Every story we've run.
285 stories on the business of pet retail. Browse by section.
BetterBone Skipped the US Door Grind and Launched in Four Countries
Most brands grind for years domestically before thinking exports. BetterBone went live in four countries simultaneously.
5 min read · Jul 24
Brightkins Bets $17 Puzzles Can Pull Margin Back From the Treat Wall
A new puzzle lineup takes on enrichment's oldest retail problem: the category sits while treats turn.
6 min read · Jul 24
Why Pet Retailers Stopped Reading Your Trade News
A major pet trade publication sent us to a page titled 'Press Releases Archives.' Zero curation. Zero context. Zero reason to come back.
4 min read · Jul 24
The Innocent Hound Repackaged Its Range. Do You Reset the Wall?
The brand aligned its complete food with its treat packaging. Does tighter blocking help customers find things, or blur them together?
5 min read · Jul 24
K9 Resorts Is Clustering Michigan, and Density Is the Strategy
The franchise boarding chain is clustering markets rather than spreading thin. The competitive math is worth seeing.
4 min read · Jul 24
Central Bark's Q2 Surge Proves Services Eat Retail's Lunch Faster Than Expected
A dog daycare franchise posted 17% growth while product retailers fight for comps. That gap lands on your shelf.
6 min read · Jul 24
Chile's Specialty Pet Channel Is Losing to Supermarkets, And It's Not Price
48% of Chilean pet owners buy food at supermarkets. The shift isn't price-driven, it's convenience, and US independents should pay attention.
5 min read · Jul 24
Why Most Stores Left Money on the Table During Neighborhood Pet Store Day
Last year's event delivered a 42% sales lift and 36% new customer growth. The numbers set up 2026.
4 min read · Jul 23
SuperZoo 2026: What 1,180 Exhibitor Listings Say About Where Pet Retail Is Heading
SuperZoo 2026 opens August 12-14 at Mandalay Bay. We pulled all 1,180 exhibitor listings and read the floor as a dataset: the category breakdown, the international manufacturing mix, and what the ratio of brands to manufacturers to tech vendors says about where independent pet retail should spend its three days.
6 min read · Jul 23
The Private-Label Opportunity on the SuperZoo 2026 Floor
Sixty exhibitors at SuperZoo 2026 list themselves as manufacturers or private-label suppliers, and another twelve finished-goods brands quietly run private label on the side. That is 72 potential house-brand partners in one building, three weeks out, and the cheapest sourcing trip an independent retailer will take all year.
6 min read · Jul 23
Pooch & Mutt's Cat Pivot Tests Whether Dog Brand Equity Transfers
Purr & Meow relaunched with new recipes and a two-range architecture. The real test: can dog brand equity crack specialty cat?
5 min read · Jul 23
Atomic Bubbles Came to SuperZoo Arguing for Fewer SKUs
Most brands pitch more SKUs. Atomic Bubbles is bundling bestsellers into tighter footprints, and the impulse rack math is worth watching.
4 min read · Jul 23
Phillips Pet Names New CEO as Founding Leader Transitions to Executive Chairman
Blaine Phillips moves to Executive Chairman after 40 years. Nick Christensen steps into CEO role. What this means for your distributor relationship.
5 min read · Jul 23
CVS Put Pet Prescriptions in 9,000 Pharmacies and Took Your Trip
The prescription brought them through the door. The rest of the basket paid your rent. CVS removed the reason they had to come back.
5 min read · Jul 23
PET AI Is Launching at SuperZoo and You Cannot Buy It
The new AI platform debuts at SuperZoo with three closed pilots. What that structure tells you about where the category actually is.
4 min read · Jul 23
Just for Pets Bets Shelf Space on UK Craft Suppliers, Margin Risk or Moat?
The retailer is allocating real shelf space to handcrafted UK goods. The bet: premium local sourcing drives enough lift to justify the operational mess.
5 min read · Jul 23
Scenthound's C-Suite Build Signals Franchise Operators Want Proof, Not Promises
When a franchise adds a CFO, chief commercial officer, and chief development officer in one quarter, it's not celebrating, it's preparing for a different investor conversation.
5 min read · Jul 22
BetterBone's Four-Country Push Signals Specialty's Next Margin Threat
When a brand goes global before saturating the channel that built it, you're not a partner, you're a proof of concept.
5 min read · Jul 22
The One Forecast Every Pet Retailer Should Read Before Reordering Senior Dog and Kitten SKUs
CATalyst's updated forecast held. Puppy visits down 10.5% YoY, kitten visits up 1.3%. The demographic shift is real, and your assortment decisions should reflect it.
6 min read · Jul 22
Why Vet AI Wins Matter to Pet Retailers Who Can't Hire Fast Enough
Clinic capacity crunch pushes health questions into retail. If AI compresses wait times, you lose browsing windows and need a new plan.
6 min read · Jul 22
Pet Supplies Plus Locks Oma's Pride Into 200 Doors. Watch the Margin Math.
A fourth-gen raw brand landed a multi-year franchise deal. That structure says something about frozen's new weight class.
4 min read · Jul 22
Pet Fair Asia Sold Out. What US Specialty Missed.
The 2026 show closed its exhibitor list. Your supplier booked their booth. You haven't decided if you're going yet.
4 min read · Jul 22
What IndiePet's Origin Story Says About the Gaps Legacy Trade Groups Left Open
The group formed because retailers who incubated emerging brands needed operational systems existing organizations weren't providing.
5 min read · Jul 22
Delaware Backs Off Pet Store Closure Bill, But the Amendment Bans New Entrants
The amended bill keeps current operators alive but blocks new stores and family transfers. Other states are watching.
6 min read · Jul 22