Pet Industry News
The deals, launches, and strategic moves behind the brands and operators shaping the industry.
Pets will shape travel plans for 68% of owners, Subaru survey finds
A Subaru-commissioned Talker Research survey of 2,000 pet-owning drivers, released October 13th, 2026, says 68% expect their pet to affect travel plans this year and 73% would drive instead of fly to bring the pet. New in this release, 10% may host, 10% may shorten a trip and 8% may skip gatherings. In our view, the trip-length and planning numbers are the ones sitters and kennels can use.
Maev Puts Its Fresh-Frozen System on Amazon, Trading Control for Reach
Maev brought its full fresh-frozen system to Amazon, trading direct-customer control for marketplace reach. For a brand built around subscription LTV:CAC, Subscribe & Save and Amazon's ownership of the customer are a real tradeoff — and the frozen logistics are an open question.
BARK's $40M Buyback Outruns Its Cash Flow
BARK's fiscal 2026 revenue fell 18.5% as it deliberately cut marketing to protect profitability, holding a second straight year of positive adjusted EBITDA. The company exited kibble, went debt-free, and authorized a $40 million buyback despite burning $26.6 million in free cash flow. Fiscal 2027 guidance bets a smaller, higher-margin business can deliver up to $10 million in adjusted EBITDA.
First Generic Pimobendan Breaks Vetmedin's 19-Year Monopoly
Cronus Pharma began selling the first FDA-approved generic of Boehringer Ingelheim's Vetmedin on June 9, ending nearly two decades of single-source pricing on pimobendan. For clinics and distributors, a daily-dose canine cardiac staple just became a two-source category, and Boehringer's response signals where the next generic battle in animal health lands.
ReadiVet Folds Into BlueSky, and Mobile Vet's Math Surfaces
BlueSky At-Home Veterinary Care is absorbing ReadiVet, retiring the brand and folding its Dallas book into BlueSky's. The deal's framing — building the first "financially healthy" national mobile vet service — is the tell that the category's economics force consolidation.
Open Farm Enters PetSmart, and the Premium-vs-Indie Tradeoff Gets Real
Open Farm is bringing its full premium lineup to nearly 1,700 PetSmart stores, lifting its footprint past 9,500 North American doors. The reach is real, but so is the risk: the independent pet retailers that built the brand may not stay loyal once it goes mass.
Spot & Tango Doubles UnKibble Capacity With a Second $20M Bet on Owned Manufacturing
Spot & Tango announced a $20M+ expansion of its Allentown, Pennsylvania manufacturing facility on June 2, doubling production capacity for its best-selling UnKibble product and adding 50 jobs. The expansion brings total invested capital in the owned plant to north of $40M and locks in a vertically integrated bet that runs counter to the co-manufacturing playbook most DTC fresh pet food brands follow.