ButcherBox, a direct-to-consumer meat and seafood brand, has announced its move into the pet space through their ButcherBox For Pets line of dry food, treats, and hip and joint supplements for dogs.
Mike Salguero, founder and CEO of ButcherBox said the ButcherBox For Pets line was developed within the clinical vet environment with the same high-quality standards as ButcherBox by sourcing humanely raised, sustainably sourced beef and chicken that is never given antibiotics or added hormones.
“What we’ve learned in this process, is that most food or meat companies do not want to put their branding on the label of the pet food, or treats, they are selling,” said Salguero. “We are proud of the work we’ve put into sourcing high-quality, humanely raised meat for this line of products and we want consumers to know that by seeing our brand front and center on the package means they can trust where and how it was sourced.”
While ButcherBox For Pets treats and hip and joint supplements have been available exclusively to ButcherBox customers for the last year, with sales for those products reaching $750,000, this rollout marks the complete line as well as a new way to purchase on the standalone ButcherBoxForPets.com website.
Dry food will be available by subscription at launch while treats and supplements will be available as add-on purchases.
“Nearly 60% of ButcherBox customers have a dog in their home, which was the initial draw to the pet market for us,” noted Bobby Quirk, president of ButcherBox For Pets. “Customers told us that they were equally interested in feeding their pets, specifically dogs, a high-quality product similar to their own diets.”
Expansion of the line is expected in the coming year complete with additional treat, supplements, meal toppers, additional food products, and a product offering for cats.
E-commerce pet subscriptions begin shifting buying behavior
According to a a recent PYMNTS report, The Replenish Economy: A Household Supply Deep Dive, revealed that among the 15% of retail subscribers participating in Chewy’s Goody Box pet food and toy subscription program, 53% now shop in stores less often while 11% of participants in the program no longer shop in stores for these items at all.
According to PYMNTS, e-commerce players increasingly see the pet food space as opportunity. Some examples:
- In summer 2023, HelloFresh announced its new dog food subscription, The Pets Table, promising “human-grade” meals as part of the company's push to become the top “fully integrated food solutions group” in the world.
- British eGrocer Ocado is getting into pet food, launching “fine dining” meals, including lamb with mint and salmon, designed "for younger, urban, mindful owners" who want choice and diversity for their pets.
- In September, U.K. direct-to-consumer brand Butternut Box, which sells dog food subscriptions, announced tit had raised £280 million (US $353 million) in its latest funding round.
The report noted the rise of digitally native subscription services in the pet supply industry signals a shift in consumer behavior, posing a challenge to traditional brick-and-mortar stores as convenience and automation redefine the retail landscape.
