Sometimes you hear or read that pet food innovation is slow and that many of the new pet foods and treats that are released are extensions or imitations of every other product on the market. There may be. In fact, I have shared similar sentiments.
But in today's environment, I believe innovation can and does take many different forms. Examples include Global Pet Expo 2024, which will be held from March 20-22 in Orlando, Florida, USA, and Interzoo 2024, which will be held from May 7-10 in Nuremberg, Germany. I'm sure you'll see quite a few. (And there's also a Las Vegas SuperZoo coming later this year.)
But even before these events, where many pet food and treat brands are planning to introduce new products, several recent announcements include research, delivery methods, new market participants, etc. It focuses on innovation and its various forms.
Dog treats inspired by human food, new delivery options
As for new products, Bark, the company behind the dog treat subscription service BarkBox, just launched a breakfast cereal-inspired snack pack for people. This treat product is a play on the names of iconic sweet cereal brands such as Frosted Socks, Too Troops and Lucky Ducky, and offers an interactive way for owners to interact with the included stuffed dog and his QR code on the package. Experience.
(It's a complete coincidence, but it's interesting to note that this launch coincided with the controversial CEO of cereal giant WK Kellogg's who suggested that people suffering from soaring food prices should eat cereal for dinner.) For Bark's sake, let's pray for those who are taking it. There is a problem with this suggestion, and if you are a dog owner, you may not be able to transfer your reactions to your dog's treats. Probably not.)
Also in the subscription services category, a service aimed at regularly delivering meat and seafood for human food consumption announced its entry into pet food. Direct-to-consumer brand Butcher Box has launched Butcher Box for Pets, a dry food offering. We also have treats and supplements for dogs. The company announced that 60% of its existing meat and seafood customers own dogs and that it already offers dog treat supplements, with sales expected to reach US$750,000 in 2023. This success spurred the company to develop a full line of dog foods. And this other brand.
And finally, when it comes to pet food and product delivery, DoorDash and Pet Supply Plus, a pet retail franchise chain with 720 stores in the U.S., have teamed up to offer pet owners on-demand delivery of “pet essentials.” doing. This builds on previous partnerships with Petco, PetSmart and Independent Pet Partners since DoorDash launched its own pet category in 2020, which has more than 400,000 pet items. The company said it has grown to include pet products.
New research may offer new options for pet treat and food developers
Another area of innovation involves research into novel ingredients. That means it's an ingredient that's been around for at least a few years, but new research shows new uses and benefits for it. For example, Protix, a provider of black soldier fly larva (BSFL) insect protein to the pet and human food industries, has shown that BSFL positively impacts canine oral health, including reducing canine breath (halitosis). We published a study showing that.
Research is also focused on CBD found in pet treats and supplements. A recent study conducted by the National Animal Supplement Council showed that hemp-derived cannabinoids are safe for long-term use in healthy dogs. This follows another study by Hill's Pet Nutrition and Colorado State University that showed similar results for CBD supplements for dogs.
All of these announcements were made in the first quarter of 2024 and are just the tip of the iceberg of similar research, development, and partnerships. Some are already in place, and others are likely to be announced later this year. These are welcome reminders that pet food innovation can occur in all kinds of sectors and ways.
