The Dog Food Industry

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the history and developments of the dog food industry. It specifically focuses on the history of dog food companies and their marketing strategies. The paper then discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the major competitors within the dog food industry. Finally, it looks at the role of culture and the effect that it has on the marketing of dog food.

Outline:
History
Recent Developments
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Major Competitors/Top Brands
Different Consumer Segments
Role of Culture

From the Paper:

"The Canadian pet food industry is strong as evidenced by the fact that Canada was the 12th country in the world pet food exports in 2004 (Food and Agricultural Organization, 2006). The Canadian dog food market has recently witnessed the growth of unique pet foods. (Bennett, 2007). The overall analysis of the market shows two new major lines of products as well as the popularization of special foods. The two new lines of dog food products include the food sauces and oral hygiene chewing treats. The food sauces are designed to improve the taste of dry food and make the same food taste differently on daily basis. They are developed in such a manner to complement the nutrition value of the dry meal. The oral hygiene treats are aimed at improving dog's dental care. Even though they do not replace regular teeth brushing, they are a great and easy to apply supplement. This product is manufactured by major dog food companies (see further below) as well as the specialized ones, like Virbac in the USA. The development of special foods is likely connected to the raising awareness of food quality in humans (Roberts, 2006). As Tarnowski (2006) sums up this trend: "'Natural', 'functional' and 'healthy are three key factors driving pets food sales in America today - a direct result of the 'humanization trend" (pg. 72). This not only increased the quality of dog food as well but also led to the development of food specially designed for, for example, overweight dogs, dogs with reduced activity, and those with stomach problems."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bennett, L. (2007) "Pet Industry Trends in 2007." Small Business Trends. Awailable online at http://www.smallbiztrends.com/2007/01/pet-industry-trends-in-2007.html. Modified: January 16, 2007. Accessed on March 10, 2007
• Cesar website (2006) http://www.cesar.com/ Accessed on March 11, 2007
• Eukanuba website. (2006) http://us.eukanuba.com/ Accessed on March 111, 2007
• Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. "Key Statistics of Food and Agriculture External Trade." http://www.fao.org/es/ess/toptrade/trade.asp Accessed March 12,2007.
• Iams website. (2006) http://us.iams.com/. Accessed on March 12, 2007

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• Case Study # 104021 : "Case Study: Crisis Management"

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