The newsdesk

Every story we've run.

285 stories on the business of pet retail. Browse by section.

01 · Trade Press

Zoetis Bought the Teleradiology Platform 1,800 Vet Clinics Use

When the pharma company owns the diagnostic moment, the 'try this supplement first' conversation shifts.

5 min read · Jul 20

02 · Trade Press

Your Holistic Referral Partner Is Now Part of a PE Rollup

The holistic clinic that sends customers your way for supplements and therapeutic products was acquired by a PE-backed rollup.

4 min read · Jul 20

03 · Brands & DTC

The Vet's After-Hours Phone Now Answers Itself

VetRec's new AI answers vet clinic calls around the clock, including the after-hours traffic you have been counting on.

4 min read · Jul 20

04 · Trade Press

RAWZ Wrote Your Operations Manual. Ask Why a Brand Is Doing That.

A brand handed you a guide on staff training, merchandising, events, and marketing. The question is not whether the advice is sound.

5 min read · Jul 18

05 · Trade Press

Jollyes Grew 8.7% on Frozen Raw and Private Label While Others Chase Premium

A discount chain posted 8.7% growth by leaning into categories most indies reserve for the high end.

6 min read · Jul 18

06 · Trade Press

SitStay Landed Ohio Valley Distribution for Its Chicken Chips

When a distributor stacks another minimalist chip SKU, they're reading velocity data most store buyers don't see yet.

4 min read · Jul 18

07 · Trade Press

VETRESKA Paid an F1 Driver to Sell Leashes. Does It Move?

A pet brand partnered with a Formula 1 driver to sell leashes. The question is not whether it is smart branding, it is whether it moves.

5 min read · Jul 18

08 · Trade Press

Vermont Distributor Bet Signals What Indie Cat Buyers Actually Want

When a regional distributor adds a new cat line, it is a signal about what specialty shoppers expect. Vermont Pet Food's Giddy Kitty bet is the case.

6 min read · Jul 18

09 · Associations

AI Is Rewriting Your Customer's Purchase Path Before You Update Your POS

A customer walks in asking for a product you don't carry. She didn't ask her vet or a Facebook group. She asked ChatGPT.

5 min read · Jul 18

10 · Distribution

Phillips Opened Fall Show Registration Early, and the Timeline Talks

The distributor opened registration for September 2026. The timeline matters more than the show itself.

4 min read · Jul 18

11 · Trade Press

Marleybones Skipped Specialty and Went Straight to Pets at Home

Nine SKUs, national distribution, no indie warm-up. The move sets pricing and merchandising for everyone else.

5 min read · Jul 17

12 · Trade Press

Moodify Is Now on the Same Fulfillment Rails as Your Core SKUs

Moodify Pet landed national distro with ADMC. For a category that was mostly DTC two years ago, that's the signal buyers have been waiting for.

6 min read · Jul 16

13 · Trade Press

Credit Unions Are Funding Pet Wellness Plans You Do Not Control

A fintech collective invested in a pet wellness platform. If your customers get reimbursed through their credit union, your margin conversation changes overnight.

5 min read · Jul 16

14 · Trade Press

A UK Prescription Shift Would Hit Low-Income Owners Hardest

New poll shows Rx-only flea/tick policy would force vet visits low-income owners can't afford. What that means for your category mix.

5 min read · Jul 16

15 · Trade Press

BetterBone Cut Wholesale 20% and Left Retailer Margin Alone

Plant-based chew brand says manufacturing changes let them eat the cost. If true, it resets the premium chew set. If not, it's a margin sacrifice play with a timer.

7 min read · Jul 16

16 · Trade Press

Jollyes Built a House Brand That Reads Like a National One

A UK chain with 100+ stores launched house-brand nutrition with breed formulas and functional claims. That is not discount filler.

5 min read · Jul 16

17 · Trade Press

Scottish Indie Pet Store Quadruples Footprint With Daycare Bolt-On

Most stores scale by opening location two. Empawrium is scaling by turning location one into four businesses under one roof.

5 min read · Jul 16

18 · Trade Press

Why Chains Are Racing Into Second-Tier Markets While DTC Brands Wait

Chains are opening stores in Wrexham and Kidderminster, not London. If you run a regional store, your competitive moat narrowed.

6 min read · Jul 16

19 · Trade Press

Bil-Jac Went Exclusive With Phillips. Regional Distributors Pay.

The super-premium brand consolidated all 10 centers under one distributor. Someone gained leverage; someone else lost it.

5 min read · Jul 16

20 · Trade Press

Royal Canin's Fresh Therapeutic Line Is Vet-Only by Design

Mars made its fresh therapeutic line vet-exclusive from day one. That's a channel strategy signal with real implications for your assortment.

5 min read · Jul 16

21 · Trade Press

WayCrafted's GoTether Launch Tests Specialty's Appetite for Gear Unknowns

An emerging brand debuts a 'go-anywhere' tether system in August. The pitch is vague. The category is tight. The math decides.

5 min read · Jul 16