The ¡Cha-cha-Shakers! saltshaker-type package is an innovative feature that facilitates storage and use, avoiding waste and the messiness caused by wet toppers. Courtesy of Petmarkt
Pet food mixer launches in Mexico, bringing toppers back
A new pet food product launch may signal a return of mixers and toppers to the Mexican market.
Pet food toppers and mixers are not easily found in the Mexican market. Yet, this seems about to change.
A few years ago, the market leader in the topper category—and likely the only noticeable product at the time—was Don Sazón, a thick, liquid topper that had strong success at the beginning, but eventually faded away. It is still unclear why Don Sazón lost momentum. Probably, the strengthening of the wet pet food category shadowed the topper category and, thus, consumers lost interest in the product.
New pet food mixer with ‘sticky’ name
In early 2021, Petmarkt, a Mexican pet food startup, launched a new pet food mixer under its Un Dos Treats label. ¡Cha-cha-Shakers! is the fun, “sticky” name that Petmarkt marketers gave the new product.
As its name suggests, the mixer is in powder format and contained within a saltshaker-type package. The container is likely the most innovative feature as it facilitates the product’s storage and use, avoiding waste and the messiness caused by wet toppers.
Furthermore, the product is intended to enhance the palatability of pet food (or any other food), a factor well appreciated in the pet food industry, by pet owners and even more by pets themselves.
According to Petmarkt, the mixer is a low-calorie snack and supports good digestion. It is also enriched with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. In addition, it claims to help strengthen bones and protect heart health. The protein content is about 43.8%.
Another piece of information on the product website states that eating the same food every day can be boring for dogs. Thus, a mixer may help address such monotony by adding a new flavor to the food of dogs and cats.
The product is suitable for all breeds and ages, according to the producer, and comes in two versions: chicken and zucchini, and fish and cucumber. The latter is recommended to be sprinkled on tuna or fish-based pet foods.
More mixers and toppers on the way?
It's always good to have new pet food product varieties in the marketplace, especially those that represent innovation and differentiation. The question is if other producers in Latin America will follow the arrival of ¡Cha-cha-Shakers! and launch their own mixers or toppers?
Iván Franco is the founder of Triplethree International and has collaborated on hundreds of research projects for several consumer goods industries. He was granted the Global Consultant of the Year award by Euromonitor International and authored the book 17 Market Strategies for Growth (in Spanish).
While dogs and cats continue to reign supreme, the growth of the “other” pet space can’t be denied: 9.9 million homes own a bird, 6.2 million homes have a small pet (usually small mammals) and 5.7 million homes own a reptile.
