The Missing Link as a brand is 30 years old, but it’s part of something much longer-standing in the pet health and wellness space. W.F. Young, its parent company, has been around for more than 130 years, providing innovative animal health products since 1892.
“W.F. Young is a family-owned global leader and generations of pet parents have relied on our pioneering solutions to help their animals thrive,” says Marjorie Murray, senior brand manager for W.F. Young. “The Missing Link is one of our core brands; the products were created by a veterinarian and were the first-of-their-kind powder supplements targeting key health concerns for pets of all kinds and all stages of life.”
Today, The Missing Link is well entrenched in the growing pet supplements space, providing everything from feline superfood supplements to canine functional options (skin & coat, hip & joint, etc.) and everything in between. The animals they serve include cats, dogs, horses and birds.
Avian supplements in the small animal space
If you don’t own a bird, it’s possible you’re unaware of just how robust the supplements segment is for them. A search on Amazon.com will pull results meant to introduce probiotics, improve plumage and provide additional vitamins and minerals to their diets. There are supplements for mama birds (prenatal vitamins!), birds that are molting, for big birds and small birds. All, no matter what their specialty, are meant to increase the health and happiness of pet birds, several species of which live a decade or longer (much, much longer, in the case of birds like parrots and cockatoos, which can easily become multigenerational pets).
Birds require a well-rounded diet that meets their nutritional needs, and can include supplements like The Missing Link products to help complete what they need to thrive in captivity. | Courtesy W.F. Young
“The Missing Link avian supplement has been a long-time favorite to provide key nutrients that may be missing from regular captive bird diets,” says Murray. “It is proven to deliver power, purity and performance to support feather growth, thicker plumage, sustained energy levels and a healthy digestive system. The healthy balance of omegas plus phytonutrients helps maintain color and shine and helps birds feel their best. An added benefit is that this truly effective product is backed by a brand and a company that has been around for many decades, so as captive birds live their long lives, customers can rely upon us to continue to support them for years to come.”
That reliance has a base in customer loyalty grown from many years of simply giving customers what they ask for when it comes to their pets.
“The key to our growth, no matter what type of animal or audience, is listening to the needs of consumers,” says Murray. “Our strength lies in creating, developing and providing products that fit a need that pet parents have not yet been able to meet to their satisfaction. As trends change, we keep a close eye and open ears, to what our customers are saying — what are their frustrations and what are their unique pet’s needs. Of course, health issues and concerns can vary greatly among dogs, cats, avian, equine and small animal — but the desire to keep them healthy and happy remains a constant.”
Opportunities and challenges in the avian space
The pet arena is incredibly competitive, and standing out in a crowded space is always front-of-mind for those in its various segments.
“The pet food, and pet industry in general, is a very competitive arena, full of excellent products for consumers to choose from,” says Murray. “The best news is that overall, the product choices continue to get healthier and higher quality, as the well-being of all pets is the key to success. All this good news has a challenging flip side, and that is the potential confusion and overwhelming options for pet parents. It is so very important to have clear messaging, understandable benefits and ingredients customers know and trust.
“This holds true for the avian segment as well,” she says. “More than ever, bird parents are committed to their pet’s health, happiness and beauty and are making careful decisions about what they feed them. They are interested in caring for their pet in species-specific ways, meeting the dietary needs for each breed. There is more emphasis put on developing special formulated diets that may, for example, offer more vegetables and vitamins, often including supplements like The Missing Link for additional long-term health support.”
The Missing Link’s supplements for avian pets include this one, which offers superfoods to help support thick plumage, energy and digestion. | Courtesy W.F. Young
As the younger generations come up into pet ownership, understanding their wants and needs for their animals becomes more important than ever.
“One of the trends we are seeing is growing numbers of younger generations are adopting birds and other pets, often choosing to be a pet parent before having children,” says Murray. “In a recent APPA (American Pet Products Association) study, two-thirds of bird owners are Millennials (45%) or Gen Z (19%). These generations are highly focused on work-life balance and enjoy adding birds to their households for companionship and stress relief.
“In order to be successful and stand out among competition, brands within the pet space need to continue to focus on efficacy, variety and quality and help their customers get to know and trust the company and brand behind the products,” she says. “We expect to continue to see an increase in products that not only strengthen the bond of bird ownership, but help support the health and happiness of birds with special attention on the longevity of some breeds.”
The consumer-brand connection and the future of The Missing Link
The Missing Link and W.F. Young continue to prioritize connecting with pet owners in order to provide the latest and greatest health and wellness products, and credit that as a major key to their current success and continued growth.
“While our legacy and heritage are unique in the animal health industry, what is most important is where we’re going,” says Murray. “Our vision is to be the most trusted name in animal care and that empowers us to constantly strive to be better, do better and care more. Our goal is to double in revenue and offerings within the next 10 years.”
The combination of historical success and future planning seems to be a winning one for The Missing Link.
“Today’s customers want to know more about the company behind the brands,” says Murray. “Especially in tough economic times, consumers want to not only feel confident that they are buying the best and healthiest options for their pets, but they need to be assured that they are getting the best value and want to be able to trust the company who is providing those products and brands. Our biggest opportunity is to let customers know about our legacy, our history, our passions and that we get it — we are all passionate pet parents and animal lovers too. We want the best for our own pets and theirs, and we’ve got 130+ years to prove it. Combining that experience and level of trust with our innovative spirit for bringing new products to market every year is our magic combination.”
Fast Facts
Headquarters: W.F. Young Inc., 302 Benton Drive, East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, USA
Officers: Jaimie McKinley, president & CEO; Vicki Evans, CFO; Amy Cairy, vice president of marketing; Andy Leebrick, chief revenue officer
Brands: The Missing Link, Honest to Goodness, Silver Honey, Absorbine
Website/Social Media: www.wfyoung.com, www.MissingLinkProducts.com; @missinglinkproducts on Facebook, @themissinglinkpet on Instagram
Notable: W.F. Young’s founders, Mary Ida and Wilbur Young, were determined to find better ways to care for their animals — and that legacy, passion and drive for innovation is still at the core of every member of the company and each of the company’s brands.