SKU, the nation’s first accelerator for consumer-packaged goods (CPGs), has announced the organization’s first-ever dedicated Petcare Accelerator track.The 12-week hybrid program kicks off this August, and participating brands can expect a curriculum tailored to the pet care industry along with mentorship from a customized team of executives and founders hand-picked to meet their needs. Brands can apply to participate in the specialized track through June 4, 2023.
With five million more pets in the U.S. since 2020, Morgan Stanley predicts eight percent annual growth in the pet industry by 2030, which is one of the largest rates of return in any retail segment. Spending is expected to increase to $1,320 per pet per household by 2025, reaching $1,897 by 2030.
“SKU has had several petcare alumni go through past tracks, and combined with the exciting growth in the petcare industry now was the perfect time to launch a track dedicated to the petcare space,” says Emily Kealey, managing director of SKU. “The 12-week program will include weekly classes focused on helping petcare brands scale as well as mentoring by seasoned industry executives. Through our mentors, partners and sponsors, our unique ecosystem gives us the opportunity to accelerate these petcare founders so they can make a lasting change in the industry.”
Ideal candidates for the accelerator track are market-validated companies with compelling founders and innovative products in trending categories such as pet food and safety, exercise, toys, oral hygiene, dietary supplements, pet grooming, pet fashion products and more. SKU’s curriculum covers topics important to the petcare industry CPG startups, including mission and vision, branding, channel strategy, supply chain and innovation.
One of the most valuable components of SKU is its elite community of mentors from some of the most successful consumer product companies as well as successful CPG founders, subject-matter experts and investors. A few of the notable mentors include the inventor of the pumpkin scone, the director of emerging brands for 7-Eleven and the founder of Vital Farms. Each participating SKU founder is surrounded by a hand-picked team of mentors focused on helping them scale their businesses as they guide them through the program. In addition to the reward of working with founders to help them achieve their full potential, mentors benefit from the experience of working side by side with industry peers.
Over the past decade, SKU has worked with more than a hundred alumni, including a variety of innovative and successful petcare brands, such as Homescape Pets, Springer, A Pup Above, Dog Threads and Pridebite. As the petcare industry continues to grow in the CPG space, SKU looks forward to delivering brands with best-in-class curricula and mentors hand-picked to meet their unique needs in their specific space.
For companies interested in applying for the Petcare Track, the deadline to apply is June 4, and the track kicks off on August 21 in Austin. To apply or mentor visit, www.sku.is.
