The people and pet food spaces continue to blend as human food makers explore ways to leverage their popularity with pet owners. In a seemingly unrelated consumer trend, pumpkin spice flavoring nears ubiquity in human foods as fall approaches. Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and Busch beer make use of both the pie spice and pet food humanization trends this fall.
Beginning August 26, Krispy Kreme will offer Pup’kin Spice Doggie Doughnuts for a second year in a row. The Doggie Doughnuts include the Pup’kin Spice Original Glazed, Pup’kin Spice Cake, Pup’kin Spice Maple Peanut and Pup’kin Spice Cheesecake Swirl flavors. The Doggie Doughnuts will be packaged in a special six-count box for purchase in-shop and via drive-thru. The handmade doughnut-shaped biscuits for dogs will be available through Aug. 31 at participating shops across the U.S. Pup’kin Spice Doggie Doughnuts are made by Huds and Toke, an Australia-based artisan baked pet treat company. Each treat is designed for dogs of all sizes and ages, made with a hard-baked cookie and ingredients such as pumpkin, peanut butter and carob.
Like Krispy Kreme doughnuts, Anheuser-Busch’s brew for dogs is healthier in its pet iteration. Busch Light’s Busch Pumpkin Spice Dog Brew is an alcohol-free drink for dogs made with pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric and water. Busch Pumpkin Spice Dog Brew is available for purchase in 4-packs online.
Pumpkin in dog foods and treats
Pumpkin may serve as a functional, alternative ingredient in pet food, not as a total replacement for functional starches, but certainly as a source of fiber and potentially other nutritional benefits, Greg Aldrich wrote in Petfood Industry nearly a decade ago. He noted the lack of research on pumpkin in dog and cats foods, but also pointed out that there was no evidence of toxicity or common allergies. While dogs tend to like pumpkin on its own, cats show indifference to it.
Pumpkin can be used in raw pet food diets as a fiber source to help alleviate constipation, which can be an issue when feeding raw pet food diets.
Pumpkin in new pet consumables
Human food companies aren’t the only ones using pumpkin in their products for pets. These pet products were recently published on Petfood Industry’s Pet Food Product Database and include jack-o-lantern relatives as ingredients.
Fera Pet Organics Pumpkin Plus
Natoo Sweet Potato & Pumpkin Crunchy Biscuits
Bocce's Bakery Halloween Treats for dogs
Because, Animals Pumpkin Noochies+ dog treats
Jinx Pumpkin and Apple Biscuits dog treats
Rescue Treats Bulldog Edition pumpkin and peanut butter dog treats
