When it comes to food, humans aren’t the only ones trending toward a slightly more premium product: J.M. Smucker Co. said today that its pet food sales in the U.S. fell more than 6% because picky pet owners just aren’t choosing Kibbles ’n Bits as much.
The company acknowledged that folks might be looking for pet foods with better ingredients, the Associated Press reports, mirroring current trends among the two-legged population.
Kibbles ’n Bits sales had a double-digit percentage decline over the last three months, while Meow Mix had a single-digit percentage decline.
“We’re seeing more humanization of pets, and consumers looking at more premium products,” Barry Dunaway, president of pet foods and snacks at J.M. Smucker, said during a conference call, adding that he believes there’s “still a place for our value brands like Kibbles ‘n Bits and Gravy Train.”
Grain-free products could be in the company’s future, as one analyst noted that Smucker’s competitors have been adopting natural or grain-free versions of their main brands.
Dunaway agreed that these kinds of products are “clearly a trend in the mainstream,” and said the company is considering how it can get into the “mass premium” category.
Kibbles ‘n Bits sales suffer as pet owners get pickier [Associated Press]
by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist
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