The newsdesk

Every story we've run.

303 stories on the business of pet retail. Browse by section.

01 · Trade Press

Momentum Made Fish Chews Peggable, and Impulse Is the Whole Point

The Wisconsin manufacturer solved the packaging problem that kept fish chews out of impulse. Nine cuts, all peggable.

4 min read · Jul 27

02 · Trade Press

Purina's 15th European Plant Is Wet Food Capacity You Cannot Match

When a supplier drops half a billion on production capacity, they've already done the math on where margin moves next.

5 min read · Jul 27

03 · Trade Press

Pets in the Classroom Grants Are Open for the 2026-2027 Year

The program funds classroom pet setups for teachers, which feeds straight into your small animal section.

4 min read · Jul 27

04 · Trade Press

What the 'Coolest Store' Winners Actually Did to Stand Out This Year

Nine stores won. None competed on product assortment. What they built instead is the lesson.

4 min read · Jul 26

05 · Trade Press

NVM Pet's Succession Plan Makes Vendor Stability a Buying Criterion

A planned handoff with internal promotions signals something most pet suppliers lack: a bench.

5 min read · Jul 26

06 · Brands & DTC

Skiptown Is Pre-Selling Daycare Capacity Before the Doors Open

The franchised dog care brand proved membership-first services economics scale. If you built out daycare on walk-in demand, that changed.

5 min read · Jul 26

07 · Trade Press

Cabot Greenlit Wave Two of Its Cheese-Themed Dog Toys

When a CPG brand expands a pet licensing deal after launch, someone made a decision on more than PR.

4 min read · Jul 26

08 · Trade Press

Four States Redrew the Compliance Map on Four Different Timelines

Colorado, Maryland, Alabama and Washington enacted changes affecting pet sales, telehealth, and kennel standards, on three different timelines through mid-2027.

6 min read · Jul 25

09 · Trade Press

June Calming Spike Proves Pre-Event Stocking Beats Reactive Ordering

Nearly half of Brain Squad retailers reported higher June revenue. The difference came down to who merchandised calming early.

5 min read · Jul 25

10 · Brands & DTC

ASPCA Bets Vet School Debt Is Killing Shelter Medicine

41 students got up to $100K to work shelters, not clinics. The stores near those shelters feel it.

5 min read · Jul 25

11 · Trade Press

What a 90-Year Distributor Sees in Jolly Pets That You Might Miss

When a distributor with a reputation for curation over catalog bloat adds a toy line, it's worth asking what changed.

4 min read · Jul 25

12 · Trade Press

What Petland's Top Store Did in Year Two That Most Franchises Miss

Fort Myers won in year two. The move list that got them there says what actually drives performance.

4 min read · Jul 25

13 · Brands & DTC

Mars Handed North America Pet Nutrition to a Coca-Cola Operator

Leadership hires are tea leaves. This one says a lot about where support and innovation dollars flow next.

5 min read · Jul 25

14 · Trade Press

Private Label Sourcing Show Targets Pet Retailers Squeezed by Brand Discounting

New York show built for low-MOQ sourcing arrives as branded products get discounted harder and pet owners prove willing to switch.

5 min read · Jul 25

15 · Trade Press

Play9's Second National Listing Shows How Unknowns Actually Break Into Specialty

The enrichment brand went from Pets Corner to Jollyes. That path tells you about category timing and the discovery advantage.

5 min read · Jul 25

16 · Trade Press

Natural Dog Company Went National, and Balm Pricing Follows

The wholesaler added the DTC balm brand to its full footprint. If you buy direct or through a regional, your terms changed.

3 min read · Jul 24

17 · Trade Press

Private Equity Bought the Middleweight Brands Your Shelves Depend On

Outward Hound, Nina Ottosson, Best Friends by Sheri: the brands you reorder without thinking are now PE-backed.

7 min read · Jul 24

18 · Trade Press

Phillips-Bil-Jac Deal Signals Fresh Pressure on Regional Pet Distributors

A family-owned brand with its own U.S. production went national through Phillips.

4 min read · Jul 24

19 · Trade Press

BetterBone Skipped the US Door Grind and Launched in Four Countries

Most brands grind for years domestically before thinking exports. BetterBone went live in four countries simultaneously.

5 min read · Jul 24

20 · Trade Press

Brightkins Bets $17 Puzzles Can Pull Margin Back From the Treat Wall

A new puzzle lineup takes on enrichment's oldest retail problem: the category sits while treats turn.

6 min read · Jul 24

21 · Trade Press

Why Pet Retailers Stopped Reading Your Trade News

A major pet trade publication sent us to a page titled 'Press Releases Archives.' Zero curation. Zero context. Zero reason to come back.

4 min read · Jul 24

22 · Trade Press

The Innocent Hound Repackaged Its Range. Do You Reset the Wall?

The brand aligned its complete food with its treat packaging. Does tighter blocking help customers find things, or blur them together?

5 min read · Jul 24

23 · Trade Press

K9 Resorts Is Clustering Michigan, and Density Is the Strategy

The franchise boarding chain is clustering markets rather than spreading thin. The competitive math is worth seeing.

4 min read · Jul 24

24 · Trade Press

Central Bark's Q2 Surge Proves Services Eat Retail's Lunch Faster Than Expected

A dog daycare franchise posted 17% growth while product retailers fight for comps. That gap lands on your shelf.

6 min read · Jul 24