10 Things You Should Know: Pet Care Edition

January 21, 2020
Pet-Care 10-Things
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1. Upcycled Treats


Upcycling refers to the use of existing materials that would have otherwise gone to waste. Unused spoilable human fruits & veggies seem to be a perfect “natural” ingredient fit for a “next generation” pet treat. Shameless Pet’s offers a line of treats that uses 20% upcycled ingredients with a rotating seasonal flavor paired with classic flavors like lobster, blueberry, egg and apple.
| Shamelesspets.com


2. A Sprinkle of Immunity


New forms and formats are all the rage across product innovation for humans and the pet segment is no different. Shake it Pup! Beef Flavored Dog Food Seasoning contains organic kelp, parsley and probiotics for a product that delivers flavor with added function and supports immunity and overall good digestive health | Mintel GNPD

3. Pet Designed Meal Kits


Mirroring the growth of meal kit delivery services for people; we have recently seen numerous online pet meal subscription services emerge. Most are exclusively for dogs but a recent entry, NomNomNow serves both cats and dogs. On it’s website it advertises that a fresh meal for your finicky feline can actually be less expensive per week than buying a leading canned cat food
| nomnomnow.com


4. Let Them Eat Cake!


Pet treats in indulgent flavors inspired by cookies, pie, ice cream and cake flavors has been a long standing trend. But did you know you can actually bake a cake or cupcakes from scratch for your pups special day? Puppy Cake comes in peanut butter, banana, red velvet, pumpkin and carob flavors and each can be topped with doggie friendly yogurt icing | puppycake.com

5. Chew on This


In 2018 insects was the top ingredient searched for on PetfoodIndustry.com. Interest and focus on sustainable insect protein in pet food has remained high throughout 2019. Although insect protein is not yet allowed in complete and balanced pet foods (here in the US) we are seeing a few insect-based treats emerge like Jiminy’s made with cricket protein spotted at the 2019 Global Pet Expo | PetfoodIndustry.com

6. Regional Flavors


From farm, field, ocean or stream to bowl, some brands are now touting local provenance and seasonal freshness as factors that differentiate the ingredients used in their pet product lines. Acana has a cat & dog food line under the labels of Meadowlands, Wild Atlantic, Grasslands and Appalachian Ranch that feature regionally inspired and fresh local ingredients.
| Mintel GNPD


7. Nutrition from the Sea


Ingredients that capture the attention of humans for their personal health and wellness goals can translate to pets’ diet as well, Seaweed (kelp) & spirulina (algae) have emerged as two nutrient-dense superfood ingredients. Two pet product examples are Reveal Tuna Fillet with seaweed in Natural Broth & The Missing Link Kelp Formula for dogs. | Innova Market Insights

8. Holiday Cheer


A mash-up holiday combining National Drink Wine Day (Feb. 18) and Love Your Pet Day (Feb. 20); According to InStyle magazine it’s officially “National Drink Wine With Your Cat Week!” Offers.com and Pet Winery are partnering on to promote a non-alcoholic drink for pets. Pinot Meow anyone?
| In Style Magazine


9. Jerky Madness


Jerky treats continue to trend in both human and pet categories. In the doggie treat segment we have seen 30-45 new launches each year. In these treats the top protein sources have been chicken, beef and duck with flavor combinations like Apple & Chicken and Sweet Potato & Duck just to name a few. | Mintel GNPD

10. Doggie Mind Games


It may be the ultimate in pet gadgets. CleverPet’s Color Match Hub is touted as being the world’s first gaming console for dogs. They are engaged through a series of complex cognitive color-based light puzzles. Dozens of mind agility exercises encourage exploration and fun.
| Cleverpet.com

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