Pet Food News

Italian pet food market up in 2020, cat food grew 5.9%

More than 60 million cats, dogs, small mammals, birds, fish and reptiles lived as pets in Italy last year.

May 17, 2021

The Italian pet food market grew 4.2% over 2019 with a volume increase of 2% to hit 626,600 metric tons (690,708 US tons).

Private equity may rule pet food acquisitions into 2022

Pet populations among those most likely to spend more on premium pet foods grew during the pandemic, especially in the U.S. and other wealthy markets.

May 17, 2021

Tim Wall

Private equity investment groups continue adding more dog, cat and other pet food companies to their rosters during the ongoing pandemic. This trend in dog, cat and other pet food businesses may persist for years.

Tyson sells pet treat brands to General Mills for US$1.2B

Tyson Foods, Inc. is selling its pet treats business to General Mills, Inc. for approximately US$1.2 billion.

May 14, 2021

Tim Wall

Tyson Foods, Inc. is selling its pet treats business to General Mills, Inc. for approximately US$1.2 billion.

Omnichannel pet food presence fuels new sales

Maintaining a presence online continues to grow in importance for pet food brands. That presence should go beyond a digital storefront or e-commerce retailer listing to engage with pet owners and build trust.

May 13, 2021

Tim Wall

Maintaining a presence online continues to grow in importance for pet food brands. That presence should go beyond a digital storefront or e-commerce retailer listing to engage with pet owners and build trust.

E-commerce data strategy helps pet food logistics, sales

Pet food brands optimizing their use of e-commerce tended to weather logistical challenges better, and in a digital marketplace, data provides crucial insights to facilitate further growth and resilience.

May 12, 2021

Tim Wall

While the pet food industry saw strong growth during the ongoing pandemic, some of that expansion may have been stymied by logistical problems.

Walmart aims for premium pet food, services market

Mass premiumization of pet food reached a new level as the ultimate in big box stores, Walmart introduced a line of premium pet foods, PRO+, to the retailers’ Pure Balance line.

May 10, 2021

Tim Wall

Mass premiumization of pet food reached a new level as the ultimate in big box stores, Walmart introduced a line of premium pet foods, PRO+, to the retailers’ Pure Balance line.

FDA plan for pet food facility inspections post-pandemic

FDA released a report on their inspection activity during the pandemic, “Resiliency Roadmap for FDA Inspectional Oversight,” with projections for a return to normal pet food facility inspection routines.

May 10, 2021

Tim Wall

FDA released a report on their inspection activity during the pandemic, “Resiliency Roadmap for FDA Inspectional Oversight,” with projections for a return to normal pet food facility inspection routines.

Pet stocks beat S&P500 by 48% in 2020; Freshpet up 127%

Investment bank Cascadia Capital follows an index of publicly traded pet industry stocks. The core group of Cascadia’s index beat the S&P 500 by 48% in 2020.

May 7, 2021

Tim Wall

Investment bank Cascadia Capital follows an index of publicly traded pet industry stocks. The core group of Cascadia’s index beat the S&P 500 by 48% in 2020.

Polish dog treat maker buys competitor, boosts production

The owner of Maced, a Polish dog treat company, has acquired its competitor and is investing to expand both companies’ output.

May 5, 2021

Jaroslaw Adamowski

The owner of Poland dog treat leader Maced has acquired Atlantic Products, another dog treat maker, and is investing to expand both companies’ production.

Innovative packaging designs for inventive pet food

Pet food packaging designers must anticipate pet owners’ reactions to their graphics and colors.

May 5, 2021

Tim Wall

As brand loyalty declines and product diversity increases, pet food packaging needs to grab eyes both in physical stores and online, where shelf placement no longer helps to differentiate products.