Every story we've run.
360 stories on the business of pet retail. Browse by section.
Private Label in Pet Retail, 2016-2026: The Margin Play That Won
Chewy, Petco, PetSmart and Pet Supplies Plus all built house brands into their biggest margin lever over the past decade. What the numbers show, and what is left for a store that cannot build one.
6 min read · Jul 20
The DTC Pet Brands That Came Back to Wholesale, 2019-2026
Bark, Jinx, Ollie, Native Pet, and now The Farmer's Dog have all left DTC-only behind for retail shelves since 2022. A dated, sourced timeline and what it means for the store that stocks them.
6 min read · Jul 20
A 75-Gram Foam Frisbee That Doubles as a Tug Toy
A foam frisbee that floats and tugs is either a quiet win or dead inventory, depending on whether someone can sell the 'why.'
4 min read · Jul 20
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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