Recent Articles from Colleen Murphy
Creative Minds: Inspiration for Dog Products Come from Anywhere
Saturday morning cartoons. An old wool blanket. The National Parks’ wildlife. Inspiration has to come from somewhere, and those are just some of the places dog product creators have gotten theirs. Growing up, Ryan Rutherford spent his Saturdays watching cartoons and playing with Madballs and Garbage Pail Kids. Little did he know then that those […]
Please Customers With Small Animal, Reptile, Bird and Aquatic Products
It’s no secret that dogs and cats rule the pet industry. They are the most widely owned types of pet in the country. But retailers shouldn’t think that stocking solely dog and cat products in their store is the way to go. The pet industry is ever-changing. As the country’s demographics change, so do the […]
Polkadog Bakery is Proud of its Boston Roots
Working right off the Boston Fish Pier, Polkadog Bakery co-founder Deb Suchman is hands-on at every step of the process—so hands-on she even knows where the fishermen’s children are applying to college. Q Your focus is on fish. Why is that your protein source of choice? A Well, we make a bunch of different treats. […]
Special Report: Pet Tech Has Become One of the Hottest Markets to Watch
Terry Anderton was at a July Fourth party with his family and their newly adopted puppy when someone set off a firework. The Akbash-Great Pyrenees mix responded to the loud blast by taking off into the New Hampshire woods. After five days of round-the-clock searching, the family finally found the frightened dog. Anderton didn’t realize […]
US Retail Market Worth $5.75 Trillion
The U.S. retail market is trending upwards. According to John Gibbons, president of A GPS For Pet Businesses, the market—which includes auto dealers, supermarkets, restaurants, online retailers and pet stores—reached $5.75 trillion in 2017. According to Gibbons’ report, “this year’s increase of $235B (+4.3 percent) topped last year’s increase of $172B and was twice the […]
‘Tis the Season: Preparation for (Hopefully) Hefty Holiday Sales Starts Now
Christmas is right around the corner. No, not Christmas in July—actual Christmas. While most people are not giving the winter holiday season a thought during the warm days of summer, any successful manufacturer, distributor or retailer is. Getting ready for the increase in product demand the gift-giving time brings takes planning, and it is important […]
SuperZoo 2018 Wraps Up
That sure went by quickly! Today is the last day of SuperZoo 2018. It’s the last day to mingle with retailers, manufacturers, distributors and other industry professionals; let’s make the most of it! Stop by the grooming contest area to get a glimpse of the groomers in action. You can also take a look at […]
What to Look Forward to at SuperZoo Day 2
Today promises to be yet another exciting day of networking, buying and learning. The educational seminars wrap up (see schedule below) and the grooming contests continue. Attendees can also view different demonstrations on the show floor, including the Aquascaping one in the Critter Alley Lounge with Oliver Knott and the Terrarium one, also in the […]
2018 Pet Age Distributor of the Year: Phillips Pet Food & Supplies
The year is 1938. Seabiscuit beats War Admiral in the “Race of the Century,” WWII is a year away from breaking out and H.G. Wells is causing mass panic in the U.S. with his “The War of the Worlds” radio broadcast. Of course, 1938 is also the year Phillips Pet Food & Supplies got its […]
What to Expect on Trade Show Day #1
More than 21,000 pet industry professionals will be making their way to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center sometime this week for SuperZoo 2018. Today marks day two of SuperZoo’s educational seminars, of which there are more than 70 seminars spanning four main content areas—retail, grooming, service industry and animal wellness. Today also kicks off the […]
Innovation Showdown Grants 3 Animal Welfare Organizations $350,000
A winner has been crowned in the 2018 Innovation Showdown. Originally created in 2017 by the Petco Foundation and The Jackson Galaxy Project, the competition is modeled after the ABC show “Shark Tank.” But instead of having a financial return on investment as the ultimate goal, The Innovation Showdown’s mission is to have a lifesaving […]
Eco-friendly Practices Boost the Pet Industry
Whether it be the materials used, the way the ingredients are sourced, the recyclability of the packaging or the way the manufacturing facility’s energy is harvested, the pet industry is quite friendly to the environment—and probably more so than other industries. Pet product companies across all segments are looking for ways to make their products […]