Why functional? Pet parents want their animals to live longer

Pet parents are gravitating more and more toward functional options for their furry friends. And while functional diets used to be largely the purview of the veterinarian space (see: Royal Canin, Hill’s Science Diet and Purina ProPlan, for example, offering prescription-only diets focusing on such conditions as kidney health, urinary care, weight loss and gastrointestinal health), that has changed, with more and more companies responding to consumer demand for over-the-counter options.