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.
Cheerble Bets on Pumpless Design as Smart Pet Fountains Move From Gimmick to Utility
Cheerble launched the cordless Elfin D1 Pro, a pumpless drinking fountain designed for dogs. The move reflects the pet tech category's maturation toward practical, maintenance-focused products over gimmick-driven features.
145% Tariffs on China Just Rewired the Pet Industry's Cost Structure
Trump's April 2 tariffs put 145% duties on Chinese imports, rewiring the pet industry cost basis for toys, accessories, and packaging.
Pet M&A Just Doubled. 18 Deals in Q1 2026 Signal the Thaw Operators Have Been Waiting For.
Pet M&A volume more than doubled in early 2026, with 18 transactions versus 8 in the same period last year. Vet & health companies account for half of all deals, strategic buyer activity tripled, and PE exits are expected to accelerate. The Products segment remains frozen amid tariff uncertainty.
Nulo's Olympic Bet Is Paying Off Where It Matters: Independent Retail
Nulo posted 8.1% sales growth over the latest 52-week period, the highest among the top 15 pet specialty brands. The Apax Partners-backed company paired its Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic campaign with a retail activation program across 2,500+ independent stores.
A Plant-Based Brand Just Won the Pet Industry's Biggest Trade Show Award
Bramble, a vet-formulated plant-based fresh dog food startup, won first place in the Dog Food and Treats category at Global Pet Expo's 2026 Best in Show Awards. The win, voted on by trade buyers and retailers, signals growing commercial viability for plant-based pet food beyond the niche aisle.
Fermented Protein for Pet Food Just Crossed the Production Threshold
Finnish biotech Enifer has completed the first industrial-scale production run of PEKILO Pet, a fermentation-derived mycoprotein with 60% protein and 22% fiber. Pet food manufacturers are running formulation trials, marking the first time an alternative protein ingredient has reached commercial volumes for pet food production.