Pet companies hop on yogurt bandwagon

Playing into the ongoing pet humanization trend, pet product manufacturers have jumped onto the yogurt bandwagon, including the product in everything from treats and rawhide chews to shampoos and conditioners.

Vetscience LLC, makers of Fruitables natural dog treats, has developed the Fruitables Greek yogurt crunchers line, currently available in three Greek yogurt flavors (coconut, vanilla, and strawberry) with pumpkin granola or oatmeal crunch.

Similarly, Redbarn Pet Products offers Greek yogurt filled dog bones, described on the company’s website as follows:  “Redbarn Greek Yogurt Filled Dog Bones combine white, cut femur bones with a wholesome, Greek yogurt filling. The resulting treat couples the teeth cleaning advantages of the hard bone with the delicious taste of the stuffing.”

PetSmart offers its Simply Nourish Greek Yogurt Chips dog treats, of which it says:  “Give your pet a treat with ingredients you are familiar with, so you know you’re giving your pet the very best!”  The product claims to be an “excellent source of high quality protein.”

Vets Plus, Inc., under its Probios brand, introduced a new line of probiotic, yogurt-flavored soft chews and dental sticks.  Products include Dental sticks, Yogurt Joint soft chews, Yogurt Probiotic soft chews, Yogurt Skin & Coat soft chews, Yogurt Multivitamin soft chews and Yogurt Calming soft chews.

Yogurt has even found its way into grooming products.  Pet Head’s Feeling Flaky Dry & Sensitive Skin Shampoo comes in strawberry yogurt.  And for the pet grooming trade, Bark 2 Basics makes several Greek yogurt shampoos and conditioners (in flavors such as blueberry, strawberry, pomegranate and vanilla).

Other products boast yogurt ingredients (although not necessarily Greek yogurt), including:  Vitakraft Yogurt Drops for Rabbits; KAYTEE Fiesta Yogurt-Dipped Bird Treats; Brown’s Yogurt Yummies Big Bites Parrot & Macaw Bird Treats; Claudia’s Canine Cuisine Dog Candy Yogurt Drops Dog Treats and Bowser’s Banana Biscotti Half Dipped in Carob or Yogurt; KAYTEE Fiesta Yogurt Chips Rabbit & Guinea Pig Treats; Freshpet’s Wag-gurt Frozen Yogurt for dogs; Yogies! Treats for rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, and rat treats; Wellness WellBars Dog Treats with Yogurt, Apples and Bananas; Blue Buffalo Mini Blue Bars Dog Biscuits baked with Banana and Yogurt; Gourmet Tails Terrific Tortes Dog Treats made with cinnamon and yogurt; By Nature’s Salmon, Ocean Fish & Yogurt Flavor Natural Dry Dog Food; Yöghund Frozen Yogurt and YöPup Probiotic Biscuits; and others.

Need to learn more about the pet market?  Or the yogurt market?  Packaged Facts has you covered with two new reports: U.S. Pet Market Outlook, 2015-2016 and The Yogurt Market and Yogurt Innovation, 2nd Edition. Add either of these reports to your intelligence library and receive a $250 discount during our promotional period effective through September 30, 2015. Use code PFPETSNYOGURT.

- George Puro