2020 is a year to remember … let’s make it count

The pet food industry shifts and lessons learned in 2020 will carry everyone forward into 2021 and beyond.

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(cscredon | iStock.com)
(cscredon | iStock.com)

I feel pretty confident in saying that 2020 will be a year none of us will forget. The promise of a new decade took a sudden left turn, dropping us into a global pandemic, political and societal turmoil, and an economic crash that easily rivals what we saw during the Great Recession. Deemed an essential industry, pet food had the opportunity to continue serving the world, but adjustments had to be made, quickly, in order to keep everything running as smoothly as possible. It’s a goal I believe the industry has accomplished.

Throughout the year, Petfood Industry has walked the line between reporting on COVID-19-related trends (industry confidence updates, a focus on safety, M&A activity and expansion in the wake of a pandemic, data on how industry segments have been weathering the storm) and continuing to provide the content you need to keep your business running in the long term (ingredient trends, AAFCO updates, e-commerce growth, the continued rise of sustainability). As we close out the year with this December issue, we do the same: Our cover profile discusses what it’s like to be a Black business owner in the pet food industry (p. xx), we highlight sustainability from the extrusion perspective (p. xx) and we take a look at the future of the still-growing CBD trend, which got a boost this year thanks to a greater consumer focus on wellness driven not insignificantly by COVID-19.

The January 2021 issue will take a look at what industry experts believe the year will bring in terms of doing business in pet food, and there is always work to be done. For now, let’s close out the year on a positive note: We made it. Thanks for having Petfood Industry along for the ride.

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