With the growing popularity of the Paleo Diet among people, pet parents now can embrace this feeding approach for their pets too. PetSmart Inc. will launch a specialty shop section dedicated to the pinnacle natural pet lifestyle brand, Only Natural Pet, a Paleo-inspired brand that is well-suited for dogs and cats and their ancestral wolf and wildcats roots.
According to proponents of a Paleo-inspired diet for dogs, the digestion of dogs and cats today is on par with their wild counterparts, where meat-eating is the foundation for good nutrition and health with the optimal food composition following the “prey model” of 50% protein, 40% fat and 10% carbohydrates.
Only Natural Pet is a comprehensive, vet-formulated pet line made of honest ingredients including meats blended with whole fresh fruits and vegetables. The products are manufactured in small, artisanal facilities using small-batch production processes and human-quality ingredients such as cage-free chicken, fresh turkey, free-range lamb and beef, as well as low-glycemic carbohydrates like sweet potatoes and garbanzo beans and real fruits and vegetables like apples, cranberries, celery, pumpkin, broccoli, cabbage and more.
The brand is focused on a rigorous set of standards, which avoid artificial elements – flavorings, sweeteners, colors, chemicals, pesticides, preservatives, allergens and other ingredients to which pets can be sensitive such as grains, gluten, by-products and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Only Natural Pet uses a minimal processing method, resulting in dehydrated, freeze-dried and air-dried products, many of which are raw, providing the nutrition benefit of raw food for pets without the hassle of thawing and the health risks of bacteria.
“PetSmart is dedicated to providing our customers with innovative products to meet their desires for their personal pet lifestyles. We are thrilled to bring this pioneering Paleo-inspired natural pet lifestyle brand, Only Natural Pet, to our PetSmart customers,” said Michael Massey, president and CEO, PetSmart Inc. “We see so many human trends make their way into the pet world and Natural combined with Paleo is now among them. We are excited to serve as the exclusive national retailer to expand the reach of this brand as a powerful option for pet parents who want to build a natural foundation for health with their pets.”
The new 25-product collection will be available later this month in 133 PetSmart stores nationwide with a more comprehensive 120-item assortment available at petsmart.com. Only Natural Pet’s general pricing ranges from $8 for a four-ounce package of venison and lamb Jerky Bites to $80 for a seven-pound bag of dehydrated dog food.
As a founding member of the Pet Industry Sustainability Coalition, Only Natural Pet is committed to sustainability and “green” business practices with 100-percent wind power, carbon-neutral shipping, sustainable packaging and a zero-waste facility. The brand was born in Boulder, Colorado, USA, which is well known for its natural, healthy lifestyle and as an entrepreneurial hotbed for natural product innovation in the human grocery and pet specialty industries.
According to Only Natural Pet founder Marty Grosjean, “The world wants to eat cleaner and that includes our pets. Paleo diets and whole foods are the norm for many people and the benefits of eating this way apply to pets too. Our Boulder team is thrilled to be partnering with PetSmart to broaden the accessibility of our premium natural pet brand. We look forward to sharing the natural health benefits of Only Natural Pet with more and more pet parents who are looking for a brand dedicated to a Paleo-inspired diet featuring natural, clean ingredients, sustainable business practices and human-quality products.”
