self-service dog wash. Matt came up with the idea of creating an all-in-one
healthy pet market for dogs and cats featuring a focus on nutrition, self-service dog wash and professional grooming as well as treats, toys and other cool pet gear.”
“From the start, we focused on bringing fish out of Africa, specifically African cichlids, which naturally led us to specialize in them,” Tyler said. “The primary species we planned to import came from Lake Malawi, which inspired the name of our store, Malawi Aquatics International. ‘Malawi Aquatics’ is a tribute to the natural habitat of the fish we supply, and the ‘International’ reflects our original intent of importing fish from Africa.”
“One gap we identified early on in the pet industry was the demand for aquarium cleaning and maintenance services,” he continued. “People wanted their aquariums maintained but didn’t always have a reliable service option. Many local providers were using basic tools like buckets and siphoning hoses, which often left aquariums cloudy. We took a different approach by using a service cart, which allowed us to offer much better results. After each visit, our clients are left with crystal-clear aquariums, which brings great satisfaction.”
Jensen, who has an extensive pet-training, behavior background as a certified professional positive reinforcement dog trainer, assists pet owners with translating pets’ behavior.
“Helping people understand that the animal is always right, and it’s our job to figure out what their behaviors really mean and help them to continue the behaviors we like and work to reduce and manage the behaviors we don’t like,” he explained. “Building and enhancing the connection between the pet and their people is our goal.”
Suppliers: “Pet’s Best Life, and our previous pet treat company S&M NuTec, have considered it an honor to reside in the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor with our headquarters in North Kansas City, MO and most of our manufacturing has occurred within a 50-mile radius,” said Dr. Joe Roetheli, Co-Founder of Pet’s Best Life. “We built Greenies and Pill Pockets in the Corridor in the ear-
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Market Spotlight: St. Louis
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ly 2000s. We have now conceived and commercialized Yummy Combs and even more recently have added Longevity15 to our list of innovative premium pet treat products for the welfare of dogs in this Corridor.”
“William H. Danforth, who resided in St. Louis, founded Ralston Purina here in 1894 not only due to his own personal location and those of his business partners, but due to St. Louis’s proximity to ‘river and rail,’” said Joe Toscano, VP, Trade and Industry Development at Purina. “At that time, we were able to ship products quickly and efficiently via train and boat, and the intersection of so many railroads near the Mississippi River were critical factors in the company’s success. Without those, Purina would probably not have become the entity we are today. From there, and a critical inflection point for where we are today, Purina established St. Louis as a center for world-class animal nutrition research. The world’s first canine nutrition research center was established at Purina Farms in Gray Summit in 1926, the same year Dog Chow launched. The ongoing work at Purina Farms brought many up-and-coming researchers and agriculture/animal care experts to St. Louis, drawing people to work here from all over the country and establishing the area as a destination for this type of expertise.”
“The Kansas City Animal Health Corridor provides an excellent setting for pet product companies,” Roetheli said of what makes this region an enticing place to tap into the needs of pet owners. “It provides a great deal of scientific and manufacturing expertise and capabilities. The pool of workers who have experience with pet products is also an asset to the area. Being in the center of the United States also helps with distribution as it resides near the production of many of the key ingredients of edible pet products and offers readily available infrastructure for distribution.”
Trevor Cronin, Chief Operating Officer of Dog Treat Naturals, and his wife were born and raised in O’Fallon and Weldon Springs making it an easy decision to start their company in the St. Louis metro area. “From a supply chain perspective, being a centralized state is
very appealing to our customers as we can fill their orders quickly and drive down freight costs,” Cronin elaborated. “Additionally, as a fully sustainable company, it also allows us to reduce our carbon footprint. Growing up in the St. Louis metro area gave us the opportunity to study the local consumer and their purchasing behavior, which ultimately led us down the path of starting this company; we are fulfilling those pet parent needs that were not being addressed by the current assortment of natural dog treats available.”
The greater St. Louis metro area provides an enduring list of factors that allow for pet related manufacturers to thrive in the region. “The passionate network of pet welfare and social service agencies in the St. Louis area have provided us with the ability to create strong, local partnerships and make community investments that allow us to be ‘all in’ where we work and live,” Toscano said. “Because we are part of our communities, our associates can thrive doing what they love both inside and outside of work. Additionally, because of all St Louis has to offer—from arts, to entertainment, to affordable cost of living, to award-winning schools, to green spaces, etc.—we are able to provide something that meets many job candidates’ needs. St. Louis becomes more than a job location—it’s a home.”
“We have had tremendous support from our customers in the St. Louis area since we first started the business which really allowed us to grow into the nationwide brand we are today,” Cronin said. “I'd personally like to thank Lynna Sherman and the team at Treats Unleashed for taking the chance on us as a young brand in 2022 without any national distribution and giving us the opportunity to prove our products. Since our launch with Treats Unleashed twoplus years ago, we have secured national pet specialty and grocery distribution which allowed us to get our products into the hands of more pet parents in search of healthy, purposeful dog treats. My father, Rick Cronin, also owned a homebuilding business, Titan Homes, in the St. Louis metro area for 30-plus years, which generated hundreds of direct and indirect jobs. We have always had a passion for our local economy and
taking care of the people in St. Louis and providing customers with the best possible product.”
Kansas City’s central location serves as an opportunity to connect pet-related businesses. “Kansas City is centrally located for shipping nationwide by barge, rail or truck,” Roetheli said. “Kansas City sports a new modern airport for business travel and overnight deliveries. Judy and I have lived from Florida to Idaho and from Washington, D.C. to Kansas City. We love this area that offers us easy travel to and from the office. We enjoy all four seasons of the year including amazing sunrises and sunsets, the beautiful fall colors and the green, green grass of home! The beauty of the changes of nature for the four seasons inspires creative thinking for me.”
Midwesterners' affinity for supporting local businesses has created a favorable climate for businesses headquartered throughout the Midwest. “As a pet parent and consumer myself, I always enjoy supporting local businesses,” Cronin said. “I believe that Midwesterners have always been supportive in the sense that it provides a huge opportunity for us as a locally based company. Today, many households have at least one dog, so it gives us the opportunity not only to promote our items and their health benefits, but educate the consumer on the importance of sourcing, ingredients and sustainability. We do not have any issues with product development due to our location; in fact, I believe it is advantageous to be in the St. Louis area. We can source on demand being in the heartland of America and turn new innovations around quickly.”
The greater St. Louis metro pet market serves as a vital resource for pet owners, fostering a strong sense of community among retailers and consumers. Retailers in this market not only provide a wide array of products—ranging from quality food and toys to grooming supplies and health care items—but also prioritize education to enhance the pet ownership experience. Ultimately, the greater St. Louis metro pet market is characterized by its commitment to enhancing the lives of pets and their owners, creating a supportive and resource-rich environment that acknowledges the journey of each pet family.
2024 Category Catalysts
Litter: Boxiecat
Boxiecat’s pragmatic approach to litter training and pet ownership has effectively disrupted the litter category and improved the bond between felines and pet parents. Proper litter box training and usage is important, and litter suppliers like Boxiecat offer products that prevent barriers and health issues which impact the feline’s respiratory and urinary tracts that can lead to aversion and messes in the home.
Boxiecat has demonstrated to pet owners litter box training and usage can and should be stress-free for pets. The company enlightens pet owners that there are valid reasons why cats might avoid the litter box, and it’s in their control to prevent those factors and stressors. Empowering pet owners subsequently leads to them taking an active role in teaching litter box training and doing their part to keep the litter box clean and inviting—thus, more likely to get used.
“Many cat parents encounter challenges with cat litter,” said CEO Josh Wiesenfeld. “They often face excessive dust, low quality ingredients, clumps that break apart with each scoop and inadequate odor control. These challenges not only frustrate the cat parents but can also irritate cats, potentially leading to behavioral issues with the litter box—namely litter box aversion— and health concerns such as Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD).”
“That's why Boxie litters were cre-
ated: a simple solution that isn't overwhelming to cat parents and prioritizes their cat's comfort and health,” Wiesenfeld said as to why Boxiecat entered the litter category. “With its minimalist packaging and ingredients free from fillers, preservatives and fragrances, Boxie aims to create a calm and stressfree experience for both cats and cat parents. Boxie delivers on its promise of long-lasting odor control, while keeping dust and tracking to a minimum, ensuring a clean litter box and home.”
Since the launch of Boxie’s two litters Pro Probiotic Cat Litter and Glo Natural Attractions Cat Litter, pet owners have learned they can expect more from cat litter performance and odor-fighting capabilities.
“They are a game changer in the litter industry, raising the standard to 30 to 40-plus day odor control,” Wiesenfeld said. “Boxie is always seeking ways to enhance and innovate products that address the needs of cats and humans. Since entering the litter category, Boxie has been committed to delivering the best possible experience for both cats and their owners, striving to be the trusted brand for all their pet care and home hygiene needs.”
“When a cat uses the litter box, they can track waste and bacteria to areas around the home,” he continued. “Boxie Pro Probiotic Cat Litter provides 40 day odor control with a blend of probiotics that eliminates odors at the source and
deep cleans the litter box with every use. The probiotics continuously work at eliminating odors anytime waste is present and keeps the cat's paws clean.”
Boxiecat has impressed upon feline owners that cats navigate the world with their different senses: visual, smell and touch, Wiesenfeld said.
“This plays an important role in their litter box behavior. When a litter box and environment are not set up properly, litter box (e.g. litter box aversion) and health issues (e.g. FLUTD) may arise,” he elaborated. “Boxie Glo helps cats with litter box behavioral issues with UV sparkles that only cats see and guides them to the litter box. A natural outdoor scent is also added to the soft paw-feel litter granules to provide the best, stress-free litter box experience for the cat.”
Boxiecat takes its responsibility of enlightening pet owners on litter box cleanliness and hygiene and how both impact a cat’s quality of life seriously.
“What many people don't realize is that cat litter plays a crucial role in maintaining a clean and healthy environment for both pets and humans,” Wiesenfeld said. “Pet parents and retailers should be focusing and talking about choices that benefit cats, humans and their homes. Ultimately, the right litter should deliver on its promises with clean, simple ingredients, ensuring it performs as expected and meets the needs of everyone in the household."
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2024 Category Catalysts
POS Systems: Franpos
The growth within POS Systems use has significantly simplified daily tasks for pet businesses. Franpos has continued to keep up with industry-changing practices and efforts that help create and utilize a seamless system that offers solutions using cloudbased technologies to help retailers on a daily basis.
When Franpos entered the POS Systems category, there was a significant white space within the category—a space the company had the expertise to fill.
“Franpos entered the POS Systems category because we recognized a gap in the market for a solution tailored to the pet industry,” said Subodh Gupta, Founder and CEO of Franpos. “Traditional POS systems lacked the flexibility and specialized features needed for pet retail, grooming and services. We saw the opportunity to create an all-in-one platform that integrates point-of-sale, e-commerce, employee management and pet-specific features.”
“Our approach has disrupted the category by introducing innovations like the Pet Wellness program, FindMyPet tags, product recommendations on customer displays and online, boarding and daycare and robust grooming solutions,” he continued. “By addressing the unique needs of pet retailers and offering an integrated solution, Franpos has effectively catalyzed growth, empowering
pet businesses to manage their operations seamlessly and gain a competitive edge in the market.”
The company’s journey and presence within the category has evolved since Franpos started providing pet retailers with internet-based technology solutions and a means to streamline operations.
“Since entering the POS Systems category, Franpos' journey has been marked by continuous innovation and adaptation to the evolving needs of pet retailers,” said Gupta. “Initially, we focused on filling the gap for an integrated solution tailored to the pet industry, combining point-of-sale with features like grooming management, pet service scheduling and inventory control. This all-inone approach was groundbreaking at the time, as most POS solutions lacked specialization for niche industries like pet retail.”
“One of the pioneering elements that set Franpos apart was our early adoption of integrated e-commerce, allowing pet retailers to manage both in-store and online sales from a single platform,” he said. “This seamless integration, novel at the time, is now considered an industry standard as more businesses embrace omnichannel operations. Another groundbreaking feature was our custom service time prediction for grooming, which used past service data to optimize appointments—a capability
that is now an expected component of grooming software.”
“Franpos has also evolved by expanding its offerings to include product recommendations, the Pet Wellness program and other innovations. Today, we continue to push boundaries with features like digital advertising on instore customer displays and AI-driven insights, ensuring pet retailers remain competitive and efficient in a rapidly changing market,” Gupta said.
Alongside this, “Within the POS systems category, pet owners and retailers should focus on how technology can enhance operational efficiency and customer experience. Pet retailers should prioritize integrated solutions that handle transactions, grooming, boarding, daycare and inventory seamlessly. This reduces administrative tasks, boosts productivity and improves customer satisfaction. Retailers should also leverage omnichannel capabilities to manage in-store and online sales cohesively, maximizing revenue. Personalized product recommendations and services like the Pet Wellness program help build customer loyalty. Pet owners should look for convenience through features like service booking, real-time updates and loyalty programs. Ultimately, both pet owners and retailers should embrace technology that makes interactions more seamless and rewarding,” Gupta said.
2024 Category Catalysts
Sweet Potato Treats: Gaines
AsAmerican pet owners continue to pay more attention to the quality and source of the food products they purchase for their pets, Gaines Family Farmstead offers an ideal solution for them with its American-grown and made sweet potato treats. As the tuber is itself a nutritionally dense food, the company emphasizes there’s no need to add much more to their treats, making Gaines’ products ideal limited and single-ingredient products for pet parents who want safe, quality nutrition.
“People are looking for holistic, clean ingredients, and sweet potato is it— it’s just a good ingredient,” said Dewar Gaines, CEO of Gaines Family Farmstead. “It’s in most of the foods that are being made now, they have some sort of sweet potato in it. A lot of treats use sweet potato flour as binder. We use sweet potato in our limited ingredient stuff and then a bunch of our single ingredient is just sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are great for dogs, and they’re abundantly grown in the United States. They’re very, very healthy ingredients, and we knew that we could scale it. There’s plenty of folks that do sweet potatoes, but we like to think the fact they’re sourced and grown in the US, we know the farmers that are growing these sweet potatoes, we feel very confident about the quality and the supply chain.”
Presently, Gaines Family Farmstead focuses its distribution on independent pet retail, with just under 2,000 stores across the country, but it is savvy in its approach to supporting smaller pet retailers by maximizing returns with larger partners like Costco. “When Costco calls, you take their orders,” Gaines said. “What we see is after we do a Costco rotation—you can’t walk into Costco and always find us—is our regional sales for our independent retailers actually increase because you can’t find them in Costco anymore, so they’re looking for them elsewhere.”
Choosing to keep the supply chain entirely domestic has also proven to be an astute decision. “Crazily enough, we’ve never had a supply chain issue,” he said. “The fact that our sweet potatoes are grown in America is the only reason we survived Covid because so many people were having trouble getting products from overseas. Ours were right here. Interestingly, sweet potato farmers throw away hundreds of pounds of sweet potatoes at the end of every year, because they just don’t all get used, so we’ve never had a supply chain issue, and in fact, the harvest is going on right now; it started at the end of August and will go through the beginning of November, so our sweet potato crops are pouring in as we speak.”
Gaines also understands many envi-
ronmentally focused pet consumers are “shopping their values,” and it’s a conscious decision to go ahead and utilize the sweet potatoes that aren’t visually appealing. The company is also working on plans to expand its treats offerings to include other proteins. “A lot of the sweet potatoes are not the pretty ones,” he said. “Also we use upcycled proteins that would traditionally be thrown away. We try to be cognizant of our footprint. We’re even working on post-consumable recycled cardboard for all our corrugated cardboard as well.”
Better understanding of human nutrition and the realization that the sweet potato is a superfood has made it somewhat easier for sweet potato treats makers to introduce these treats to their dogs. “Consumers are educated already, and they know sweet potatoes are a healthier option than russet potatoes, for example,” said Gaines. “So, our typical consumer is already paying attention to the ingredient panel and what they’re looking specifically for in a single ingredient. We just do a really good job of messaging the things we know our consumers are looking for; they’re looking for single ingredient, American made, family owned, clean ingredient panels. Most of our treats have one ingredient in them, or five at the most.”
2024 Category Catalysts
Sensory Toys: SmarterPaw
SmarterPaw believes pets are more than just companions—they are family. The company has endured in the sensory products category due to its unrelenting commitment to crafting natural, healthy toys and treats, while enhancing the pet and pet parent bond. By prioritizing quality and sustainability, SmarterPaw delivers solutions which bring enrichment and comfort to pets and reassurance to pet parents.
SmarterPaw continually refines its product lineup with feedback from perceptive industry peers and mentors, and its products are informed by SmarterPaw’s intention to promote physical activity, mental stimulation and overall well-being. As the year winds down, SmarterPaw is not slowing down. The company will continue progressing and reaching more pet households so more pets are happy and enriched.
“We know that Meowijuana is seen as a leader in the sensory category,” said Scott Ragan, Managing Partner and CEO of SmarterPaw, home of Meowijuana and Doggijuana. “We continue to invest in innovation and extensive research, and we have seen substantial growth and expansion in our product lines. We recently relaunched our Crunch-
ie Munchie Treat line, which now has twice the catnip inside, making these pocket-styled treats more palatable and enticing and giving cats a whole sensory experience.”
“The Meowijuana brand is built around and includes the natural benefits of catnip and other organic herbs that help promote natural wellness, play, and, for dogs, calming,” he elaborated. “These natural benefits are increasingly significant in a post-Covid work environment with more and more pet parents returning to the office for the first time.”
He added, “Meowijuana Crunchie Munchie Cat Treats are available in fan-favorite Seafood Medley and Chicken flavors, and now with newly redesigned packaging and twice the catnip inside each treat, the Crunchie Munchie treats are in stock and ready to ship. Meowijuana’s new and improved Crunchie Munchie cat treats offer cats an irresistible crunch and the same great ingredients. Now, Meowijuana has doubled the amount of freshly harvested organic catnip in each treat—a difference you can see for yourself.”
As SmarterPaw has expanded its scope and presence, the company has
never veered from its founding principles and mission.
“SmarterPaw’s mission has always been to create natural, healthy toys and treats that promote more engaging and fulfilling relationships with the pets we love,” Ragan said. “We continue to stay true to this focus. We listen to customers, love their input and focus on meeting their needs.”
Informed and well-spoken store associates are critical given how much pet owners rely on them for accurate, unbiased information and caring guidance on what is right for their pet.
“As with anything, education is critical for success; we set our retailers up for solid education—in person, digital resources, video, etc.—for their associates in formats that make it easy to share and train,” Ragan said. “We all know associate education is key because your customers trust you and come to you seeking information and solutions for their beloved pets. Informing pet parents about the innate needs of their cats is of utmost importance, as well as promoting engagement—mental and physical—with products that care for the 360-degree and unique needs of cats.”
2024 Category Catalysts
Oral Care: Pet King Brands
There are several reasons why Pet King Brands entered the oral care space, but the most significant surrounds the company’s goal to ensure even the most stubborn and anxious pets receive safe, high-quality products that provide solutions and prevent future oral complications. From the beginning, the company recognized that many pet owners struggled with maintaining oral care due to pets’ apprehension and comfortability levels. Pet King Brands dedicated its time to perfecting various delivery methods and solutions that can help pets that may have a hard time letting owners maintain their oral health. With a storied history of leadership in the ear care category, the company is bringing that effectiveness to the oral care space.
“For more than 25 years, ZYMOX has been at the forefront of pet health care, helping millions of animals live healthier, happier lives by resolving common ear, skin and oral conditions,” said Debra Decker, Director of Marketing with Pet King Brands. “Our journey began with a simple yet powerful goal: to provide pets with effective, safe and gentle solutions for their most pressing health issues. With oral care, this meant providing veterinarian-approved enzyme-based products that don’t require brushing. Powered by two advanced enzyme systems, LP3 and MD2, Oratene fights plaque and bacteria while fresh-
ening breath and promoting a healthy mouth environment for your furry friend without the use of harmful antibiotics.”
The company recognized early on that not all pets would allow their owners to brush their teeth. This drove the company to innovate a solution that catered to pets’ needs.
“The evolution of the category has only confirmed what we’ve always known to be true, that brushless care ensures clean teeth in the most stressfree way possible,” said Decker. “It is important to provide a comfortable and enjoyable experience for our pets, reducing the anxiety often associated with at-home dental treatments.”
Pet King Brands has been committed to educating retailers and pet owners alike on the importance of daily oral care. Studies and research have continued to suggest that poor oral care can lead to more problems down the road.
“Pet owners should be aware of the health risks of poor dental hygiene and the benefits of preventative care,” she said. “Over time, dental plaque can lead to more than just bad breath—it can cause gingivitis, tooth decay and even tooth loss. Our patented enzyme systems are essential for preventing the build-up of plaque and the associated risks of poor oral hygiene. By using Oratene regularly, you can help ensure that your pet’s teeth stay healthy, reducing
the need for more invasive treatments like dental scaling or extractions down the line.”
The company remains a top competitor within the space as Pet King Brands strongly focuses on using more natural, non-toxic ingredients.
“Our key goal in manufacturing is to offer our consumers the best possible product at the best possible price point. Our diverse product line offers non-toxic solutions with a price that is directly reflected in quality, solving the problem at the source and positively promoting value in the long run,” Decker said in a previous interview with Pet Insight “We always hope that consumers will continue to seek out harm-free and antibiotic-alternative care solutions. Our website offers great educational materials for those looking to increase their knowledge. As our pet’s health ally, it’s important we do everything we can to help them have healthy ears, skin and mouths.”
Pet King Brands has continued to elevate the category and provide pet owners with better, healthier options that might be more suitable for their pets’ needs. The company strives to use cleaner ingredients that uphold healthy oral care as well as encourage them to maintain a daily oral care regime to further prevent future problems.
EAR INFECTIONS
The #1 Reason for Vet Visits
• Gentle and easy-to-use
• No pre-cleaning
• The proven natural antibiotic alternative
• Patented enzyme formula
• Once daily application
BEFORE AFTER
Pet
2024 Category Catalysts
Joint Supplements: Vetriscience
owners continue to seek out ev-
ery option and solution to enhance their pets’ longevity and quality of life. VetriScience has been a reliable source of education when it comes to the joint supplements category as the company has been in the space for more than 40 years. Pet owners have recognized the importance of providing their companion animals with supplements that are geared toward helping older animals as well as more active pets that may need extra support throughout their lives.
“In 1981, VetriScience launched GlycoFlex as the first commercially available glucosamine supplements for dogs,” said VP of Marketing, Dennis Marcel. “The founders had champion show dogs and knew from being in the pet professional space that hip and joint concerns affect so many pets—in fact, up to 80 percent of dogs exhibit hip and joint discomfort by age eight! At the time, there were limited non-medicated options available to everyday consumers. By providing access, VetriScience has had a profound impact on pet owners, from dock divers on the pro circuit to couch surfers at home. For decades, industry professionals—vets, trainers, agility champs—have used and recommended VetriScience for peak pet performance and specialized care. Today,
our products are available for all savvy pet owners looking to bring out the best in their pet at every stage of life and activity level. And we’ve maintained an unwavering commitment to efficacy, transparency and quality.”
The company has been a major contributor to the growth of the category as it has been able to evolve with the joint supplements category while increasing awareness and education.
“VetriScience has played a significant role in the evolution of the pet supplement industry, particularly within the joint health category. Since entering the market, VetriScience has contributed to making joint supplements a standard and vital part of pet care, both in terms of formulation and consumer awareness,” said Marcel. “When VetriScience first entered the joint health category, the market was less developed than it is today, with limited options available for pet owners looking to support their pets’ joint health. The groundbreaking aspect of VetriScience's initial offerings was the focus on high-quality, scientifically backed formulations that specifically targeted joint health using ingredients like green-lipped mussel, glucosamine, and MSM. These were ingredients that were already recognized in human health but were less common-
ly used in pet products at the time.”
“Since then, VetriScience has continued to evolve its offerings with the advancements of science and understanding of pets. We were an early adopter of formulating soft chews as the preferred delivery method for joint supplements, which were easier for pets to consume compared to pills or powders. We've introduced new ingredients, like hyaluronic acid, glutathione and grape seed extract, for more comprehensive joint support, as well as phytosome technology for superior bioavailability,” she continued.
VetriScience believes both pet owners and retailers should focus on proactive care, evidence-based formulations along with the role that joint supplements play in maintaining mobility and comfort for pets at all stages of life, Marcel said. “Education about ingredient quality, delivery methods and the signs of joint issues is essential in helping pet owners make informed decisions. Retailers can also play a vital role in creating an experience of trust by offering personalized recommendations, promoting veterinarian-formulated products and educating pet owners about the importance of a holistic approach to joint health,” he said.
Whether2024 Category Catalysts
Dog Beds: Molly Mutt
it’s running a sustainability-focused production line or innovating programs to help pet specialty retailers grow their dog beds section, Molly Mutt has consistently blazed its own trail in the pet textiles business. Celebrating 15 years this year, the company has forged and nurtured valuable partnerships and gained hard-earned insights into pet consumer habits, which are helping the business steer a path toward its next lofty goal of transitioning to all Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)-certified cotton products in the very near future.
The goal to move to all organic came about as Molly Mutt watched what was happening in pet food and nutrition, said Co-Founder Art Simon. “We know the tremendous shift in the food and treat categories where the consumers are interested in simple, limited, natural ingredients, and that trend isn’t going back,” he said. “And so, we think the opportunity is for that trend to continue into the dog bed business, the decorative pet product business. Textile based home décor is all about how we are going to exist in the world. And you’re starting to see through our partnership with the Pet Sustainability Coalition, and you’re starting to see pet food and treat manufacturers talk about regenerative agriculture and developing their proteins in a regenerative way. And we also are developing our products in the same way.”
This new way is to change how pet owners view the price point and integrity of a dog bed. “So many opening price point dog beds, so many chain
store dog beds, so many club store dog beds, they’re all akin to fast fashion,” Simon said. “They go from the store shelf to the landfill in record time, and we just reject that notion. We think there’s a better way. Hundreds upon thousands of Molly Mutt consumers love us. And the challenge that we have is finding retailers today that want to address sustainability in a real comprehensive way.”
For customers, the change will be ongoing. “As we sell out of our regular cotton, we’re going to replace that product with organic cotton,” Simon said. “And eventually all Molly Mutt cotton products are going to be organic, and we’re not waiting for any retailer or chain store to trigger that for us. We’re doing it. And we think the consumer wants it, particularly the Millennials, Gen Z, Gen Xers, we know they buy their values, and we hope retailers are going to start making the same buying decisions that their consumers are making when they search out these products.”
Molly Mutt’s dog beds all share similar characteristics that company owners deem important for pet owners seeking value: they are easy to use and wash, they can be matched well with other existing home décor and they’re durable. While the company first started in a direct-to-consumer model, Molly Mutt last year entered into a distribution partnership with Pet Food Experts, in part to help share that education, and the collaboration is proving beneficial to the company and to partners alike.
“We’re looking forward to gaining some real traction as we enter year two
and people are more used to finding us there,” he said.
Molly Mutt came around to working with a distribution partner in the aftermath of the pandemic and seeing how stretched a lot of pet retailers were in simply ensuring they had inventory in stock. “Stores are just so busy,” he said. “They’re all so hammered and having trouble getting help to deal with all the pressures that impact stores, so we wanted to take the drama out of having to sit down and write a direct-to-Molly Mutt order. It’s what we always heard from stores. ‘Oh my god, I need to order. My display’s empty.’ We always thought, ‘Geez, if they could just keep the display full and just get a few pieces every week, it would make a huge difference in the total volume.’ So that’s been the motivation. And we wanted to stick with Pet Food Experts. We like the team a lot; we like their mission. That’s the kind of relationship we want to make sure we have with our distributor partner.”
Logistically, the benefits are all there. “They’re already covering the drop charge and the delivery charge,” Simon said. “It eliminates delivery as an issue. It eliminates shipping costs. So, it’s very efficient. It allows them to just buy a couple of pieces if all they need one week is just a couple of pieces, then they can just buy the couple of pieces. It’s a much better way for a store to interact than trying to put together a minimum order through Molly Mutt on a direct basis.”
For areas that aren’t serviced by Pet Food Experts, Molly Mutt’s wholesale website is still the go-to source, he said.
2024 Category Catalysts
Natural Litter: Pioneer Pet Products
When it comes to litter, pet owners want to offer their pets the best litter they can while also checking off a few things on the priority list such as odor and dust control, sustainability, natural and budget-friendly options. Alongside this, owners want to ensure their pets are enticed enough to use the litter box based on its texture and comfortability. Pioneer Pet Products branched out from traditional litter options and into the natural litter category, bringing an all-natural litter category that has done well in the market.
Since entering the natural litter space, Pioneer Pet Products has established itself as a leader by addressing the common concerns of pet owners regarding litter choice. With a notable focus on health, performance and sustainability, the company emphasizes the importance of providing pets with high-quality litter that is equal parts safe and effective.
“Over a decade ago we saw a need for a healthier alternative to clay litter,” said Shannon Supanich, Director of Marketing and Customer Service of Pioneer Pet Products. “However, what was currently natural on the market did not perform as well. Hence our call to action. We set out to make a truly all-natural litter that actually clumped. In 2014 we launched our SmartCat All Natural 100 percent Grass Litter. This litter is non-GMO, paw
soft and safe, 99 percent dust-free, clayfree, great odor control, renewable and actually clumps!”
As the company has continued to remain ahead of trends and demands, Pioneer Pet Products was able to provide a natural litter to pet owners before the category really took off. Through more product awareness and education, pet owners began to realize the importance of offering pets’ more natural litter options, and Pioneer Pet Products was right there to help easily facilitate the transition.
Pioneer Pet Products remains committed to addressing the trends and demands of pet parents, as evidenced by their expansion into additional natural litter products, notably the SmartCat Lightweight Litter and SmartCat All Natural Corn + Wheat Litter. Each of these products reflects the company's dedication to creating healthy and effective litter options for pets.
“In general there has been a shift towards a healthier lifestyle in the last decade. Of course this includes our pets and our home. Since 2014's launch of the all-natural grass litter, we have also created a lightweight healthier clay litter, SmartCat Lightweight Litter, as well as our most recent addition to the line of all natural litters called SmartCat All Natural Corn + Wheat Litter. We continue to try to expand our knowledge and
offerings to provide our clients with healthy litters that actually work!” she said.
Within the natural litter category, pet owners and retailers should be focusing on health, said Supanich. “You don't want to breathe in unhealthy chemicals when pouring scooping litter. Performance is essential as well. The litter needs to control odor, have very low dust, clump and be paw soft and safe. SmartCat is a family-owned company who is here to help with anything our clients need,” she concluded.
Pioneer Pet Products has been striving to provide pet owners products that make their pets want to use the litter box as lack of litter box use has remained a reason owners rehome or surrender their pets. The company has been pushing against this since its inception in the 1990s, and has in turn, been able to create an enticing, comfortable product that pets are more likely to use on a daily basis.
Pioneer Pet Products continues to champion the well-being of pets and their owners by offering a range of mindfully designed litters that meet the essential criteria of health, safety and effectiveness. As the company prepares for the coming year, Pioneer Pet Products is dedicated to furthering its mission of enhancing the pet care experience for families.
2024 Category Catalysts
Air-Dried Foods: Hillside Farms
Hillside Farms, a long-time maker of nutritious and enticingly soft air-dried dog treats, is gearing up to release its new air-dried dog food The Good List. The company has adapted its meticulous processing technique to enter the pet food segment and serve pet owners looking for complete and balanced, high-quality nutrition that is both convenient to utilize and won’t break the bank.
Scott Wu, VP of Sales and Marketing for Hillside Farms, explained that The Good List will be debuting under Hillside Farms’ Farmland Traditions branding, just as air-dried dog food is enjoying its moment in the spotlight. Pet owners are increasingly gravitating toward fresh, raw and frozen formats— all of them representing very high premium quality dog food, he said. “But it requires the pet parent to put it in their refrigerator, to put it in their freezer, and sometimes not all families have enough refrigerator or freezer shelf space, so air-dried came along. The beauty of airdried is that it is like jerky, so we dehydrate the dog food, and dehydrating at a low temperature for longer periods of time helps retain all the nutritional benefits of the raw materials you are using. And it’s shelf stable in ambient room temperature.”
The processes for making air-dried dog food versus air-dried dog treats are similar, according to Wu, except a stricter set of nutritional guidelines dictate
what a complete dog food should provide. “The only difference between an air-dried dog treat versus air-dried dog food is ensuring you’re AAFCO compliant. AAFCO is the governing board ensuring you have all the necessary vitamins and minerals that your dog needs to be determined a dog food. As long as you’re hitting your nutritional value to be in compliance for a full and complete diet, that is the biggest thing.”
But The Good List is much more than about checking regulatory boxes. “Just like our name states, the ingredient deck is only made of good ingredients. Many companies nowadays are using percentages like 90 percent protein, 80 percent protein,” Wu said. “We wanted to be fully transparent in our dog food so we have 90 percent protein and then 10 percent superfood botanical blend. We’re fully transparent in 100 percent of our deck there.”
In that transparency, Wu emphasizes the company’s air-drying process, which results in an appealingly soft chewing experience, ensures little need for other additives. “Our manufacturing facility is deemed to make human grade dog food and human grade dog treats,” he said. “The reality is that the lesser amount of the heat and the longer amount of time you have it in an air-dried oven is what really retains its nutritional value. The higher heat, with the shorter time you’re dehydrating something, you’re losing nutritional val-
ue. Heat is what kills nutritional value. If you can retain a lower heat for a longer threshold of time, that is really the key to success in delivering all the nutritional benefits of a dog food, and that’s what we do.”
The low heat also keeps the texture. “We like soft, either in dog food or dog treats, and what we have been able to do is to have a soft air-dried dog food without utilizing a humectant such as cane molasses or vegetable glycerin,” he said. “They’re not necessarily bad for your dog. They’re FDA approved ingredients, but if you don’t have to add it and can still achieve a soft texture, I believe it puts you in a better position than a company that has to use it to achieve a soft texture.”
Air-dried dog food is indeed enjoying its moment in the sun as the food, drug, mass channel is beginning to add these options to their shelves, he said. As the number of options will undoubtedly grow in this category, Wu suggests retailers stick to checking the nutrition panel when deciding which products to carry. “Retailers should really look for, just like in dog treats, the ingredient deck that your dog food encompasses. The telltale sign really is in the ingredient deck. If you can’t understand what a lot of the ingredients are on the ingredient deck, just like with human foods, it’s probably not the best option for you.”
2024 Category Catalysts
Plush Toys: PetShop by Fringe Studio
The plush toys category historically might not have initially brought sustainability and durability to the table, but when a company like PetShop by Fringe Studio entered the category, they brought these selling points to the forefront.
“PetShop by Fringe Studio was established based on a love for art and creating custom products with intentional design,” said Jennifer Kruegel, Director of Product Management-Pet with PetShop by Fringe Studio. “Although we started with other pet functional and pet lover products, we saw a hole in the market and knew we could give consumers something unique in the pet toy category. Ever since our first launch of pet toys in 2018, we’ve had excitement growing around our brand and continue to be a leader in innovation within the plush toy category. When we started creating plush dog toys, we knew our original toy designs created by our inhouse illustration team would resonate with the market as the plush toy category needed a re-fresh and felt a little stale.”
PetShop by Fringe Studio has observed that durability continues to be a big discussion for plush toys and consumers are looking for safe ways to prolong playtime.
“Based on our sales and research, pet owners and retailers should be focusing
on a couple key aspects of plush toys to meet consumer demands,” Kruegel said. “. The use of chew resistant materials, more durable bindings and reinforced materials have become more desirable when they’re still able to offer the soft aesthetic pets tend to love. Sustainability is another big topic within the plush toy market. With the rise of environment awareness, offering plush toys made from recycled, organic or earth friendly materials continues to be important to reducing our environmental impact.”
“We also have a loyal following of our iconic T-Rex and Sloth characters that consumers collect as we update them for the different seasons throughout the year,” she continued. “Plush toys are now our largest product category and during the last couple of years we’ve expanded our team to meet the demand for newness and innovation. We continue to push ourselves to think outside the box and offer dog toys that are unique and help enhance and/or extend playtime without sacrificing style.”
When it comes to bringing durability and sustainability to a category like plush toys, innovation tends to be a key component.
“Design and innovation have always been at the forefront when we’re creating new plush toys; however, now more than ever, consumers are craving
toys with more function, durability and value,” Kruegel said. “Plush toys with a squeaker continue to be a staple in the pet toy market, but when brands can offer more function, larger and louder squeakers, and multiple features within a toy for a similar price point, these functional toys are becoming more valuable. Consumer research also has highlighted the value in play for pets and how play can offer a range of physical, mental and emotional benefits. From bonding time with other pets or pet parents, exercise, mental stimulation and even comfort, pet toys are important to help foster play and keep pets happy and joyful.”
“Interactive and multifunctional toys that provide enrichment and stimulation are another key topic among consumers for plush toys. Offering pets toys that can mentally and physically stimulate and keep pets entertained for longer periods of time are continuing to be something consumers are looking for,” she added. “As retailers are looking to build their assortments through 2024 and into 2025, they should consider PetShop by Fringe Studio as a category catalyst for our diverse range of products, uniqueness, quality and value. Our premium plush toys continue to drive our business, and with our broad assortment of varying price points with multi-feature details we appeal to what consumers are looking for.”
CALENDAR
Upcoming Pet Industry Events
Publisher/Editorial
1. PLMA's The Phenomenon 2024 Nov. 17-19, 2024
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center Chicago, IL www.plma.com
2. The Inspired Home Show March 2-4, 2025 McCormick Place Chicago, IL www.theinspiredhomeshow.com
3. Natural Products Expo West March 4-7, 2025 Anaheim Convention Center Anaheim, CA www.expowest.com
4. Global Pet Expo March 26-28, 2025 Orange County Convention Center Orlando, FL www.globalpetexpo.org
5. SUPERZOO August 13-15, 2025 Mandalay Bay Las Vegas, NV www.superzoo.org
6. National Reptile Breeder’s Expo August 16-17, 2025 Ocean Center Daytona, FL www.reptilebreedersexpo.com
INTERVIEW
Tell us how your career path led you to the industry?
Growing up, we had a cattle farm where I spent the summers of my youth around animals, learning the difference between the love of pets and livestock care and management. When I was old enough, I started my retail career bagging groceries in a grocery store, and shortly thereafter, I went to work for Kmart drilling bowling balls and running the cash register in their Sporting Goods department. My wife and I have enjoyed the love of cats over the last 36 years as well.
Over the last 40 years, I’ve had a lot of great opportunities. I joined the management training program when I turned 21 years old with Kmart, which provided me the opportunity to work with four different management teams learning the finer details of discount retail. In 1986, Johnny Morris recruited me to work for Bass Pro Shops when he only had one store. Johnny is one of retail’s biggest visionaries and most innovative thought leaders who can dream big and execute big! I learned about merchandising, specialty retailing, and the importance of providing a strong customer experience while there.
Then my career took me to Tractor Supply in 1992. At that time Tractor Supply was privately held and only had 148 stores! I started out as a buyer for the apparel categories and, through time there, was promoted to DMM and DVP-Merchandising which included strategic planning and oversight leadership for the company’s pet business. In 1995-96, my pet merchandising team launched Tractor Supply’s Pet business in a big way! We expanded our dog food line from three SKUs of dog food and 12
feet of pet supplies to adding two major pet food brands and over 128 feet of pet-related products. During this period, I became deeply involved with the pet vendor community, and our team learned the pet business and how to bring hi-quality products to rural communities.
I learned how to use computers early in my career, which led me to volunteer to work on major IT systems projects at Bass Pro and Tractor Supply, which ultimately prepared me to lead Tractor Supply’s information technology department after a difficult SAP implementation. After completing my executive MBA at Vanderbilt University in 2003, I accepted a position on Home Depot’s SAP Finance support team, and when Home Depot couldn’t make up its mind about its future with SAP, I had the opportunity to return to the farm and ranch channel in 2006 as COO/CEO of Mid-States Distributing Company, a purchasing cooperative owned by many of the largest independently owned Farm & Ranch retailers in the US. Here, we significantly expanded existing categories, including pet, and put together a plan to fundamentally transform the business to become more relevant to its stakeholders. In 2012, one of my board members recruited me to help him with a growth and transformation project at C-A-L Ranch Stores, where we grew the company from 18 to 26 locations from Yuma, AZ, to Rexburg, ID. At C-A-L, we significantly expanded the pet and livestock feed departments and brought both to the front of the store, which was an innovative move when we traditionally kept these categories at the back of our stores; feed products are the “milk and eggs” of a farm and ranch store.
After I completed my stint at C-A-L Ranch, I returned to work in IT supporting Neiman Marcus NMG-One (Oracle Retail) transformation and later provided consulting for Duluth Trading Company on a strategic merchandising systems initiative. At this point in my career, I had developed significant experience building, transforming and in general fixing business processes in support of the companies I served.
In April 2020, I returned to work in the pet channel as CEO of CT Gardens LLC, now more commonly known as
Smithland Pet & Garden Center stores. CT Gardens, LLC is a privately equity owned retailer created by the combination of an independently owned Agway Branded retailer and the former Dave’s Pet and Soda City stores. Upon joining CT Gardens, we had six garden center stores operating under the Agway brand in Connecticut, and five pet specialty stores in western Massachusetts and one garden center store operating under the Smithland Supply brand on the Connecticut shoreline which was very confusing to consumers. All 12 stores carried specialty pet items and brands. Over the last four years, we closed an underperforming store, opened a new store, and acquired and renovated a new store, bringing our total store count to 13. We also launched a fully integrated e-commerce website for curbside and BOPIS orders and rebranded all thirteen stores under the re-imagined “Smithland” brand and we recently launched the DoorDash Red Card program to offer same-day delivery to our customers. So, suffice it to say, I’ve been working in and around the pet business for probably 30 of the last 40-plus years. It is a dynamic industry and has been a fun ride!
Professionally, what makes the industry a good fit for you?
Professionally it’s been one of the fastest growing channels within retail. Being able to enhance people’s lives by selling them products that make them happy because of the care and love that they give their pets has been very rewarding. It takes me back to my roots of spending time on the farm with baby sheep, cows, calves, and farm cats, and a Border Collie named Zeke, who went everywhere I went.
Pets give unconditional love. My cat, Buddy, an orange tabby—follows me everywhere except when my wife is around. It is enjoyable to bring toys and treats home that make him happy and keep him healthy. To help consumers do the same is very rewarding! The pet business has been on a rapid growth curve for several decades and has constantly evolved! The pet business is maturing as there are so many choices for consumers to choose. This is where
r Cont'd on Pg. 34
John Atkins, CEO, Smithland Pet & Garden Center
Wipe Away Plaque, Tartar, and Bad Breath
Dental care is an important step in your dog’s grooming routine as it can have a significant impact on the overall health of a dog. Our easy-to-use finger dental wipes provide a safe and gentle way to clean your pet’s teeth while fighting plaque, tartar and odor causing bacteria. Using only the purest ingredients, these dental wipes improve dry mouth and gingivitis, while reducing inflammation, bad breath, and tooth decay.
Interview: John Atkins, Smithland
r From Pg. 32
the neighborhood pet stores shine. We provide a level of product knowledge to help our customers choose the best products to meet their pet’s needs and our customers reward us with their business.
Describe your leadership style. It has evolved over the years. Today I would say that I’m mostly a situational servant leader. My title, CEO and Head Coach, reminds me that my job is to lead the organization by coaching the team and to remove obstacles so that we can be successful. My team members at every level need different things from me. Some just need an idea, while others may need specific instructions to build their knowledge. I try very hard to empower my team and give them space to make and learn from their mistakes. I always coach them to “Trust your instincts” and “Get a Partner” when making difficult decisions. Fundamentally, I have a set of core values that I operate from: Integrity, Respect, Listening, Teaching and following my faith and the Golden Rule. In retail, every day brings new challenges and opportunities. I work with my team to assess, analyze and act with the best information available at the time and then be accountable for our decisions. Herman Cain’s methodology rings true with me: 1) Hire the best, smartest and passionate people you can, 2) Give them the tools needed to do the job, 3) Train them to use those tools, 4) Get the hell out of their way!
Early in my career I learned that when someone would explain to me why we do something and what the benefit was, I could get behind it. Further, I also believe that most of the answers to all the problems in the world are right in front of us and come from the people who are closest to the work. So, I work hard maintain an open, risk-free environment where people can express their feelings, frustrations and thoughts on given projects and challenges so that we can find the best solutions to business challenges and opportunities. How did you become an IndiePet board member?
Smithland Pet and Garden Center is a bit of an anomaly as we sell lawn and
garden chemicals, we sell soils, fertilizer, and plants, as well as a broad selection of pet items that you will find in the mass channel as well as those that are exclusively found in the neighborhood specialty pet channel including fish, reptiles and small animals in some of our Massachusetts stores. When I learned about IndiePet, I was immediately very interested because the pet category is a very large percentage of our business and it’s always been a growth channel in retail. Knowing from my background that innovation comes out of the independent pet channel, knowing that the more I can get involved with specialty retailers, true specialty small mom-and-pop pet stores, the more I could learn, the more I could bring to my organization and to my customers, I jumped in with both feet. Having spent seven years with Mid States, which is a buying group, I understood that the “secret sauce” of these types of organizations is the information sharing that happens at these meetings and shows, and the relationships you build with folks help you grow your business and help them grow their business. The opportunity to share my years of experience in specialty retailing across independent, corporate, public, co-op and private-equity-owned enterprises, as well as my background in information technology and best practice business process re-engineering was and is very rewarding. If I can help out and I can learn something at the same time and I can make some new friends and new business contacts and it’s good for our business, I’m willing to share as much as I can as long as I can provide benefit.
Most independent pet retailers, the members of IndiePet, are one or twostore operators. And so, in those environments, the owners are the folks putting the key in the door in the morning and often putting the same key in the door in the evening, making the bank deposits, and barely have the time to even take a step back to think about it. They are on the floor every day with the customers, so they are the real pet retail experts. An opportunity to learn from them is priceless! IndiePet is a great organization; it’s virtually free for independent pet retailers yet offers great benefits. We’re very thankful for
our founding sponsors and our associate members who have joined and partnered with us to help fund some of the initiatives. As an independent pet retailer, you are crazy if you don’t join! Given the highly competitive nature of retail, how does Smithland Pet & Garden Center’s s stand out?
We have a very robust loyalty program and very loyal customers, and our stores offer a very broad assortment of pet and gardening products rarely ever found under the same roof. We carry a full selection of both synthetic and organic gardening items, and we carry virtually every brand of pet food, from Dog Chow to Primal Frozen and Freeze-Dried and from Friskies to Fromm. We can put a name and address to more than 80 percent of our customers, and our active customer database is growing by double-digits yearly. We always want to make sure we are delighting our customers with personalized customer service. We will not be the cheapest in town every day, but we will be competitive; we’ll match prices, run hot buys, and run a lot of promotions to communicate value. We are part of the community. We have a couple of pet adoption agency drives every year, and we ask our customers to validate what we do through annual customer surveys.
In Connecticut and Massachusetts, there are a lot of independent shelters, so all our stores have connections to local shelters where we donate pet food that is approaching expiration dates; we do food drives periodically to raise awareness. We’re about to launch a program called Smithland Cares, where we are creating a full-circle connection between the pet shelters, new pet parents, and our loyalty program. We want consumers to understand we are locally operated, based in North Branford, CT, with locations in Connecticut and Western Massachusetts. We want to give back to our community in a unique way, and we want to give our customers great service and great value every day.
You came (to North America’s most comprehensive pet product marketplace). You saw (the latest, greatest pet products). You conquered (your business challenges). And we can’t wait for you to keep that momentum going next year! Thank you for helping to make SUPERZOO the incredible, fun-filled event that it is. We look forward to seeing you in 2025!
August 13-15, 2025
Education: August 12-13, 2025
Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, NV
18,000+
Pet professionals participate, including: 3,300+
Largest Industry Show Floor
330,000 square footage