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A Q&A with Phillips Pet Food CEO Todd Shelton

Glenn Polyn//January 5, 2018//

A Q&A with Phillips Pet Food CEO Todd Shelton

Glenn Polyn //January 5, 2018//

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Q How has Phillips benefited from acquiring PetFlow?

A We are very excited that the PHIDO digital team delivered our new Endless Aisle offering to retail partners in a short four-month period. Endless Aisles makes it easy for retailers to create state-of-the-art transactional websites, offer convenient two-day home delivery and sell over 10,000 available items with 99.5 percent fill rates.

Q How have retailers responded to Endless Aisles? What has been the biggest hurdle for Phillips to educate retailers on the value of the program?

A The response has been better than we expected—which is a challenge we gladly managed! Without any active marketing, 600 retailers have proactively signed up, and 120+ have launched enhanced websites or special order sites through Endless Aisles. That active number grows by 15-20 retailers per week, and our sign up list continues to grow. Sales results from early adopters have also been better than expected, and we’re actively publishing tips on how retailers can engage their consumers with their new capabilities.

Q As a relative newcomer to the pet industry, what experience or skills do you have that can benefit the industry?

A I have enjoyed working in an industry that values personal relationships and has a commitment to the independent pet specialty channel yet recognizes the need to respond to changing consumer behaviors and expectations.My previous experience includes industries with similar industry structures, helping me navigate the dynamic pace we see in pet specialty.

Q Where do you aspire to take Phillips in the next few years?

A Our goal is to become the preferred service provider in pet specialty. We aspire to build the industry-leading distribution platform, enable our brand and retail partners to delight their consumers, and be a great place to work. Guided by our clear values, our team recognizes we have improvements to make but is enthusiastic about the opportunity to better serve our retail and brand partners.

Q Can you tell us the special story behind the new addition to your family?

A Our 14-year-old rescue passed last year as we relocated to Charlotte. We promised our teenagers a new dog when we settled. When hurricanes swept so many homeless animals out of Florida and Texas, we knew in our hearts it was time for a new Shelton family member. Named by our kids, 8-week-old “Easton” came to us from a shelter in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and has been a blessing to our family!