Jessica TaylorFrom the Author - Page 10Market Trends and ReportsReducing your carbon footprintCutting back on the amount of waste, pollution and damage we do to the earth on a daily basis as individuals can seem like a daunting task, but when you try applying those same practices to your manufacturing processes, it can seem insurmountable. Not only is it important for the future of the industry to learn to adapt, it's also important to let consumers know your company is working hard to make 'green' changes to your production lines and manufacturing facilities - not just your packaging and ingredients.Pet Food SafetyTesting for toxinsPetfood manufacturers and the testing labs hired by them are under increasing pressure to take petfood testing to a new level. How should expectations for petfood testing be raised and enforced in the global ingredients supply chain?Pet Food RegulationsWhat the future holds for petfood and supplementsThe pet market continues to grow as a result of a constant stream of new and innovative products, a steadily growing aging animal population and the expanding role that pets play as family members. Further, the "humanization" of pets is exaggerating consumer demand for products and services that are as good (and sometimes better) as those available for people themselves.Natural/Organic Pet FoodSmall animal and bird products roundupVery often the small animal and bird sector of petfood is overshadowed by the rapidly growing and ever-adapting-to-the-human-food-market that is dog and cat food. Although these tinier creatures have smaller mouths to feed, their pet parent’s appetites for innovative, healthy and fun products for their hamsters, gerbils, ferrets, chinchillas, rabbits and birds continues to be ravenous.Pet Food PackagingInnovations in petfood packagingPackaging is not only the final step in product marketing, but it may just be the difference that makes a consumer buy one petfood brand over another. Innovative packaging, whether it starts on the production line or ends with the handle on a hefty bag of dog food, is the key to making your brand stand out on the shelf.Market Trends and ReportsMarket update: natural and organic petfoodUS retail sales of natural pet products had been growing at teen double-digit rates since 2002, but during 2007 sales leapt 43%, according to the Packaged Facts Natural, Organic and Eco-Friendly Pet Products in the US report. As major marketers of petfood stormed mass channels with line extensions and new brands, including Iams with Healthy Naturals and Mars with Goodlife Recipe, mass-market sales of petfood surged more than 500%, while sales in the pet specialty channel (where the large majority of natural petfood sales still occur) rose 15% as new and existing brands continued to trend toward natural.HomeA new way to feed dogsA new canine nutrition brand backed by Smartpak Canine, an animal health focused catalog and web retailer, has launched a new diet category for dogs that claims it will forever change the way consumers feed their dogs. The Proportions Whole Food Nutrition Program allows dog owners to create a customized meal specifically for their dog – delivered right to their door each month.Market Trends and ReportsBringing sustainable ingredients to petfoodFor the environmentally conscious consumers who have done it all, from greening their homes to decarbonizing their travel, there’s a new frontier: greening their pets. In June, Petfood Industry conducted a survey of our petfood professional readers and asked them about their thoughts on sustainability and the pet market.NutritionNew product development for future petfood marketsInnovation has become a key business process and is seen as essential for business growth and development. “The aim of the innovation/new product development process is to start with a collection of many ad-hoc ideas and finish with a selection of a few defined ideas to present to the market place,” explained John Adams of Adams Developments in his Petfood Forum 2009 presentation on new product development.Market Trends and ReportsMore from paws with a causeAmerica's VetDogs Veteran's K-9 Corps has licensed Bil-Jac Foods, Inc. for dog treats. America's VetDogs Dog Treats launched at the Global Pet Expo in Orlando, Florida, USA.HomeIn-depth Q&A with Halo, Purely for PetsGet the scoop from Steve Marton, CEO of natural petfood company Halo, Purey for PetsMarket Trends and ReportsMid-year global petfood sales trendsEuromonitor International's latest research, published in June 2010, expects the global petfood industry to see steady retail value growth in 2010 despite continued global economic uncertainty. Major markets maintained more than respectable retail value gains as petfood reinforced itself as an essential item for consumers, according to research from Packaged Facts in their report U.S. Pet Food Market Perspective and Prospects, 2010-2011.Previous PagePage 10 of 13Next Page