The Selling Point

Despite the recent declining number of true full-line pet stores that sell live pets, over the past year nearly $2.5 billion was spent on purchasing live pets in the US and over $21 billion on food for these animals. Across the west coast and in many cities along the eastern region we’ve seen a rise in the number of ‘healthy dog & cat’ stores that sell foods, treats and accessories for dogs and cats with very little product (if any) for other small pets. While these stores look cool, trendy and fun to shop, they also ignore the consumer that owns more than just a dog or cat.

Small animals are a proven gateway to increasing and promoting responsible animal ownership. The small animal category is where first time pet owners, families and children learn to love a new pet and treat them like family. And let’s face it…most people describe themselves as ‘pet lovers’ which generally encompasses a wide variety of little critters.

What does this mean for you?

We can increase customers and increase the dollar sales per customer by providing better quality products compared to what is currently found in most pet stores. Don’t overlook your place in the market as you start to navigate your path for 2014. Here are three notes to remember this year:

1. Supreme Petfoods is the ONLY small animal food manufacturer with advanced nutrition and premium diets for specific small animal breeds.
2. Supreme Petfoods will provide food for pet stores to feed their animals in exchange for their endorsements to sell our brand.
3. Supreme Petfoods provides additional education, training and sales tools to help promote small animal ownership.  

The current trend to sell to dog & cat owners exclusively will be an uphill battle but as a distributor its our job to work closely with pet stores to promote the small animal category both in terms of live animal sales, education and product assortment. So as you start this new year, keep this question in mind: If we don’t do our job effectively, where will all the new upcoming pet owners come from and what will happen to responsible and educational pet ownership?