New report looks at pet treats, chew in the US

A new report from Packaged Facts shows that 87% of US dog owners and 68% of cat owners purchase one or more types of treats or chews for their pets.
The report, “Pet Treats and Chews in the US,” compiles online consumer survey data from April 2015 and examines the wide array of treat and chew options available to pet owners, as well as what motivates them to choose one treat over another from their  options.
Packaged Facts says that retail sales for treats and chews reached US$5.4 billion in 2014, and that the market is still growing. Because of the recent safety risks associated with recalled jerky treats in the US, pet owners now more closely scrutinize the treats they buy, and interest in natural, locally sourced ingredients has never been higher. Pet owners also are looking for more “bang for the buck” in the form of treats that provide side benefits such as dental care or functional ingredients.
The report breaks out treats and chews into four categories:

• Indulgent treats
• Rawhide/natural chews
• Dental chews/treats
• Nutraceutical treats

The report provides a broad overview of the market with a focus on future trends, including the importance of product safety, the encroachment of natural products in mass-market outlets, the impact of humanization on the treat market, and growth of functional and grain-free treat options. The report also provides extensive retail sales breakouts along with an examination of the competitive situation.

Nestlé Purina PetCare acquires Zuke’s treat company

Zuke's Performance Pet Nutrition has become part of Nestlé Purina PetCare, the companies announced. Zuke's and its employees will continue to be operated as an independent company based in Durango, Colorado, USA. Zuke's will continue creating and producing dog and cat treats in the same facilities.

test
"I'm personally so pleased that Zuke's is now a part of the Nestlé Purina family. Their understanding of Zuke's core mission of fostering an active and healthy lifestyle for pets and pet parents alike, their commitment to keeping Zuke's and its employees in Durango as an independent operation, and their ability to help grow the Zuke's brand in the pet specialty marketplace were important factors in partnering with Nestlé Purina," said founder, Patrick Meiering.
John Hart, president of Zuke's, added: "I joined the Zuke's team in 2010 with the goal of growing the Zuke's brand while staying true to its authentic roots and history. We achieved that goal and are excited to continue and accelerate that growth in pet specialty with our new partnership."

Three Dog Bakery announces relaunch of We Pity the Kitties cat treats

Three Dog Bakery is relaunching We Pity the Kitty treats for cats.

Three Dog Bakery, which makes oven-baked treats and food for dogs, announced it is relaunching its all-natural cat treats, We Pity the Kitties.
We Pity the Kitties treats are made with one ingredient and are available in two flavors: Wild Alaskan Salmon and Chicken Breast. Salmon treats come in a 1.4-ounce resealable pouch and chicken treats come in a 2-ounce resealable pouch.
"We know that at least one-third of our dog parents have a minimum of one cat and that they want to feed them the same high-quality treats we have offered to dogs for years," said Brian Wietharn, president, Three Dog Bakery. "For almost 25 years, we have provided an all-natural, delicious way for dog parents to love their dogs - it just seems right to provide the same for our cat parents."

Stella & Chewy's donates pet food to Hurricane Sandy victims

Stella & Chewy’s, a manufacturer of freeze-dried and frozen dinners and treats for dogs and cats, has donated more than US$25,000 worth of product to the victims of hurricane Sandy in the northeastern US.
Stella & Chewy’s, along with two local organizations, Bideawee and The Mayors Alliance of NYC, teamed up to provide 150 cases of dog and cat food to be distributed to those in need.
"This storm has caused a lot of distress in our community and taken so much away from so many. We wanted to do our part to help by providing nutritious meals for pets in this difficult time. Our thoughts go out to those impacted by this devastating storm,” said Marie Moody, founder and president of Stella & Chewy's. 

Natura EVO receives Cat Fancy 2010 Editor's Choice Award

Natura Pet Products received a 2010 Editor's Choice Award from Cat Fancy magazine for its EVO Weight Management adult cat food and EVO Wild Cravings Weight Management cat treats.
The annual awards program features the most unique and exciting new products for cats and cat lovers as selected by the editors of Cat Fancy magazine. The EVO cat products were showcased in the magazine's December 2010 issue.
"We are very excited to receive this award from such a prestigious publication within the pet industry. Cat Fancy's Editor's Choice seal has become a symbol of pet product quality and innovation that pet parents know and trust," said Don Scott, president of Natura. "We created the EVO weight management options to meet the varying needs of pet owners, and we're very proud to be recognized for developing the new food and treats."

Bravo! expands treat line to include duck, lobster

Bravo! has announced the addition of two new proteins to its Bonus Bites Treats and Chews line: dry roasted duck feet and freeze dried North Atlantic lobster meat.
The new products will begin rolling out to independent retail outlets in April and will be featured in Bravo!’s new eco-friendly packaging.
Bravo! Bonus Bites are a line of freeze-dried and dry-roasted, all-meat and grain-free treats and chews. The new proteins, according to the company, were selected for their nutritional value and pet appeal. “A lot of thought went into selecting the two new protein sources for our Bonus Bites line," said David Bogner, Bravo! co-founder. "If the consumer feedback, retailer requests and our taste tests are any indication, there are going to be lots of happier and healthier dogs and cats out there.”  
The current line up of Bravo! Bonus Bites Treats and Chews on the market include: dry roasted chicken breast strips, turkey breast strips, buffalo livers, venison livers and duck feet. Freeze-dried treats include: chicken liver, premium chicken breast, turkey liver, turkey hearts, buffalo liver, venison liver, salmon, cod and North Atlantic lobster meat. Bravo! also recently introduced a specialty line of freeze dried Training Treats in a smaller size for training purposes in buffalo, turkey, hot dog and a trail mix protein types.

Canidae releases TidNips line of soft pet treats

Canidae Pet Foods has announced the launch of TidNips, a new line of healthy, soft treats for dogs and cats.
The new line will be available in the first quarter of 2011, with three formulations for dogs (chicken, turkey, lamb and salmon; chicken and rice; and lamb and rice) and one for cats (chicken and rice). "Cat and dog owners who want to offer their pets a soft treat made with the highest quality ingredients are going to love our new TidNips line," said Frank Hon, director of operations for Canidae. "These treats contain high-quality protein sources like real chicken, lamb and salmon [and] have Vitamin E and Omega-3 fatty acids for healthy coat and skin."

Pet humanization trend leads to increase in UK petfood sales

Petfood sales rose by 6.7% to a £1.5 billion (US$2.1 billion) in the past year thanks to the trend of pet humanization, according to a U.K. Telegraph article.
A report by retail analysts Kantar Worldpanel attributes this trend to a 26.3% increase in the value of cat treat sales. The article says that sociological reasons are behind the growing pet humanization trend in the U.K., including an increase in single person households and loneliness from longer working hours, combined with a desire to be more attached to pets.
"We are seeing an increased desire not only to treat pets to the very best, but also to ensure what they feed them will meet their optimal nutritional requirements," said Ben Thompson of Mars Petcare.

Nestle Purina brand ranks among top cat foods

Nestle Purina topped the list of cat treats sold this year thanks to its Fancy Feast Appetizers line, according to the market research firm ACNielson.
The company earned US$25 million in domestic sales of its Fancy Feast product just one year after it was launched. The company also broke into the top 10 list of wet cat food sold this year, ranking 10th, according to the market research firm SymphonyIRI Group. Retail sales showed that pet owners purchased more brand names like Purina, with private label wet cat food sales decreasing by 3% over the previous year.

Pet snack bars, pet beverages to be opportunities in 2010

Euromonitor International’s Emily Woon, head of global pet care research, examined how manufacturers are reinventing the very nature of their offerings to pet owners.
One product type gaining interest is pet snack bars, which have the potential to represent the future of healthier dog and cat treats.Another area of increasing focus in 2010 is pet beverages. Woon mentioned pet beverages such as K9 Water, PetRefresh and Whiskas Cat Milk and recommending turning to the human soft drinks industry for guidance and inspiration.

Purina introduces new treat for cats

Purina has recently launched its Fancy Feast Appetizers for cats, according to a news report. Purina claims it took a team of 40 about three-and-a-half years to develop a cat food and introduce it to the US$17 billion US petfood industry. The company is launching a national ad campaign beginning next month to market the product as a premium brand.
In early 2007, Purina hosted a focus group in St. Louis, to identify what consumers wanted for their cats. That was when the idea of an appetizer came up. The company then worked on packaging prototypes and eight varieties of appetizers, including "tender Tongol tuna," "white meat chicken" and "steamed Tilapia."
Despite the recession, petfood sales registered 5.5% growth last year compared with 2007, according to Packaged Facts. The US pet cat population grew to an estimated 83 million last year.