JUST as people are becoming more conscious of how the food they eat affects their own health, so cat and dog owners are beginning to look at pet food in a different light. It seems they are becoming increasingly discerning about the ingredients that go into their animals’ meals.
“Consumers want brands that can provide quality produce and are rejecting meat-meal and other mystery ingredients,” said Henrietta Morrison, founder of Lily’s Kitchen. “Pet owners are willing to spend more on pet food if they feel it will be beneficial towards their animal’s well-being. A healthy and happy animal can mean much lower vet bills in the long run.
“We have tailored recipes for the individual needs of each pet. The best approach for c-stores is to make sure owners can easily identify the products that they need.”
In January, the company launched its Recovery Recipe, specifically for dogs with upset stomachs or recovering from illness.
Richard Shonn, managing director of 151 products reckons pet owners are also looking to make healthier choices when it comes to treats.
“Understanding that cat and dog owners are reading ingredients labels, checking protein content and looking for human-inspired labelling has contributed to the way pet food manufacturers are developing and marketing new products,” he said.
“Premium brands, found in vets’ surgeries and specialist outlets, have inspired the more widely-known brands to include higher quality ingredients and shout about them from the rooftops. This has filtered down to the convenience sector, which is now looking to stock healthy pet snacks.”
151 Products took this into account when developing its new line of Deli treats under its Munch and Crunch brand. Each of the SKUs (with RRPs of £1.49) has a high meat content and contains 100% natural ingredients, highlighted on-pack.
• MORE vegetables have been added into the mix of Spar’s own-brand dog food to make it healthier for pets.
Spar Brand relaunched its pet food range at the end of 2014. It now comprises Spar Dog Mixer (RRP £2.75), Spar Cat Complete Chicken (RRP £0.89), Spar Dog Complete Chicken & Veg and Spar Dog Complete Beef & Veg (both RRP £2.99).
