Kroger revamps private label pet line | Grocery Dive

The grocery company has added new varieties of dog and cat food and treats complete with redesigned packaging.

As National Pet Month comes to a close, Kroger is rolling out new items for Abound, its private pet products brand.

The grocer has added several varieties of dry dog and cat food, with flavors including chicken and oatmeal, salmon and brown rice, and hairball care with chicken and turkey. Other new items include new formulas for wet and dry cat food as well as dog treats.

Kroger said the new Abound products feature a “unique blend of ingredients such as vitamins, minerals, botanicals and probiotics.” The grocer did not specify how many products it added.

New and existing Abound products are also sporting redesigned packaging that “highlights the brand’s core benefits of high quality, performance and accessibility,” Kroger said.

Abound, which Kroger describes as offering “premium pet food at an everyday low price,” is one of three pet-focused lines under its growing store brands portfolio. Kroger recorded more than $31 billion in private label sales last year and is planning to launch more than 800 new store brand products in 2024, according to its 2023 annual report.

Kroger is among several companies, such as Costco and Dollar General, that sell private label pet products to help them fetch more store brand sales. Non-pet food stores such as Lowe’s, Kohl’s and CVS have also recently expanded their pet supply offerings, with Target including pet products in its up&up brand launched earlier this year.

Earlier this spring, the American Pet Products Association said that U.S. consumer spending on pets reached $147 billion in 2023, and is forecasted to have “solid year-over-year growth” through 2030.

“Grocery stores are ideal for pet food sales due to the sheer convenience they offer,” Tom Duffy, senior advisor of nonfoods community development at FMI — The Food Industry Association, wrote in a March blog post.

For grocers looking to ramp up their pet food sales, FMI recommends they expand assortments to better meet the diverse needs of pet owners, such as offering a range from basic, economical options to super-premium and specialized products.