Dog Owners Aren't Willing to Compromise on this Pet Food Trend – PetProductNews.com

Today’s dog owners are scrutinizing everything in their pets’ food, which has led to an increased interest in “natural” choices. While that word might have slight variations in meaning to different people, the overarching message from a lot of dog owners is that they want a premium, healthier food choice, industry insiders report.
“Pet parents generally believe that products labeled ‘natural’ do not contain overly processed or synthetic ingredients and are, therefore, healthier for their dog,” said Rob Cadenhead, general manager of Gott Pet Products, parent company of Hound & Gatos, a food manufacturer in St. Francis, Wis. “They’re scanning packages for assurances that this recipe is from a pet food provider they can trust. The majority of modern pet owners prefer to buy natural foods because they’re making similar purchase decisions for their families and themselves.”
Heather Hickey, senior vice president of sales for Ziwi USA, an Overland Park, Kan.-based manufacturer, agreed, noting that consumers are steering clear of superfluous ingredients.
“At the heart of it, they are searching for a recipe that includes real food and functional ingredients without unnecessary added artificial enhancements like coloring, flavoring and preservatives,” Hickey said. “Our animals are dependent on us for all their nutrients, so it is important to make every bite count.”
Natural pet food is an evolving category with lots of room for growth, Hickey said.
“We have noticed that minimally processed recipes are selling well in the natural dog food category,” she continued. “Customers want recipes that contain maximum nutrients and that haven’t been overprocessed and drained of all [their] natural benefits. Air-dried and freeze-dried foods are another expanding category when talking about foods that provide natural nutrition. These options are the best of both worlds as they can provide all the natural benefits of a frozen raw diet with the convenience of feeding dry food.”
Katie Ast, co-owner of Just Dog People, a pet store in Garner, N.C., said that more shoppers are reading labels at the store.
“To pet parents, natural dog food is about clean ingredients,” Ast said. “It’s simply a matter of foods that have minimal or no additives and ingredients that they actually recognize.”
At Belmont Pet Shop in Belmont, Mass., most customers consider “natural” synonymous with limited ingredients and foods without filler, said manager Cia DiTommaso. For a lot of dog owners, she added, that means choosing raw food.
“People seem more conscious about feeding their pets higher-quality foods without a lot of artificial color or flavor,” she said.
Keith Henline, store manager at Asheville Pet Supply in Asheville, N.C., said that some customers might think of natural food as being as close to what an animal could actually find in the wild.
“That definitely means limited ingredient with no byproducts and filler,” he said. “Dog owners are also interested in overall high-quality choices.” 
While natural dog food options typically cost more, industry insiders agreed that dog owners are usually willing to pay.
“Natural foods tend to come with a higher price tag thanks to the quality of the ingredients,” said Rob Cadenhead, general manager at Gott Pet Products, parent company of Hound & Gatos, a St. Francis, Wis.-based manufacturer. “While it’s clear that many consumers are becoming more conscious regarding their spending, we’re still confident that they will continue to pay for a high-quality food. That’s because they won’t want to compromise the health of their pet by trading down to a less-nourishing brand.”
Cost is always a factor when a consumer considers what type of food to buy; however, quality also has an impact, said Heather Hickey, senior vice president of sales for Ziwi USA, an Overland Park, Kan.-based manufacturer.
“We produce our recipes in our very own our air-dried kitchen in our home of New Zealand,” she said. “Sourcing our ingredients from New Zealand ensures that our strict standards of ethical and sustainable practices are met and reflected in our final product. Customers understand that when they buy a premium product, they are investing in their pet’s long-term health, and they are not willing to compromise for anything less.”
Pet specialty retailers are noticing similar feelings from shoppers in stores.
“Price point is always a consideration for customers, but when it comes to food, it’s more a matter of value,” said Katie Ast, co-owner of Just Dog People, a pet store in Garner, N.C. “If customers believe they are getting better value for their money, they’re willing to pay more. Pet parents understand that health and nutrition are linked.” 
Cia DiTommaso, manager at Belmont Pet Shop in Belmont, Mass., said that because most of the products the store stocks are higher quality, customers are already shopping with those expectations in mind.
“The majority of our customers are willing to pay more for food if they know it’s better quality,” she said.
Independent pet specialty retailers play a valuable role in making customers aware of natural food options on the market, according to industry insiders.
“One great way to highlight natural foods is by having a natural product section located at the front of the store,” said Heather Hickey, senior vice president of sales for Ziwi USA, an Overland Park, Kan.-based manufacturer. “We suggest merchandising the raw frozen diets next to air-dried and freeze-dried diets to help customers easily find the high-meat, minimally processed recipes.”
Keith Henline, store manager at Asheville Pet Supply in Asheville, N.C., said that when they bring in something brand new—such as insect protein-based foods—they put it on an endcap upfront so that they can answer questions. However, as around 85 percent of the store’s offerings would be considered “natural,” they don’t do anything additional to call those choices out, he said.
“We always keep at least some entry-level food options for pet parents that are looking specifically for that,” he said. “But the vast majority of what we carry is already natural, so it’s all together. People come here because they want higher-quality choices. Most of our customers are already educated on those options.”
Rob Cadenhead, general manager of Gott Pet Products, parent company of Hound & Gatos, a St. Francis, Wis.-based manufacturer, said that when a pet store has a bigger mix of options, it definitely helps to separate out the “natural” choices.
“We recommend that our retailer partners create a ‘store within a store’ where they can showcase the most natural pet nutrition brands,” he said. “It’s important that they dress up the area with signage that concisely communicates the advantages of feeding natural versus conventional dog food.”
Aaron Merrell, CEO and founder of Plato Pet Treats in Fresno, Calif.
Consumer demand for natural pet diets is high, but this preference for natural ingredients and products also extends to the treats category. What criteria are guiding pet owners’ treat purchasing decisions, and how is Plato’s product portfolio addressing those demands?
Now more than ever, pet parents expect more from their dogs’ treats, seeking out simple and natural ingredients, while seeking products that they can trust and know are sustainably sourced.
Natural, local and sustainably sourced ingredients have always been at the heart of who we are. California leads the nation in agricultural production, and as the top-producing county, Fresno is the heart of California. This means that making our treats at our facility here in Fresno gives us incredible access to ingredients and proteins from local farmers throughout California.
With our most recent product innovation, Plato Chicken Jerky, not only do we meet these criteria, but we added functional ingredients like goat milk, pumpkin and bone broth, which provide additional benefits for our pets. We’ve intentionally included chicken hearts and livers to provide a wildly palatable treat that is even more nutrient dense while also being more sustainable.
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