Pet Business Recognizes the Best in Pet Products

Pet Business has announced their 2016 Industry Recognition Awards (IRA).

Winners were selected by Pet Business editors after scouring the industry for the most exciting and functional products on the market, as well as worthy candidates in categories such as best packaging redesign and best vendor website.

Recognition is in a wide variety of categories, from pet apparel to dog beds with self-warming technology, cat treats and food, to small animal habitats, supplements, grooming products and absolutely everything in between.

The Link AKC Collar was recognized for its GPS and location-tracking capabilities and activity monitoring and insights.

Its remote-controlled collar light helps find dogs in the dark, and temperature sensor alerts owners when the dog is in an environment that may be too hot or cold.

Lucy Pet Products’ Cats Incredible Litter, featured in InfoStream in March, was acknowledged for their breakthrough, patent-pending technology that stops ammonia from forming in the litter box.

The Torus watering system provides fresh, filtered water without the need for a power source. There’s even a locking system that makes it portable.

For the little critters, the Kaytee CritterTrail LED Habitat features two LED Bubble Plugs, which provide illumination for better pet viewing. The nighttime version has a red LED that will not disturb the pet’s natural nocturnal sight.

Interested in learning more about all the award winning products?

Read the entire article.

Global Pet Expo 2016: New Records, New Products, New Trends

Global Pet Expo 2016 saw more attendees than ever before along with a record-setting number of new product launches.

They experienced an increase in domestic buyers at 4,679, 8.4% more than last year, with a total of 6,170 buyers in attendance. The show also boasted more than 3,000 new pet product launches, 1,087 exhibitors and 3,218 booths sold. Total show attendance came to 15,478 people.

With more than 3,000 new products being introduced at Global Pet Expo, it’s a great place to identify industry trends.

Knoxville, Tennessee-based PetSafe brand, maker of pet behavioral, containment and lifestyle product solutions, unveiled 14 new products. Several were the high-tech variety including the Flitter and Whimsy automatic teaser toys both of which have ‘Play while you are away’ modes, the Automatic Ball Launcher and ScoopFree Ultra Self-Cleaning Litter Box.

All great examples of one of the industry trends identified by petbusiness.com - high-tech is in high demand.

Petbusiness.com identified five key trends based on their observations at the event.

A fresh approach to packaging. Much of the new packaging was clearly inspired by what can be found in human consumer products.

Topping off a healthy diet. Pet food toppers were in full force at Global Pet Expo 2016.

Promoting healthier digestion. There was a plethora of products that utilize prebiotics and probiotics to foster healthy digestion in pets.

Scaling down is going up. Many pet product manufacturers introduced items designed specifically for small-breed dogs, as well as smaller bag options for their established diets.

High-tech is in high demand. With electronic gadgets taking over human lives, it’s not surprising there are more gadgets, apps and high tech toys for pets.

Interested in new products? Global Pet Expo's new product showcase winners can be found here. 

BUSINESS - Marketing to Millennial Pet Owners

Move over Baby Boomers!

The Millennials are poised to lead the pack in pet product and service purchasing in upcoming years.

First, they like their pets - with 35.2% of America's 75 million Millennials owning a cat or dog, compared with 32.8% of Baby Boomers.

Additional data, also according GfK at Global Pet Expo 2015, shows another 20% in the generation report they intend to get a pet.

One reason the group – age 18 to 34 - are predicted to take a big bite out of the pet industry market is simply because Millennials are the largest U.S. pet-owning group.

But findings go beyond sheer population and speak to purchasing habits specific to the generation.

Case in point – 63% of Millennials agree pets should be pampered, according to GfK research.

That and other findings add up to good news for industry catering to pets, especially those willing to capitalize by tailoring to expectations the generation has when looking for pet products or services.

Some things to consider when it comes to characteristics of the generation and how they shop are offered by editor-in-chief, Debbie Phillips-Donaldson (on PetfoodIndustry.com and gleaned from the American Pet Products Association's 2015-2016 National Pet Owners Survey.)

Phillips-Donaldson says:

• What's hot and what's not, often according to celebrities, matters when it comes to purchasing decisions for Millennials.
• The latest and greatest in products/services is attractive and if it's customized, even better.
• Those in the generation are apt to spend more on pets than themselves and like to research products, especially on social media, looking for customer reviews and mobile apps for promotions and discounts.
• They aren't prone to brand loyalty, which means they are open to trying new products, and like to buy products which has proceeds benefiting a cause.
• Other distinctions include a preference for raw pet food or recipes focused on pet health and a willingness to do more to care for their pets, like purchasing dental hygiene-related products to care for pets at home.

A recent Packaged Facts report shows those in the Millennial generation are much more likely than those in the 35-plus category to spend more for pet products and over the next few years.

Those in the 40 to 54-year-old age population (which has a high propensity to own and spend on pets) is expected to decline while pet ownership has typically seen a steep decline after age 6o.

So, the target market – if retailers want to focus on that opportunity – is the Millennials.

Something some companies are trying to work with.

UltraPet, for instance, has Neon Litter which is aimed at a generation looking for “fun, function and the ability to personalize,” while pet food company, Zoic, is pushing affordably-priced, new age pet food created by Millennials for Millennials.

By Nadia Moharib

Nadia Moharib is an animal lover who has adopted everything from birds to hamsters, salamanders, rabbits, fish and felines. She has written about all-things-pets for years and was a long-time editor of a pet magazine in a daily newspaper which featured a Q & A column, Ask Whit, penned by her pooch (ghost written, of course.) The serial dog owner lives in Calgary, Alberta and most days can be found at a dog park picking up after her rescue pooch, Scoots.

INNOVATE - Revolutionary New Cat Litter

Cats Incredible, a revolutionary new clumping cat litter, is set to launch at Global Pet Expo in Florida this month.

What makes this litter so different? The Dow Chemical Company’s patent-pending nontoxic technology that prevents ammonia from developing in the litterbox.

It doesn’t simply mask or neutralize the toxic gas; it stops it from forming, according to Andre Argenton, global research and development director for Performance Materials and Chemicals at Dow.

“At Dow, we’re problem solvers,” Argenton told Pet Product News. “Odour control is the No. 1 problem in the cat litter market. We believe we have broken through this problem with a disruptive technology solution for the litter industry that can improve the health of cats and their owners. Cats are important members of many families; our breakthrough technology gives cat owners peace of mind knowing their cat’s litterbox is providing a safe, ammonia-free environment.”

Joey Herrick of Lucy Pet Products has filed a worldwide patent on the innovative package design. The bright, recyclable bag features a side removable cap and ergonomic side and top handles for ease of use, and Ricky, a cat rescued by Herrick, graces each bag. His tail curls around to create one of the handles.

“It’s just a beautiful, extremely functional bag,” Herrick told Pet Product News. “There isn’t another like it out there.”

The litter is available in unscented and lightly scented with lavender, and was accepted by 100% of the felines at Lucy Pet who tried the product.

Four corporations collaborated to make this product a reality – Lucy Pet Products, Central Garden and Pet Co., Horn Co. and The Dow Chemical Company.

They expect Cats Incredible to be a "game changer" that revolutionizes the cat litter category.

READ MORE: A Winning Combination: Sparked by Lucy Pet Products’ Joey Herrick, a pet industry innovator extraordinaire, four corporations collaborate to revolutionize the cat litter category.

Pet Industry's Largest Annual Trade Show is Next Week

The American Pet Products Association (APPA) and Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA) will present Global Pet Expo at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on March 16 through 18^th.

How big is this event? Check out these facts from the Global Pet Expo website.

In 2015 there were:

• 1,051 exhibitors
• 3,113 booths
• More than 3000 new product launches
• More than 13 football fields’ worth of pet product
• More than 900 companies from around the world showcased their products

The show also includes educational opportunities with a variety of seminars on everything from customer service and digital media, to inventory and staffing.

 

Visit the Global Pet Expo website for more details.

DIGITAL - Pet Product Marketing: Technology, Mobile and Social Media

Marketing has been undergoing a dramatic transformation all over the world with the development of new technology and the increasing use of digital media. The marketing of pet products and services is no exception.

A new report, “Pet Product Marketing Trends in the U.S.: Technology, Mobile, and Social Media,” is now available from Packaged Facts which examines the ways pet product marketers have capitalized on new marketing tactics to engage and interact with pet owners.

The report covers a wide range of digital technologies including mobile marketing, online video, social media, interactive games, e-mail marketing, loyalty programs, content marketing and more. It also looks at the digital media usage and behaviour of pet owners, along with their psychographics relating to internet, mobile and social media. Dozens of images and examples of new technologies from pet marketers are included – from pet food and supply brands to pet retailers, medications, pet treats, veterinary services and animal shelters.

The pet marketer will find this report filled with of best practices for marketing to the pet parent.

The report also contains analysis of consumer technology usage trends and motivations, drawing primarily from two data sources. The first is national consumer survey data from Simmons. Through an ongoing program of telephone and booklet questionnaire surveys of a large probability sample of consumers who represent a statistically accurate cross-section of the U.S. adult population, Simmons is able construct detailed demographic profiles across various consumer product and service markets. The discussion of consumer patterns also draws on the Packaged Facts Pet Owner Survey, an exclusive look at pet owners across the U.S..

Creating a sustainable pet population

Are pets bad for the environment? 

With the world's resources under increasing pressure, Erik Assadourian argues that pet ownership needs a drastic rethink

An article emerging last week about the sustainability of the pet industry and pet ownership ruffled some feathers among pet communities and organizations.

In his Guardian story, Erik Assadourian questioned the carbon footprint of pets and the many products they consume or require. He writes that, "as our pets increasingly adopt the consumer habits of their owners, it's clear that no matter how "green" the industry becomes, it will never be sustainable." Assadourian argues that unnecessary pet products like toys, clothes and even burial caskets are putting a strain on the already stressed climate.

"Fast forward to a climate disrupted future. . . Where do pets fit in? When climate change disrupts grain supplies, shoots food prices through the roof and also eviscerates the global consumer economy, pets may be abandoned in droves as families suddenly can no longer afford their upkeep," he said.

And while Assadourian's suggestions (satirical or not) to slaughter the abandoned cat and dog population for meat or adopt 'time-share' relationships with animals garnered knee-jerk and emotional reactions in the comments section of the article, his message is simple: Consumers need to be mindful of the products they purchase for their pets.

Green Calgary Executive Director and former Calgary Humane Society Executive Director, Patricia Cameron noted that Assadourian's article may have sent the wrong message. Rather than promoting mindful consumerism and sustainability, it appealed to a reader's emotional ties to his/her pets.

"It is true that, currently, the pet industry is unsustainable, just like all the other industries. It is not an exception but rather part of the overall way that we produce, consume and dispose of things," she said.

"It is no different than any other industry. We're all in this together and we need to start buying for durability, trying to stay local, thinking about whether the products we purchase are necessary and are contributing to well-being. If we love our dogs, and we love owning dogs, then people should be looking at more sustainable ways of feeding their pets and meeting their recreational needs."  

READ THE ARTICLE

Big Heart Pet Brands reports fiscal 2014 third quarter results

Last month, Big Heart Pet Brands (formerly known as Del Monte Corporation) completed the sale of its Consumer Products business and is now one of the largest standalone pet products companies in the U.S. 

Last week, the company announced its third quarter results for fiscal 2014. Highlights from the report include a net sales increase of 9% to $576 million in pet products, an increase in operating income by 27% to $82 million and adjusted EBITDA increased 15% to $131 million. 

"As a standalone pet products company, Big Hearts Pet Brands will be singularly focused on capturing growth opportunities in the expanding $21 billion U.S. pet products category," said Dave West, president and CEO of Big Heart Pet Brands. "We are uniquely positioned with a powerful and broad portfolio of iconic pet brands, strong position in key pet food categories, robust business fundamentals and a commitment to creating a better future for pets by nurturing the bond between pets and the people who love them." 

READ THE NEWS RELEASE

Special Sections at Global Pet Expo 2014 Sell Out

The upcoming Global Pet Expo announced last month it had sold out all of the special exhibiting sections for the show. 

Natural Pet, The Boutique, Everything Aquatic and What's New! are the special sections included at this year's Expo. The sections were created in response to keeping up with the growing pet product trends. These sections help showcase popular product lines and make it easier for buyers to navigate the floor. 

Celebrating its 10th year, the Show is set to take place March 12-14, 2014 in Orlando, Fla. 

READ THE NEWS RELEASE

Pet Industry Trade Show in Calgary this Weekend

The Calgary Pet Industry Trade show happens this Sunday, April 22nd from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Stampede Park, Big Four Building.  

 

This trade exclusive event welcomes over 80 manufacturers and distributors of pet products. PIJAC Canada will also be kicking off their "Animal welfare is everyone's business!" campaign. 

 

For more details on the show and the campaign visit www.pijaccanada.com