The Purr-fect Plate (from Pet Product News)

CAT FOOD

Curate a selection of highly nutritious cat food for your customers.

Kate Click, owner of Tomlin-son’s Pets, which has several stores in Texas, said that the secret to being a successful retailer is to keep up with changes in the industry, and cat food is one area in which changes happen all the time.

“We’ve seen rapid changes in the industry, but we maintain a thorough understanding of the brands in the store so we can provide our customers with timely information,” she said. “There’s no question that the trend today—and one that’s been growing over the years—is with more healthful food for cats.”

Heather Hickey, national sales director for Nature’s Logic in Lincoln, Neb., noted that whole food is making a big comeback in cat food as we head toward the end of 2015.

“It’s a simple concept that cats have thrived on for millions of years,” she said. “People are buying healthful, whole food options for themselves, and they want the same choices for their four-legged family members.”

Adrian Pettyan, CEO and co-founder of Caru Pet Food Co. in Vero Beach, Fla., agreed.

“Everyone is concerned with keeping their pets healthier, and it all starts with the food,” she said.

SHOW THE WARES 

Holly Sher, president of Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food Co. in Markham, Ill., said cat treats are popular toward the end of the year. The company’s turkey and butternut squash cat treat is a big seller every November, she added.

“Retailers should be stocking up on treats and specialty cat food in the fourth quarter as people look to reward their pets and cater to them more,” she said. “You have five seconds to catch a consumer’s eye, and you have to think out of the box sometimes to help sell your products.”

When it comes to displays, Hickey is always a fan of innovation and suggests displaying all whole foods together as a category, rather than shelving them by brand.

“This section should include products that are free from all synthetic vitamins, synthetic minerals and synthetic amino acids,” she said.

Expanding its line of Super Premium Dinners for Cats,EVANGER’S DOG & CAT FOOD is celebrating its 80th anniversary with the launch of recipes Rabbit & Quail, Holistic Pheasant and Duck, made with premium, 100 percent USA-grown and USA-sourced ingredients. The grain- and gluten-free cat dinners, crafted with exotic proteins, are ideal for allergy-prone or finicky felines. Super Premium Dinners for Cats are now available in 5.5-oz. cans, sporting fresh label designs. The company’s high-quality, grain-free cat foods can help manage weight by providing nutritionally dense, high-protein foods that satisfy cats without overindulging them on calories. evangerspetfood.com  

This article was originally published in Pet Product News International, October 2015, page 38: http://www.petproductnews-digitalmagazine.com/ppnintl/october_2015?pg=38#pg38