Fresh, frozen, and raw pet foods are on the rise among pet lovers. This is good news for local pet stores, as it is difficult for online retailers to store, ship, and handle these products. However, these specialty pet foods are also significantly more expensive.

As pet food experts, it’s important that we help consumers better understand how the health benefits of these products justify the higher cost.

Making the case for pet nutrition and healthy pets:

The Pet Industry’s Growth Isn’t Slowing Down

1. People are buying more pets, and spending more on them, regardless of the state of the economy.
2. “The APPA biennial survey of pet owners found that 84.6 million U.S. households owned pets in 2016, up by 6.1 percent from 2014.”
3. Upwardly mobile millenials are now the primary pet-owning demographic at 35%.
4. When the Great Recession hit, Americans cut back on spending, except for spending on pets.
5. Pet spending made up 0.9% of total spending in 2007. In 2008 and 2009, it was up to 1.1%, and only dropped slightly to 1% in 2010-2011. Such a minor drop is significant, considering the severe economic downturn pervasive of the time.

There’s Room For Local Pet Stores To Capture The Market Share

1. Online retailers aren’t prepared to cater to the changing demand.
2. At best, online retailers offer freeze-dried food.
3. Online giants aren’t equipped with the variety of fresh food, knowledge, and customer service offered by local retailers.
4. Brick and mortar retailers are increasing their freezer and refrigerator capacity to expand into more foods in this category.

More And More, People Are Turning To Fresh, Frozen, And Raw Pet Foods

1. Human diets have undergone a healthy transformation and continue to get healthier, with new trends and diets coming out all the time. The pet food industry is slowly undergoing a healthy makeover of its own.
2. With the increasing humanization of pets in the US, more pet owners are choosing pet food products that cater to the specific dietary needs, taste preferences, and caloric requirements of their pets.
3. Pet food, like human food, comes in all shapes, sizes, and quality levels.

There’s An Opportunity To Educate Consumers On The Benefits Of Fresh, Frozen, And Raw Pet Foods Over The Generic Dry Kibble

1. Pet owners are becoming increasingly aware of the ingredients in pet foods and their specific health benefits. They’re more willing to pay a premium amount for pet foods that are made from organic, single protein-sourced ingredients.
2. There is a correlation between kibble and other processed foods and shortened life spans in dogs.

For more info on these trends and how you can help educate your consumers, download our eBook, Meeting the Needs of the Pet Parent.