On the Shelf.
Categories, velocity, and merchandising — what's moving on specialty shelves and why.
If You're Reordering Joint Supplements on Autopilot, This Is the Question You're Not Asking
A reformulation is the permission structure to swap out the bottom-third SKUs you've been carrying out of habit.
3 min read · Jul 28
WAUDOG Replaced the Carabiner With a Magnet. Will You Pay for It?
The company says the magnetic buckle is the feature. Your leash wall is where that claim gets tested.
2 min read · Jul 27
Just Because Your Dog Likes It - Doesn't Mean You Should Build It
Who is the last person who told you this was a bad idea???
4 min read · Jul 27
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Chile's Specialty Pet Channel Is Losing to Supermarkets, And It's Not Price
48% of Chilean pet owners buy food at supermarkets. The shift isn't price-driven, it's convenience, and US independents should pay attention.
5 min read · Jul 24
Why Most Stores Left Money on the Table During Neighborhood Pet Store Day
Last year's event delivered a 42% sales lift and 36% new customer growth. The numbers set up 2026.
4 min read · Jul 23
The Private-Label Opportunity on the SuperZoo 2026 Floor
Sixty exhibitors at SuperZoo 2026 list themselves as manufacturers or private-label suppliers, and another twelve finished-goods brands quietly run private label on the side. That is 72 potential house-brand partners in one building, three weeks out, and the cheapest sourcing trip an independent retailer will take all year.
6 min read · Jul 23
Pooch & Mutt's Cat Pivot Tests Whether Dog Brand Equity Transfers
Purr & Meow relaunched with new recipes and a two-range architecture. The real test: can dog brand equity crack specialty cat?
5 min read · Jul 23
Atomic Bubbles Came to SuperZoo Arguing for Fewer SKUs
Most brands pitch more SKUs. Atomic Bubbles is bundling bestsellers into tighter footprints, and the impulse rack math is worth watching.
4 min read · Jul 23
PET AI Is Launching at SuperZoo and You Cannot Buy It
The new AI platform debuts at SuperZoo with three closed pilots. What that structure tells you about where the category actually is.
4 min read · Jul 23
BetterBone's Four-Country Push Signals Specialty's Next Margin Threat
When a brand goes global before saturating the channel that built it, you're not a partner, you're a proof of concept.
5 min read · Jul 22
The One Forecast Every Pet Retailer Should Read Before Reordering Senior Dog and Kitten SKUs
CATalyst's updated forecast held. Puppy visits down 10.5% YoY, kitten visits up 1.3%. The demographic shift is real, and your assortment decisions should reflect it.
6 min read · Jul 22
Store Brands Hit 23.8% Unit Share as National Brands Lost Volume
PLMA's midyear data shows store brands hit an all-time high in unit share while national brands declined. The pet care number is the one to watch.
6 min read · Jul 21
Freshpet Names New President as Co-Founder Steps Back After 20 Years
Scott Morris is moving to an advisory role. Nicki Baty takes over as President and COO. What that means for the refrigerated set.
4 min read · Jul 21
A Pet Product Sells on TikTok Shop UK Every 15 Seconds
One pet product sells every 15 seconds on the platform. Mars posted 454% growth. That velocity reaches specialty.
5 min read · Jul 21
Austin and Kat Bets Mushroom Powders Can Carry Margin CBD Used To
The Seattle CBD brand launched a full mushroom line at the same price point, betting retailers stock a second wellness category without cannibalizing the first.
6 min read · Jul 21
Vetericyn Bundles Common Complaints Into Kits, And Bets You'll Stock Them
The company grouped its products into problem-first bundles. Whether that lifts revenue or fragments shelf space turns on one thing.
5 min read · Jul 20