Natural Chews for Dogs | Current Issue | petbusiness.com – Pet Business Magazine

Nova scotia duck tolling retriever dog is chewing a bone isolated on white background

Nova scotia duck tolling retriever dog is chewing a bone isolated on white background
Dog chews must do more than alleviate boredom. Today’s dog owners are also looking for various nutritional and other benefits in the sticks, rings, braids and other shapes they give to their furry friends. Manufacturers say certain trends that are affecting dog products in general are also changing the natural chews category. 
“Pet product customers are looking for premium goods with premium claims,” says Lindsay Tracy, vice president of business development at Redbarn. “This seems to be more of a trend now than say 10 years ago. It shows no sign of ever reversing.” 
The chew category has changed over the years, as consumer expectations have shifted. Today, Tracy says, pet parents are demanding responsibly sourced, natural ingredients. The fewer ingredients, the better, and single ingredient chews are especially popular. 
“Within the chew category, we continue to prioritize functional claims, proprietary innovation and premiumization,” Tracy says. “Nutritional science is always evolving, so pet food and treat manufacturers must evolve, as well.”
Redbarn created a new line of Collagen Chews, which the company says offers quick digestibility compared to traditional rawhide. Also new from Redbarn is an extended beef cheek collection with bully and peanut butter coating, and a beef jerky value pack. 
 
Collagen, which is made from the inner layer of bovine skin as opposed to rawhide which is made from the outer layer, has been gaining attention lately as an ingredient in health and beauty products for humans. People apply collagen face creams to their skin, or take collagen supplements for hair, nail, and skin health. Now the substance is gaining sales momentum in the dog chews space. 
“Collagen is absolutely on fire,” says Nick Carter, chief revenue officer for Value Pet Supplies. “Collagen will be eclipsing bully sticks in the next few years.” 
The current supply chain constraints are helping drive the popularity of collagen natural dog chews. 
“There is a dearth of raw materials for bully sticks,” Carter says. “Every cow has a hide, so there is a lot rawer material to work with in terms of producing the product.” 
Value Pet Supplies offers collagen sticks in different sizes and thicknesses for different dog breeds, and plans to launch other shapes such as twists, chips and braids. The collagen is rolled into hollow sticks, so they look similar in texture to other chews. One selling point is that collagen sticks tend to have low or no odor, but sometimes they may have a smoky smell. 
“It’s single-ingredient, all-natural, high-protein, low-fat, and a very challenging long-lasting chew,” Carter says. “Dogs love them, and it’s a great way to keep your dog from eating your shoes or your furniture.”
Bully sticks are still very much in demand, especially premium, natural, made in USA, odor free versions. 
“Bully sticks have been the trend for well over a decade,” Carter says. “It’s the No. 1 natural treat by far.”
 
Chasing Our Tails recently launched its Opti-Chew collagen chew. The company invested in machinery to form collagen braids, rolls, and other shapes, and cover the chew in a protein coating. Elena Kalogeropoulos, CEO of Chasing Our Tails, says the Opti-Chew is beef based collagen, and the enrobing is all protein, such as chicken. 
“It is different, it is innovative,” she says. 
Kalogeropoulos explains that the machinery takes frozen blocks of whole muscle meat, turns it into a batter that can be shaped, enrobes it with protein such as chicken or salmon. Then the chew is dehydrated with forced hot air. 
“We invested in the machinery in order to transform that protein into a new form without having additives,” she says. “The coating is glossier, and it gets into the nooks and crannies of the tightly braided roll, and really creates some value.” 
What is more important than trends, Kalogeropoulos says, is sustainability and scalability. “When you’re talking about chews, body parts, or collagen you have to say, ‘do we want this to be around for that moment?,’ or are we truly saying, ‘let’s change the dialog and keep that space open going forward’?” she says. “We can always say, ‘what’s hot, what hopping now’ but is it going to be relevant in five years?” 
One trend that has stood over time is consumer demand for ingredients that are sustainable, better for pets, and that can provide a health benefit to the dog while providing a satisfying chew experience. Shameless Pets makes a line of dental sticks and jerky bites that upcycle “misfit and surplus” produce that would otherwise go to waste, into healthy, high-quality pet treats. They are also made in the USA, another longtime trend. 
“We continue to see humanization of pets, and owners are much more discerning about their pets’ exposure to ingredients and materials,” says Allison Sparks, head of marketing for Shameless Pets. “Dog owners are looking for recognizable, better-for-you ingredients that are sustainably sourced.”
One way retailers can leverage the trend, Sparks says, is to set up displays around specific health benefits. Some stores have organized displays around hip/joint or skin/coat, that show a variety of dog food, treats and natural dog chews that all deliver that same benefit. It also helps to have easy-to-understand icons on the packaging. 
“Pet parents are looking for treats that they can easily relate to, and understand the ingredients and benefits,” says Eric Abbey, president and founder of Loving Pets. 
Loving Pets uses icons such as grain or gluten free so pet parents can identify the benefits or confirm the absence of certain allergens. The packaging calls out what is and is not in the item, and whether the product is made in the USA.
The eye-catching packaging, and the high-quality, healthful ingredients, are a response to consumer demands, which can help retailers. 
“Treats are a great way to keep customers coming back to the store for a plethora of reasons and occasions,” Abbey says. The company recently added two new made in USA products, Loving Pets’ Soft Chew Jerky Treats in bones and sticks, and Loving Pets’ Be Chewsy USA Chew Rawhide-Alternative. 
Retailers can drive sales with merchandising that offers important information. 
“Education is paramount,” Abbey says. “At Loving Pets we are committed to working with pet retailers to be a trusted educational resource about our products, new categories, and special programs.” 
Special displays like clip-strips or floor displays and sampling programs help too. 
Novel ingredients can also drive repeat store visits. One emerging material for natural dog chews is coffee wood, which is sourced globally from coffee trees that are no longer producing coffee beans. 
“We remove the coffee plant to grow a new one,” says Shel Singh, vice president of Advance Pet Products. “It doesn’t split, it has a good taste, and there are no chemicals.”
Advance Pet Products also offers Himalayan Cheesy Cakes, chews made from hard cheese. These are also natural, Singh says, because in Nepal the cows, yaks, water buffalo and other animals are free-range, so they are not consuming chemical fertilizers. 
“The price of milk is going up,” Singh says. “That’s why we have new products like coffee wood.”  PB
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