On the Shelf.
Categories, velocity, and merchandising — what's moving on specialty shelves and why.
Subscriptions Hit 15.3% at Pets at Home. Product-Only Is the Decline.
The UK's biggest pet chain expanded clinical staff to drive subscriptions. A single-location store still has a version of this.
3 min read · Aug 2
The $580M Manufacturer Behind Your Private Label Is Betting on Lickables
i-Tail's treat segment surged 36.5% while wet food grew 4-5%. The margin gap most US specialty buyers are missing.
4 min read · Aug 2
Pet Supplements Added $237 Million. Joint Health Is Not Where It Sits.
Joint health leads the category, but it's not where the acceleration is. The velocity sits somewhere else.
6 min read · Aug 1
BetterBone Built a Fetch Toy Out of Its Chew Material
The company's betting one SKU can replace two. The float feature is the tell, and the fall launch gives you time to watch returns.
2 min read · Aug 1
If You Cut Supplement Facings in Q1, Swedencare's Q2 Says You May Have Been Early
Swedencare posted 4% growth after a slower start. If you trimmed the category earlier this year, the signal has changed.
4 min read · Aug 1
Austin and Kat Are Hedging CBD With Five Mushroom SKUs
The Seattle brand that built on premium CBD sourcing added five mushroom SKUs. The format question decides whether it works.
3 min read · Aug 1
Dog Owners Did Not Cut Back. They Changed Where They Buy.
APPA's new data shows dog spending held while the channel mix shifted underneath it.
4 min read · Aug 1
Ecofurball Built a Free Product Education Library Retailers Actually Use
An independent site explains pet product materials. Retailers are using it to answer the questions brand sell sheets skip.
4 min read · Aug 1
Petsport Is Replacing Button Cells With USB-C Across Its Light Toys
The company is ditching button cells for rechargeable power, which touches your shelf and your battery order.
2 min read · Aug 1
Hollywood Feed's Eighth South Carolina Store Is Density, Not Growth
Eight stores in one state isn't expansion. It's density. And density is a different play with a different risk.
3 min read · Jul 31
Elanco's Impact Report Draws a Channel Line in the Fine Print
The animal health giant told you who it is building around. Read the report for what it does not say about retail.
2 min read · Jul 31
Brands Keep Hiring Indie-Channel Operators to Run National Sales
When a brand hires someone whose whole track record is distributor and indie retailer relationships, they're about to ask more of that channel.
3 min read · Jul 31
A $28 Recipe Deck Tests Whether Pet Stores Can Sell Cocktail Napkins
The pricing is real. The question is whether lifestyle merch turns in a pet store or only competes for shrinking impulse space.
5 min read · Jul 31
Open Farm's Biggest Ad Buy Ever Comes Without a Number
The company won't say what it spent. The campaign messaging says plenty about what specialty brands are willing to trade for scale.
4 min read · Jul 30
PetVivo Paid $75,000 to Walk Away From PrecisePRP
The settlement extinguished all prior obligations except two cash payments. If you stock regenerative therapies, this changes your supplier-risk calculus.
3 min read · Jul 30
Vet Clinics Are Becoming the Test Lab for Retail Payment Expectations
PawPay turns insurance into point-of-care payment at the vet. That expectation doesn't stay in the exam room.
3 min read · Jul 30
Play9's Roolo Mini Targets the Margin Hole in Small-Dog Enrichment
The treat opening redesign matters more than the size reduction. The shelf call turns on whether the original already turns.
2 min read · Jul 30
Every NOAH Board Seat Went to an Animal Pharma Company
The trade association that lobbies UK regulators on veterinary medicines announced its leadership. Look at who is in the room.
3 min read · Jul 30
Family Farm & Home Rebuilt Its Pet Category in a Down Year
A family-owned farm retailer made a big bet on premium pet during the toughest stretch the category has seen in years.
4 min read · Jul 30
Central Bought a 6,000-SKU European Catalog That Is 90% Own-Brand
The acquisition puts 90% own-brand European product into Central's sales force. If you stock enrichment or small animal, the math shifted.
5 min read · Jul 29
Nulo Turned Its Ad Budget Into a Contest With Petco
The brand is spending on consumer pull instead of your demo day. Your job is to know which bet pays your rent.
4 min read · Jul 29
The Pet Age 500 Will Name Products. It Has Not Named the Criteria.
The announcement doesn't say whether inclusion is editorial or sponsored. That single detail decides everything.
3 min read · Jul 29
Sleepypod Rebuilt Its Brand Around Crash-Test Proof
The Denver carrier maker repositioned around safety credentials. The question: does travel safety drive basket size?
3 min read · Jul 29
Honest Kitchen's Bake Mixes Bet You'll Pay $10 to Mix Flour When You Could Buy the Biscuit
The company is selling the opportunity to add work at a premium price. That's a different bet than a finished treat.
3 min read · Jul 29