Last week, I got to attend my very first SuperZoo in Las Vegas. Designed for North American pet retailers, this trade show, with 1,100-plus exhibitors and more than 330,000 square feet of exhibit space, is said to be the ‘largest marketplace for the pet industry.’ Indeed, the trade show floor was busy, exhibitors were enthusiastic, and the New Product Showcase featured recently introduced pet food and treat products.
A new product designed to take the treat experience to a new ‘human level’ was introduced at SuperZoo 2024.Lisa CleaverFrom my novice viewpoint, there were three trends that seemed to continuously thread their way through new product introductions, conversations and observations.
Functional, functional, functional. The term “functional” was everywhere at the show. New product launches in both pet food and pet treats highlighted functional ingredients, promising to help hips and joints, calm your pet, increase their joy, improve gut health, reduce tartar on teeth and much more. Goat’s milk and bone broth and seaweed were popular ingredients, and “+ collagen” could be found added to many package claims.The humanization trend in pet food and treats was amplified through creative ingredient combos and exotic proteins designed to appeal to pet owners. Cheesy pretzel, peanut butter and banana, and birthday cake were some flavors observed. Alligator, emu, kangaroo, venison and myriad seafood proteins seemed to showcase to pet parents that there is variety to be found beyond chicken and beef. Also, two products designed to take the treat experience for pet parents up a notch included pancake mix from Rondi’s Kitchen and a microwavable cake in a cup for dogs from Puppy Cake.Sustainable and organic continue to dominate. There’s no getting away from the sustainability conversation in the pet food industry, and it was on full display with pet food and treat manufacturers proudly highlighting organic, naturally-sourced ingredients that are procured locally and/or sustainably. Several companies also touted sustainable packaging as well as their companies own sustainability journey.
Other notes of interest:
Air- and freeze-dried and raw ultra-premium pet food manufacturers all said sales continue to grow as pet owners discover and embrace their products. “Occupational” treats for dogs, cats and small animals are designed to keep your pets stimulated and occupied. Lickable treats for both cats and dogs could be found with functional ingredients included.
Some highlights of new product introductions at SuperZoo 2024:
Nulo launches functional treat, dental chew line
VetriScience reveals rebrand, launches new supplement at SuperZoo