Strategies to Boost Natural Pet Food Sales | Current Issue | petproductnews.com

2022-12-04 17:24:06 By : Ms. Yolanda Bai

When pet owners are actively engaged in and informed about the health of their furry family members, nutrition typically becomes a focus. Industry insiders say that these educated and involved dog and cat owners often look at how natural foods might meet their needs. As a result, this category is growing in popularity.

“Our sales of natural dog and cat food continued to rise again this year, and I think it can be attributed to pet owners’ consistent desire to provide the healthiest options for their pets to keep them around as long as possible,” said Jessica Schlosser, owner of Lizzi & Rocco’s Natural Pet Market, which has two locations in Columbia, Mo. Dried Dog Snacks

Strategies to Boost Natural Pet Food Sales | Current Issue | petproductnews.com

Mid-range-priced dog kibble is the strongest performer for Lizzi & Rocco’s, Schlosser said, adding that with rising retail prices, she finds customers “more actively seeking the best bang for their buck when it comes to the base of their pet’s diets.”

However, at Pet Food Express, which has more than 65 stores in California, freeze-dried, air-dried and gently cooked foods are outperforming other categories, said president and CEO Michael Levy.

“[Pet owners] all want to believe that they are feeding their pets the best foods, and many want to address specific health issues that their pets may have,” he said.

Amy Snell, national sales manager for Northwest Naturals, a manufacturer in Portland, Ore., reported that functional foods are trending up. As pet owners spend time with their pets, they can pinpoint specific attributes that might improve or benefit their animal’s health and longevity, Snell explained. For example, they may discover that their pet needs more joint support or a dog with allergies may need an immune system booster, she said.

A preference for foods and ingredients that are backed by scientific research is another emerging trend in natural dog and cat diets, according to Joe Toscano, vice president of trade and industry development at Nestlé Purina PetCare Co. in St. Louis.

“Super-premium pet foods with targeted nutrition backed by research are growing in popularity,” he said.

Ingredients matter for pet owners, and they want foods with familiar contents and without items that are hard to digest or that are linked to harmful health outcomes, Schlosser said. To add benefits, more dog owners are using high-moisture toppers, such as bone broths, goat’s milk and healthy greens, to add freshness to their pets’ diets, she added.

“We’ve also noticed an increased demand for bulk offerings from our raw food companies rather than the more conveniently packaged patties or nuggets,” Schlosser said.

While the cat crowd favors high moisture, liquid/gravy-heavy cans, sales of freeze-dried cat foods increased this year, Schlosser reported.

An important part of selling natural dog and cat foods is choosing quality brands and the right ones for a store, retailers reported. In this growing category, manufacturers are providing new offerings to meet consumer demand and pets’ needs.

Northwest Naturals launched Raw Rewards Heart Treats for Dogs and Cats in September. The single-ingredient freeze-dried treats come in three flavors and are available in 3- and 10-ounce sizes. Individually packaged flavors are Beef Heart (sliced), Chicken Heart (whole) and Pork Heart (sliced).

The soft textured, highly palatable treats are grain and gluten free, according to the manufacturer. Additionally, hearts contain nutrients such as vitamin B, iron, zinc, taurine and essential fatty acids, Snell said.

“Many pets have food-related sensitivities and will benefit from a single-ingredient treat,” Snell said. “The convenient pieces break easily to allow for quick and easy feeding while training. The soft texture also lets you crumble them over your pet’s food for not only a nutritional boost, but a highly palatable addition.”

Wild Earth launched a new food in November. Offering a completely plant-based, sustainable and cruelty-free dog food, Wild Earth’s Core Collection comes in Rotisserie and Classic Roast flavors. The limited-ingredient recipe is nutritionally complete and balanced for adult maintenance and contains dried yeast, ancient grains and sweet potatoes, said Tiffany Ruiz Dasilva, VMD, cVMA and professional services veterinarian for the Berkeley, Calif.-based manufacturer.

“This recipe is great for dogs with food-related allergies, as the top allergens for dogs are meat, dairy and eggs,” she said, adding that the food has 24 percent protein content. “Plant-based dog food also requires fewer resources, such as land use and water, than meat-based kibble, so this is a more sustainable food for the environment and reduces the amount of animals slaughtered to feed pets.”

Pet retail staff members are the ones directly working with consumers, so they must understand the food and treats in the store, industry insiders said. After all, they are directing consumers to available products.

For example, “if a consumer has allergy or health concerns with their pet, the staff member should be ready and able to recommend different items to help the consumer make a clear decision,” said Amy Snell, national sales manager for Northwest Naturals, a manufacturer in Portland, Ore.

Specific areas of importance are labels, brand comparison and feeding recommendations, said Jessica Schlosser, owner of Lizzi & Rocco’s Natural Pet Market, which has two locations in Columbia, Mo.

“It’s vital that staff knows how to properly read and interpret a pet food label to effectively compare brands to one another,” she said. “It’s also vital to understand how certain foods require higher amounts to feed, and so the price of the bag isn’t necessarily a prime indicator to how much it actually costs to feed a certain food.”

Savvy independent retailers provide staff with this type of education during the training process, as well as a form of continuing education throughout the year. Manufacturers also typically provide their retail partners with access to helpful educational options.

“For all our retailers, we offer a Pet 101-type training to bring new pet buyers and team members up to speed on the key intricacies of the pet category,” said Joe Toscano, vice president of trade and industry development at Nestlé Purina PetCare Co., a manufacturer in St. Louis. “The training and education is customizable to any retailer depending on need and/or their associates’ current level of knowledge.”

Tiffany Ruiz Dasilva, VMD, cVMA and professional services veterinarian for Wild Earth, a manufacturer in Berkeley, Calif., concurs that a well-educated staff is crucial. With that in mind, Wild Earth offers instruction through educational webinars, print pieces with published research and case studies, and an education team, said Ruiz Dasilva, who is part of that team.

At Northwest Naturals, reps host in-person or Zoom staff trainings, and the company sends out monthly educational blogs.

“There is also a video and quiz on our website under the Retail Login, where retailers can become educated on [Northwest Naturals products] followed by a quiz where they can receive a free bag of food for their own pet,” Snell said.

Ultimately, staff education should be of “key importance to every indie pet retailer,” said Michael Levy, president and CEO of Pet Food Express, which has more 65 stores in California.

“This is your opportunity to outperform [big-box and online retailers],” he said.

A challenge all pet stores face is deciding specifically which and how many products to carry. Industry insiders offered these tips for molding a store’s ideal assortment of natural foods for dogs and cats.

“Offering only high-quality brands that meet AAFCO requirements helps dog parents know that regardless of the manufacturer, the options you are giving them are nutritionally appropriate for their breed and life stage,” said Tiffany Ruiz Dasilva, VMD, cVMA and professional services veterinarian for Wild Earth, a manufacturer in Berkeley, Calif.

“As consumers go to your store looking for the targeted, natural nutrition their pet needs, ensure your stores have the right assortment of science-backed formulas your consumers are looking for,” said Joe Toscano, vice president of trade and industry development at Nestlé Purina PetCare Co., a manufacturer in St. Louis.

“It’s really important to believe in the products to effectively sell them,” said Jessica Schlosser, owner of Lizzi & Rocco’s Natural Pet Market, which has two locations in Columbia, Mo.

Michael Levy, president and CEO of Pet Food Express, which has more 65 stores in California, agreed.

“Choose the right brands, ideally ones that truly support indies,” Levy said.

“Our philosophy is having the best options available in every price range so that people can do the best that they can afford,” Schlosser said. “That does turn into a good, better, best option when talking to some customers; we explain the features and benefits of the various brands and leave the ultimate decision up to the customer.”

“Offering a limited number of options for life stages and price points will help to not overwhelm the customers,” Ruiz Dasilva noted.

“Though I believe that raw is best, raw is not for everyone,” said Amy Snell, national sales manager for Northwest Naturals, a manufacturer in Portland, Ore. “Some dogs may not even do well on raw or like the taste and texture. The customer needs to find the food that does best for their pet.”

In addition to format variety, retailers might want to consider solutions-based options.

“It’s also important to have options for some specialty health needs—foods that are allergy, urinary and diabetic friendly are always good to have on hand,” Schlosser said.

Strategies to Boost Natural Pet Food Sales | Current Issue | petproductnews.com

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