What makes Solid Gold Pet stand out, says the company, is its history. Founded in 1974 by Sissy Harrington McGill, Solid Gold has always focused on nutritious, natural pet food. “[McGill] created Solid Gold because she wasn’t satisfied with how long her Great Danes were living,” says CEO and President Bob Rubin. “She was buying them from Germany, and the Great Danes in Germany were living longer, and she wanted to know why. She traveled there and realized that what they were feeding the Great Danes in Germany [was] different from what was available in the US. So she brought formulations back with her and created Solid Gold.”
From the start, Solid Gold formulas have included what are now commonly known as superfoods. “We have 20 superfoods in each one of our kibble formulations, and that’s what sets us apart in the marketplace,” says Rubin. “So not only did we start the industry over 40 years ago, but the whole time we’ve had these unique ingredients that really drive the health and wellness of pets who are eating Solid Gold.”
Standing out in the specialty pet food market
Although the specialty and holistic nutrition trends so prevalent in today’s market are more like business as usual for Solid Gold, it was only in 2016 that the company started bringing attention to that fact. “We knew we had great food and we knew it got great results,” says Rubin. “All we did was start talking about what was in our products. We made a few minor changes in the formulas so they could all have 20 superfoods, because we felt like that message of 20 superfoods was something we wanted to be consistent across our portfolio.”
Solid Gold’s lineup includes dry and wet dog and cat food, as well as treats and supplements. The company introduced 30 new products in 2016 — 11 dog products and 19 cat products. “Among our dog products, one of the things we introduced that’s doing phenomenally well is a grain-free, small and toy dog formula called Mighty Mini,” says Rubin. “People like that name and they really like the packaging.” The Mighty Mini line is available in both dry kibble and wet cup form. “We also introduced high-protein kibble lines for dogs and cats geared towards more active pets,” says Rubin. “That line is doing well, particularly in Petco.”
Solid Gold's line-up focuses on natural, holistic formulas and highlights the superfoods key to the brand's success since 1974. | Courtesy Solid Gold Pet
For cats, the company introduced two new lines. One is Purrfect Pairings, a line of wet food cups that combines a protein and goat milk in mousse form. The second is Holistic Delights, a wet pouched formulas that pairs protein with coconut milk in a bisque form.
2016: a big year for Solid Gold
Rubin just celebrated his one-year anniversary with Solid Gold, and a lot has happened in the time he’s taken the helm.
“We’ve really transformed the business quite a bit in the last year,” he says. “We were underserving the independent channel. We didn’t really have any sales people who were dedicated to the channel. So we created an exclusive sales force — territory sales reps — just for independents. They only call on the independent chain, they’re dedicated, they understand their consumers, they understand that class of sales. The independents want to know that you care about their business."
Mighty Mini is a new, grain-free, small and toy dog formula. The Mighty Mini line is available in both dry kibble and wet cup form. | Courtesy Solid Gold Pet
“We also instituted a merchandising force for Petco,” says Rubin. “We have people going into Petco stores every day and working with associates on everything from training to making sure that our product looks good on the shelf. That exclusive focus on each one of those channels has been very meaningful to our customers.”
Another significant event was the company’s move from Greenville, South Carolina, to St. Louis, Missouri, USA. “It was a tough decision, but the right one,” says Rubin. “Our supply chain is all in the middle of the country. So the majority of our manufacturing partners are in Missouri and Kansas, [USA] and our distribution center and warehouse are in Kansas City. Being closer to our supply chain and being more intimate with that supply chain, not only do we get operational efficiencies, it’s much easier for us to focus on quality, focus on innovation, being right on the doorstep of where our manufacturing partners are.”
The future of Solid Gold Pet
Solid Gold’s primary plan for growth includes continued innovation. “We will become an innovation leader within the industry,” says Rubin. “You will see significantly more innovations from Solid Gold than the company has done in any recent year, and maybe ever.” The company also plans to focus on the independent channel. “The number of doors that we’re in shows that we have a lot of opportunity to grow,” says Rubin. “As we professionalize the business, and as we bring on more innovation and focus more on that intimate relationship with the retailer, you’ll see our footprint grow quite a bit.”
Solid Gold, says Rubin, might almost be classified as a “sleepy brand” — but that’s coming to an end. “I can tell you that you will notice a big change in that,” he says. “We will be aggressively promoting and advertising our brand on social and digital media. You will see a lot more of us, you will hear a lot more of us. From a consumer standpoint, we’re squarely focused on millennials and new pet parents, bringing them into our brand. So I think you’ll notice a big difference in who we are and what we do.”
Expert opinion: eCommerce in the pet food industry
“We just started going direct to eCommerce in the last 12 months,” says Bob Rubin, CEO and president of Solid Gold Pet. “That’s a big growth engine for us and that we pay a lot of attention to."
“As I look at 2017, I think that there’s still potential for more of a shift to eCommerce than brick-and-mortar,” he says. “But I think brick-and-mortar stores will continue to grow, as well. I don’t think it’s a complete trade-off. I think both online and offline retailers will continue to grow, with slightly to moderately more growth in the eCommerce channel.”
Overall, says Rubin, it’s a good time to be in the pet food industry. “More and more pet parents are focused on the health and wellness of their pets,” he says. “They’re understanding that there is this category — the high-end natural category — and it does promote better health and longer life for their pets. I think that’s becoming even more important to people as time goes on. It’s a fun category to be in.”
Just the Facts
Headquarters: Chesterfield, Missouri, USA
Facilities: Chesterfield, Missouri
Officers: Bob Rubin, CEO and president
Sales: Solid Gold Pet is showing strong year-over-year growth behind the exciting initiatives we have implemented for both retailers and consumers. We continue to gain great traction and are excited about improving the lives of even more pets in the coming year.
Brands: Solid Gold
Distribution: Solid Gold pet food is distributed nationally through Petco, as well as a variety of local and regional pet specialty retailers across the US. We are also distributed through select eCommerce partners and internationally.
Employees: 50
Website/Social Media: www.SolidGoldPet.com; SolidGoldPet on Facebook; @SolidGoldPets on Twitter and Instagram; SolidGoldPets on Pinterest
Learn more:
Why superfoods are popular pet food ingredients, www.petfoodindustry.com/articles/5941
