Feeding the Need for Transparency
Selling pet food products that are labeled as natural isn't enough to build a repeat clientele looking to ensure the health of their pets.
Bringing home nutritious food has become a task for pet parents, as they seek greater transparency from manufacturers. With many foods that claim to be natural, pet parents have a number of options, but not every product is true to what the label says. The challenge faced by retailers is discerning which pet food manufacturers are completely transparent regarding the ingredients and practices that go into their natural products.
For manufacturers that are devoted to producing natural pet food, the main goal is using ingredients and processes that will ease the minds of consumers. These businesses don’t simply exist to manufacture food for pets, their executives believe in gaining consumer trust and establishing relationships with customers by making the most nutritious formulas. They also advise retailers to use this strategy when making decisions regarding the food they will offer in their stores.
“In my opinion, natural foods should truly be minimally processed, non-GMO, with nothing synthetic or artificial and, of course, no hormones or antibiotics,” says Tracey Hatch-Rizzi, vice-president and co-founder at Radagast Pet Food, Inc. based in Portland, Ore. “Retailers selling natural foods really need to decide what that term means to them, and then vet the foods and manufacturers in order to judge what is best for their store.”
Not only do retailers stand to benefit from building strong customer relationships by offering the most nutritious products, they will also gain business of informed consumers who have conducted research and don’t want to hear a sales pitch about food they consider subpar.
“Today’s pet parents are more aware than ever before of what they’re feeding their pets. But as pet parents face a growing number of choices in pet food, many companies use the term ‘natural’ loosely,” says Brad Johnson, chief marketing officer, at the St. Louis-based Nature’s Variety. “We’re here to cut through the buzzwords and continue to fulfill our purpose—which has always been to transform the lives of pets through raw nutrition.”
Ingredient labels without fillers make it easier for retailers to help pet parents navigate through the many natural food options to find a formula to meet the needs of their animals. As consumers conduct more research regarding pet food, they will arrive at their local pet stores prepared to discuss different options. Smart retailers will be certain to know the difference between those products that feature labels claiming to be natural, and those that are made using nutritious formulas and supported by clear, transparent ingredient lists comprising wholesome foods.
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