Nestlé Purina gets pets in gear

Nestlé Purina PetCare is unleashing Purina Pet Gear, a dog and cat accessories licensing programme. The line is designed to take over aisle space where generic-brand pet toys, beds, bowls and odour products are sold at supermarkets and independent pet stores.

"It's a highly fragmented category - [outside of pet food,] there are not a lot of brands playing in the space," said Rebecca Smith, director of new products and business development for Nestlé Purina PetCare.
Purina Pet Gear toys, leashes, feeding accessories and other SKUs will feature design innovations that cater to animals' needs. For example, a dog food bowl has a built-in spiral that forces the animal to eat slowly, thus reducing its tendency to become bloated. Set to launch this summer at Kmart, Albertsons, Safeway, Meijer, Stop & Shop and Giant, the sleek products were also designed with owners in mind. The line is colour-coordinated and available in three palettes.

The deal has three initial licensing partners: Ethical Products (leashes, collars and toys), Bow Wow Pet (beds) and The oneCARE Co. (stain and odour products and rollers). A second wave of pet beds, collars, leashes and grooming aides will arrive this fall.