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THE PET FOOD INSIDER - The New Pet Care Playbook: Personalization, Wellness & Smarter Retail Moves
From Amazon Pet Day to senior care and wellness marketing, discover the strategies redefining pet food growth in 2025.
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š INSIGHTS & ANALYSIS
š¦ Amazon Pet Day: High-ROI Channel Activation
With lower competition and focused traffic, Amazon Pet Day (May 14ā15) offers a better-performing alternative to Prime Day for pet brands. Experts suggest prioritizing Subscribe & Save offers, reorder coupons, and high-margin SKUs to boost visibility, discoverability, and long-term customer value.
š§ Takeaway: Pet Day isnāt just about volume ā itās a springboard for lasting profit through smarter promotions and retention mechanics.
š§¬ Personalized Nutrition Moves Beyond Trend
At the center of Ollieās growth is its fully customized, fresh and human-grade meal plan system, which combines app-based health tracking, photo-guided assessments, and a proprietary āFoodback Loopā¢ā system to continuously improve formulas. 90% of users reported health improvements within 30 days.
š§ Takeaway: Brands should explore personalization not just as a product differentiator, but as a service model built on continuous data feedback.
Source: Customizing nutrition
š¾ Pets Are the Preferred Mental Health Partner
A new Mars x Calm survey of 30,000 pet owners across 20 countries found that 58% turn to their pets first when feeling stressed ā more than to partners, friends, or family. 83% say their pets have improved their mental health.
š§ Takeaway: Thereās space for a new wave of emotionally driven product claims and wellness marketing in everyday pet care.
š ļø Common Ground at Petfood Forum 2025
Top themes from this yearās Petfood Forum included: 1) Sustainability as an ongoing process, not a one-off; 2) AI and microbiome tech integration; 3) Senior pet needs; 4) Shifts from premium to value in tough economic conditions ā though wellness is still the key value signal.
š§ Takeaway: Pet food companies must balance operational optimization with consistent investment in wellness claims and tech-driven personalization.
š¶ Senior Pet Care: Retailers Want More
Retailers are demanding more targeted products for senior pets, including cognitive supplements, joint chews, comfort items, and non-poultry diets. Theyāre also calling for better education tools to guide transitions, prevention, and early supplementation.
š§ Takeaway: The senior segment is underserved and growing fast ā now is the time to lead with tailored SKUs, lifecycle bundles, and proactive storytelling.
ā ACTIONABLE INSIGHTS
1. Leverage Niche Events Like Amazon Pet Day
Use less crowded promotional windows to grow BSR, reviews, and loyalty. Cap funded units and focus on repeat-value mechanics.
2. Build a Personalization Engine
Explore subscription or app-based health checkups and recipe tuning. Even simple quizzes with tailored results build loyalty.
3. Go Beyond Functional: Tap Emotional Wellness
Integrate mood-related claims, calming ingredients, or relaxation rituals into everyday pet care ā treats, routines, even packaging.
4. Treat Senior Pets as a Distinct Opportunity
Develop new SKUs for aging petsā cognitive, mobility, and metabolic needs. Include lifestyle aids like comfort chews or joint-friendly toys.
5. Shift from Sustainability āGoalsā to Sustainability āRoadmapsā
Frame progress as an evolving journey. Communicate benchmarks transparently and focus on ingredient sourcing and packaging first.
Each week, Pet Food Insider Weekly delivers the marketās most relevant insights and strategies to help professionals stay ahead in the fast-moving pet care space.
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This weekās key theme: personalization, emotional wellness, and channel-specific strategy are becoming core to growth in pet nutrition.