The U.S. pet food market is experiencing healthy growth as marketers continue to convert pet owners to better quality, higher priced, more upscale fare. Premium pet foods cover all bases—natural/organic, fortified/functional, weight control, lifestage, breed-/size-specific, gourmet, etc.—and are increasingly being positioned not just as human style but as human grade. As a result, much of the growth is occurring at the upper-income tier of the pet owner spectrum, with U.S. households earning $70,000 or more now accounting for an impressive 44% of the aggregate pet food expenditure—up from just 15% in 1994.

Top marketers including Nestlé Purina, Mars, Iams, Hill’s, Nutro, and S&M NuTec clearly have their fingers on the emotional pulse of American pet owners, as well as some very big advertising guns. During 2005, they spent nearly $300 million on national advertising for pet food, virtually all of it encouraging the deep attachment Americans feel for their pets, while also launching the biggest surge of new products in the history of the market. The high level of interest in all things pet has also spurred a number of high-profile acquisitions, including Mars’ recent purchase of S&M NuTec (Greenies) and private-label producer Doane, Del Monte’s purchase of Milk-Bone and Meow Mix, Bain Capital’s purchase of Nutro, and Central Garden & Pet’s purchase of Breeder’s Choice.

Bringing to bear more than 20 years of experience in analyzing this market and drawing on Packaged Facts’ broad cross-category expertise, Pet Food in the U.S. pinpoints strategic directions for current and prospective marketers, with a particular focus on high-growth product segments such as functional treats. Covering products for all type of companion animals, the report is organized into four main chapters—Dog Food, Cat Food, and Other Pet Food (birds, small animal, fish, and reptiles), plus an in-depth overview chapter covering cross-market trends.

Pegging 2005 sales at $14.5 billion and projecting healthy growth through 2010, the report provides market size estimates for the overall retail universe, while quantifying mass-market sales to the marketer/brand share level using data from Information Resources, Inc. The report fully documents marketing, new product, and retail trends, as well as trends in pet food purchaser demographics, based on Simmons Market Research Bureau data as well as data from the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association’s 2005-2006 National Pet Owners Survey.

Packaged Facts’ Pet Products and Services Collection
Packaged Facts is the leading source of market intelligence for pet products and services. No other market research publisher offers the breadth and depth of coverage in this lucrative, fast-growing industry. Other titles include Oral Care Products for Pets, Pet Products in Nontraditional Outlets, The U.S. Pet Insurance Market, Market Trends: Pet Supplements and Nutraceuticals, Market Trends: Natural, Organic and Eco-Friendly Pet Products, and Pet Care Services in the U.S.

Report Methodology
The information contained in this report was obtained from both primary and secondary research. Primary research entailed attendance at industry trade shows; informal interviews with members of the trade; and an on-site examination of the retail milieu, including mass-market outlets, pet specialty shops, and veterinary clinics. Secondary research included extensive Internet canvassing and research- and data-gathering from relevant trade, business, and government sources; company reports including annual reports, 10Ks, and other financial releases from public companies; company profiles in trade and consumer publications; and other reports by Packaged Facts, which has been reporting on pet-related markets for nearly two decades.

Our market size estimates are based on Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) data for tracked mass-market retailers (supermarkets, drugstores, and mass merchandisers other than Wal-Mart), independent pet store sales-tracking surveys, reported revenues of marketers and retailers, and figures appearing in the trade press. Information on new product introductions is derived from reports in the trade press and online, as well as detailed Productscan data from Datamonitor. Our analysis of consumer demographics derives primarily from the Simmons Market Research Bureau (New York, New York) fall 2005 consumer survey, which is based on approximately 28,000 respondents

What You’ll Get in this Report
Pet Food in the U.S. offers unique perspective on this burgeoning market. No other market research report provides the analysis and trends coverage that this report offers. Plus, you’ll benefit from extensive data, presented in easy-to-read and practical charts, tables and graphs.

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