Beyond the Brands: Your Backstage Pass to SUPERZOO 2025

Episode 61 • 22nd August 2025 • Barking Mad • BSM Partners

Jordan Tyler: Picture this, you're stepping onto the floor of the largest pet industry event in North America. Thousands of products, hundreds of brands, and the biggest gathering of pet pros you'll find anywhere. This year marked the 75th anniversary of SUPERZOO in Las Vegas, and we didn't just show up to walk the aisles—we were right there in the middle of it, capturing the real conversations happening behind the scenes of your pet industry.

Over three days at the show, Dr. Stephanie Clark and I sat down for 27 recordings inside a soundproof booth that we installed right there on the show floor. Crazy, I know. Through that, we captured just over 12 hours of great conversations all on the record. Think of it as your backstage pass for trends, innovations, and people driving the pet industry forward.

Today and in the coming weeks, we'll be sharing candid conversations from the SUPERZOO show floor with brands, retailers, manufacturers, suppliers, and passionate pet people galore. For today, we'll focus on key takeaways from first-time SUPERZOO showgoers and industry veterans alike, major trends impacting what we see on shelf, and important messages to keep you top dog.

In later episodes, we'll share even more conversations from the show floor, including some of the emerging brands and innovations we saw on the show floor this year, the plight and value of the independent pet retail channel, and otherwise inspiring stories from brands and individuals across this sector.

But first, what is SUPERZOO? We sat down with the man, the myth, the legend himself— Vic Mason, President of the World Pet Association—to get the scoop on SUPERZOO past and present. Prepare to be transported to the show floor…

Welcome to Barking Mad, a podcast by BSM Partners. I'm your host, Jordan Tyler, and this is our conversation with Vic Mason.

Vic Mason: You know, every year we get a bunch of people and we meet in Las Vegas. So, I'm Vic Mason, President of the World Pet Association. The World Pet Association is the producer of SUPERZOO. It is the largest B2B trade show in North America, if not the world.

Jordan Tyler: Here, here. So SUPERZOO's been around for a while. It started out as a grooming show, and it's just kind of evolved from there. So, from your perspective, what does that evolution look like over the last 75 years? Congrats, by the way.

Vic Mason: Yes, World Pet Association is 75 years old. I've actually read some of the initial bylaws. It wasn't quite the same trade show as it is now. From what I know, we were in Long Beach, where we, really SUPERZOO, started. We had a few years in Anaheim, California, and we've now been in Las Vegas for 20 years, and for most of that time we've been at MGM properties, Mandalay Bay.

Jordan Tyler: So, I'm curious to know, I've been coming here for about eight years or so, and over the last eight years there have been some new additions to kind of accommodate the super modernized, super mature pet industry that we've come to know and love. So, take us through some of those recent additions and why you think they're really serving the industry well.

Vic Mason: Well, first of all, because of the size of our show, it's very difficult for one person to really walk the entire show. So, we really have neighborhoods, areas that we have built out: Natural, new brands that come out—Emerging Brands—grooming areas. So, there's different areas that obviously certain people will gravitate to. So, there's that piece of it.

Jordan Tyler: How has the new product showcase evolved, if any?

Vic Mason: I'll jump into this way. When you look at why people come to a trade show, uh, specifically our trade show, there's two main reasons: networking and new innovative products. So, New Product Showcase is one of our largest areas on the show floor. All types of products: dog, cat, bird, small animal, reptile, aquatic, eerything that you could imagine. And we really divided up into different areas. So, if you really just want to see the reptile area, we have a whole area set up for reptiles of new products. We have different displays, et cetera.

One of the fun things we did starting last year, we built a ring of award winners. Which of course is empty at the beginning of the show, but after we announce our, that, that actually happened yesterday, announce our new product winners, their products get put into the, you know, ring of awards area, which is a lot of fun.

Jordan Tyler: And then do you like broadcast like the “Rocky Theme” over it, or…?

Vic Mason: You know, it's interesting in the event business, if you use somebody else's music, you have to pay for it, so probably not.

Jordan Tyler: Yeah, unfortunately I knew that. Yeah, yeah. Talk to us a little bit about how education has evolved. Maybe some new topics that were added this year that weren't as prevalent last year?

Vic Mason: Education is very interesting, and when we're at an event like this, we have education for just a few days. So, I would put it in a bigger context. Really, our goal at World Pet Association is to be available 365 days a year. So, we're really looking at other areas of an LMS or digital education that we can offer to our constituencies, and independent retail stores is really our main focus of a lot of the marketing that we do, too. They don't have a lot of the assets to really train all of their employees as much as they would like. Some do a great job, but as a general statement, they need a little bit of help. And obviously, us being a nonprofit organization, this is one of the things that we give back to the pet industry.

Jordan Tyler: So, we have one full day of SUPERZOO under our belts. What have you seen so far that's either surprised you, excited you, et cetera?

Vic Mason: I've been in the industry for a fair amount of time, and I think what really has surprised me this year is just the new generations and new people coming on. So, walking around, I think I used to feel like I knew 90% of the people, and I think I don't know 90% of the people now. Which is a very exciting, that new people are getting into the industry and so it's a lot of fun.

Jordan Tyler: Totally. Yeah.

Vic Mason: From the event standpoint, we really try to keep everybody on the floor. So, one of the things we did different this year, we have more lounges on the show floor, and each lounge has food and beverage. So we—I'm not going to say complaints, but concerns of long lines to get food, et cetera, so we try to make it as easy for everybody to enjoy the show and stay on the show floor.

Jordan Tyler: Yeah, I did see the, there’s like a snack bar, a lounge area in the corner back there, and I was like, “When I see Vic later, I'm going to have to thank him for that. Because I'm going to need some later.”

Vic Mason: The other thing that we did has been a lot of fun is some of the different segments. So, I'll just pick one: leadership, women leadership. So, we would have little meetups at some of these lounges and they've actually gone very, very well.

Jordan Tyler: Excellent. Kind of coming back to indie retail, I'm curious just from your perspective, what you think the independent pet channel is doing really well right now that like you would want to amplify out to other industry folk and to pet owners?

Vic Mason: Everything is a cycle in my mind. I guess I've been around a long time and, you know, how products get to market always changes. So, 30 years ago it was big box, it was Indie pet. So, indie pet always has been an ebb and flow. So I think they need to concentrate on new inventive products and education. I think the big thing that the independent trade can give is high quality staff and information that goes behind it.

Jordan Tyler: Absolutely. What's your personal favorite part of SUPERZOO?

Vic Mason: Sitting in the cone of silence.

Jordan Tyler: This cone of silence?

Vic Mason: This cone of silence. Yes. I will just say this: these aren't my favorite thing to do, but I have had fun doing these.

Jordan Tyler: Yeah, I think I've made you sit through two podcasts in my career and you've been gracious about both of them, so thank you.

Vic Mason: Thank you.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: He's like, never again. I'm done.

Jordan Tyler: You might've said that after the last time, but here we are.

Vic Mason: Amazing what coffee can do. [laughter]

Jordan Tyler: Okay, so last question, and this is just like if you had, you know, pie in the sky, if you could do anything, what would you do here at SUPERZOO? Like, no bars.

Vic Mason: Hmm. God, that's a very hard question. Because every year we come up with something new. I'll be mushy. You know, we have a great staff. I always say that if everything goes right, the staff gets all the credit. If anything goes wrong, I take all the blame. And there are little tweaks that not many people see on the show floor that make a big difference. And if I had that one thing I wish I could do, I probably would've already done it. So, I don't have one major thing that I'd love to accomplish.

Jordan Tyler: Yeah. You're living the dream.

Vic Mason: We are in a great place right now.

people attended SUPERZOO: 2025

Now that we've got the big picture view of SUPERZOO, past and present from Vic, let's zoom in on the experience of stepping onto that show floor for the very first time. What's it like to take in the scale, the energy, the sheer variety—and let's be real, a little chaos—of what's happening all around you?

To answer that, we spoke with a few first-time attendees, starting with Amber Stanford, Founder of Ambeezy’s Organic Treats, which made its debut on the SUPERZOO Show floor and the emerging brands section.

Amber Stanford: So, I am Amber Stanford. I'm the founder of Ambeezy’s Organic, which is a premium, all-natural, organic pet treat company, and I specialize in limited ingredients and all of—we're based out of Los Angeles, and so all of our ingredients are sourced in Northern California, and we actually know the farmers, which is very important for us. So, that way we know not—you know, because people use words loosely, but the fact that we are able to see how they actually treat the animals, that it's humane certified, gives us a lot of peace of mind.

Jordan Tyler: Totally. It's becoming so, so important to consumers, the transparency aspect. Like, if you make a claim and you can't back up that claim, you're done. Right?

Amber Stanford: Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Jordan Tyler: So, I think that's cool.

Amber Stanford: Thank you. Yeah. And so, I'm here at SUPERZOO because one, I've been doing everything pretty much on my own and I've been boot-strapping and I realized that you do need a support system. You do need a community. And so, I need to be where my people are, which is here at SUPERZOO.

Jordan Tyler: Awesome. How's your experience been so far?

Amber Stanford: It's been great. The experience of SUPERZOO is, it's actually a unique experience. Like, I haven't seen anything like this. I feel like the, just like the people behind the scenes are like, everyone's just been like so friendly, so positive. I feel like pet people in general, they're a special type of people, so it's a different energy that they put off. So, for me, I think the biggest thing is just like you have to really experience it in person to feel the energy, and you just have to come and check it out and be here. Like I'm all for sure, this is not just going to be my last time visiting SUPERZOO.

Jordan Tyler: Aside from being just a delightful person to talk to, it was so awesome to hear Amber's first impressions because it really captures that sense of wonder when you're first experiencing a show like SUPERZOO. I had a similar experience, my first show. But beyond walking the aisles, it's also about the brands who bring their stories to life here.

One of those is Wynwood Dog Food, a company carving out its own path in the fresh pet food space. We sat down with Mason Fox, CEO and Co-Founder—who you'll hear from first—as well as Business Owner Michael O'Rourke, to learn more about this dog food brand that started as a farmer's market hustle, taking a fresh take on canine nutrition.

How's the show for you guys? Is this your first time at SUPERZOO?

Mason Fox: Yes. Yeah. Yeah. This is our first time. We've been told many times, you guys should go to SUPERZOO or you should go to Global Pet, but as you know, we're direct-to-consumer mostly now, so we weren't sure it was appropriate for us to exhibit here, but I think what's been really interesting is just being able to get exposure to all of the new products. Right? They have like a, what was it called? Like a new product, product showcase.

Michael O’Rourke: Yeah.

Mason Fox: Yeah. That’s been, that was probably the most interesting part, walking that and seeing everything that's coming out. Looking for things that sometimes we're like, “Oh yeah, that's a great idea. We haven’t even thought of that.”

Jordan Tyler: We'll hear more of the Wynwood Dog food story in those upcoming mini-episodes I talked about earlier, so stay tuned for that. But I think their journey really speaks to the entrepreneurial side of this industry—brands born from passion and hustle that scale into something bigger.

st-time attendees at SUPERZOO: 2025

And speaking of the New Product Showcase, there were more than 1,000 new products highlighted there this year, which, as another guest points out later in the episode, is a testament to the continuous growth and maturity of this market.

But SUPERZOO isn't just about food, it's about celebrating every corner of the pet world. Enter Dash and Lili—two corgis with an influential following on social media—and of course the people behind the camera, Adriane and Mike Wang. While we didn't interview the corgis, Adriane and Mike had a few thoughts to share about their first SUPERZOO experience.

Mike Wang: The show's amazing. Yeah, it's huge.

Adriane Wang: Yeah, it’s really huge.

Mike Wang: Like it's overwhelming.

Jordan Tyler: Yeah. Are your dogs barking?

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Literally.

Jordan Tyler: As in, do your feet hurt?

Mike Wang: Yes. Dogs are barking. Hearing dogs bark. I think what's really amazing us is the innovation that's coming. Yeah. There's a lot of people trying to do new things. I always felt like, the way we kind of think about things is people are treating their dogs—we treat our dogs like our kids. So I think like, as people are becoming more aware, even as humans, of what we're putting in our bodies, how we're taking care of ourselves, like that's expanding to how we're taking care of our pets.

Adriane Wang: Yeah.

Mike Wang: And that is something that we're really interested in. Because we're always just trying to figure out, after we had our human daughter, like we're trying to, honestly, we're trying to make sure she has as much great time and memories with Dash and Lili as possible. So, that like extends to what we feed them, how we take care of them, just everything. And there's a lot of people here, a lot of brands, like, really trying to do that.

Adriane Wang: Yeah. I’m just in awe of how many products there are here, it's actually pretty overwhelming. I think it's really interesting to see, especially like in the new product innovation section over there, that was like pretty cool. We saw some really nice stuff.

Mike Wang: She does keep stopping by every single dog toy booth.

Adriane Wang: Oh God.

Mike Wang: And she'll be like, “Oh, is this one going to hurt?” Like, “What do you think the aim on this one's going to be?”

Jordan Tyler: When Dash throws it at your head?

Mike Wang: Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I'm always just like, I'm very conflicted in this answer. Like, you're asking the wrong person

Adriane Wang: Like, this would be a great toy to get hit by.

Mike Wang: Then she's always, and she always picks like the biggest, heaviest one. I'm like, that is not something I want to get hit by.

Jordan Tyler: Are you usually the victim, Mike?

Mike Wang: Yes.

Jordan Tyler: Okay, so he's got a different take on it.

Adriane Wang: No, but it has been really great kind of seeing all the product innovation, all the different brands and even brands that we are already familiar with, they still have new products that we never heard of. So, it's kind of cool kind of to see like, some of the brands that we actually use for Dash and Lili here, and actually get to meet the people that are behind it.

Mike Wang: Yeah, and hear their stories.

Adriane Wang: Yeah.

Jordan Tyler: I promise we're going to share the full Dash and Lili origin story in a later episode, so again, stay tuned for that.

Now that we've heard what it's like to walk SUPERZOO for the very first time through the eyes of both brands and influencers, let's move on to some insights from industry veterans who have been coming back year after year. One of these longtime attendees is Vincent Biroscak, Vice President and General Manager of PetAg, who shared his perspective as a more seasoned SUPERZOO showgoer.

e been in this industry since: 2000

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Yeah.

Vincent Biroscak: And we treat our animals like we treat our babies. You know, when I was at Nestle Purina, we had an annual marketing summit with all of the different divisions in the company, you know, frozen food and infant nutrition and ice cream, every year out in California. And we used to get into debates over drinks in the evening with our infant nutrition colleagues of what was the more emotional category. And they would of course always say, baby, hands down. And my response was always: I don't think so.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Yeah.

Vincent Biroscak: Because babies grow up. And the next thing you know, you got the police calling you, telling you your, you know my—wait, did I say my? Your son, your son is out past midnight and they've broken curfew and you have got to come and get them. So, they're not babies anymore, but that pet, no matter how old they are, they're always your little babies.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: I call it the fur factor.

Vincent Biroscak: Yes.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: It makes them so much cuter and it just draws you in into this bond that is so strong.

Vincent Biroscak: You know, I remember back, I'm dating myself here, but it's just been remarkable—we think about how much has changed. I think about it in my lifetime in so many ways, right? Because I predate cell phones and social media, all that stuff. But also, when I was younger, I mean, people kept their pets in their backyard.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Yeah. Yeah.

Vincent Biroscak: And the dog was the doghouse. You don't even see doghouses anymore!

Dr. Stephanie Clark: People, I think, get offended if they see a doghouse. In your backyard.

Vincent Biroscak: I think you're right.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Like how dare you put him in there.

Vincent Biroscak: How dare you treat your pet like that, yeah. So my dog would, I wouldn't think about putting my dog out in a doghouse. I mean, she doesn't even—she has to go outside to do her business and is back at the door as soon as she's done. “Let me in, I belong inside.” Sleeps right next to me. Snuggles with me on the pillow. Yeah, right next to, face-to-face. I mean, that's how the relationship has changed from out in the cold in a doghouse to on the pillow right next to you. I mean, that says it all about the place that pets have in our lives.

Jordan Tyler: Yeah, absolutely. My husband and I have a queen-sized bed, and we have these two 60-lb dogs, and we all sleep in the bed together.

Vincent Biroscak: You need a king.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Yeah, A split king.

Jordan Tyler: Yeah. We need a California king. But to your, yeah, to your point, they're precious to us, and we want to pamper them and we want them to, you know, enjoy all the spoils that we enjoy, including, you know, resting their little head on a pillow at the end of the day, so…

Vincent Biroscak: One of the interesting trends I've seen at the show is the puzzles and technology and toys are, are going to a new level of engaging your pet's mental capabilities. And I mean, I saw a puzzle, a dog puzzle that—not a puzzle of a dog that we put together, but a puzzle for a dog to solve with balls. And I'm just thinking, “That's awesome. Wow.” I mean, but again, it's projecting, right? Yeah. I need to engage my own mind with my pets. And how do I do that? By giving them something that engages their mind, right? Like, what's next? Some of these things I just, I never contemplated 20, 25 years ago when the humanization trend really started to take off, it would still be going strong if not even accelerating and moving into these other areas. And I'm thinking, where does it go after this?

Jordan Tyler: If you learn anything from this episode, let it be this: humanization is so much more than a passing fad. It's truly here to stay. And as proof I raise you: Three Dog Brands. These guys have been leaning into the pet humanization trend for years, crafting pet treats that look and feel straight out of a human bakery case, and their team had plenty to share about why that connection with pet parents continues to resonate.

Marella Oviedo: I mean, let's face it, sometimes we just treat them better than we do our human family members.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: I literally say like, we're giving our children like McDonald's and then we’re like, “Oh, non-GMO, organic, holistic, like, must have that for my dog,” but…

Marella Oviedo: Exactly. No, but it is, it's really about reading the—you know, does it have real ingredients? Which ours does, which is a little bit of what we want to do, bring that full-of-good, that high-quality, especially in this day and age where people, you know, pet parents are looking for Made in the USA, is it safe to give my pet? Because we want them to live longer. So, anything we can do for that, but still have some fun and joy, yeah, is really what we did with this brand.

Jordan Tyler: I think another cool thing about a Three Dog is like, you're keeping the pet in mind, right? That's the end consumer. That's the priority.

Marella Oviedo: Yeah.

Jordan Tyler: But so much of the humanization trend is also focused on the pet owner's experience with administering that treat or administering that food. And so, like, you see like the, you know, the sandwich cookies that you guys have and you guys have had those for a while.

Marella Oviedo: Our Lick’n Crunch.

Jordan Tyler: Yeah, tell us more.

Marella Oviedo: Because it is about that moment, you know, I love coming to SUPERZOO, seeing what's happening. I love that. There's so much, you know, we've been coming for 10 years. It's great to see real ingredients. People are focusing on quality. That's something that is so different from back in the day it was just like, you know, slop in a bowl and that was, now the dog is getting, like we said, better stuff than sometimes we feed our own kids.

But where we kind of take it to that next degree is that moment. So, why are we the only ones to get our sandwich cream? No, they should have their own version. So, with that, we have our Lick’n Crunch, and we do it in cool flavors. We have Churro. We have this Birthday Confetti Lick’n Crunch, and then you'll see that there's little specks of the confetti. Because let's face it, every day with a dog is a party. That confetti's actually dehydrated veggies. We wanted to make it super special for the dog, but not add in extra sugar or have artificial colors. So, we kind of did those type of things to do it.

So, pet parents have been known to taste it themselves and they do say it's pretty good. If you wanted to. If you get a little hungry…

Dr. Stephanie Clark: My daughter loves them. And the fact that we're hiding vegetables.

Marella Oviedo: Mm-hmm. Exactly. Exactly. Don't tell the pup.

Jordan Tyler: I will eat one if you want me to.

Marella Oviedo: Oh, by all means. Here we go.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Alright. I'm like, I'll totally eat it.

Marella Oviedo: So you don't twist, you bite.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Oh, yeah. That's how I do it.

Jordan Tyler: I want the full experience, you know?

Marella Oviedo: There you go.

Jordan Tyler: Yeah. Okay. It tastes like… it tastes good.

Marella Oviedo: Mm-hmm. It does.

Jordan Tyler: I like it.

Marella Oviedo: Yeah. You know, we find that out and that's where it is different because it actually has less sugar, no salt. So, what we're really doing is making it dog friendly. So, we have found some people that have kind of preferred this version.

Jordan Tyler: I have some soul searching to do.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: I have a say. No judgment. I mean, literally my daughter… When I'm done with this, I'm for sure… [taking her some treats].

Jordan Tyler: So yeah, I did in fact eat a dog treat at SUPERZOO—and I liked it. But here's the thing, while some products stand out for their creativity and staying power and novelty. There are a ton of others in this industry that just don't quite clear the bar. Not all products that tout innovation are truly innovative, and that's where this perspective from seasoned experts becomes super valuable.

Take it from John Cullen, Founder of Bulldog Marketing & Sales and Fractional Chief Marketing Officer at Petbeing, who shared some candid thoughts on separating true breakthroughs from the noise.

, since my Heinz days back in: 1999

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Yeah.

John Cullen: And it's like, it's a huge business, and…

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Just $6 million…

John Cullen: Yeah. I mean, right! And it's, that is one thing I noticed at the show. You're seeing that audience being more service, which has been, you know, pretty interesting. But other than that, I mean, a lot of it's just, you know, “Okay, what's my next SKU?” What's my next…? So, there's so much of that. Right? But yeah, I mean, I think it's been, it looks like it's been a great show and I'm sure there's, you know, there is some innovation out there. I've got to go and try to seek it out. And I think that's the thing, like if people who are looking for innovation, you have to seek it out a little bit at a show like this, right? Walk the new product showcase. Right? And that's where you're going to probably most likely find it. I mean, the show is just so huge and it's so hard to just walk the entire thing and discover it.

Jordan Tyler: John's take is a great reminder that sometimes the loudest products on the floor aren't always the ones that will last. This whole “innovation versus imitation” thing is something we’ve seen in the industry for several years, and something our team discusses in a past episode of Barking Mad about another industry event, Zoomark in Italy. We’ve put a link to that episode in the show notes for today if you’d like to go listen.

But this sentiment was shared by Jolanta Smulski, Founder and Business strategist at Pet Pro Media, and co-founder of the Pet Industry Network. This longtime consultant and industry observer offered a clear-eyed view of the trends that are really resonating with consumers and shaping where brands are heading next.

What we're seeing in the industry is a lot of marketing driven innovation, and so really like finding like a needle in a haystack of like, this is truly something that's not been done before, or this is truly solving a problem that has not been solved yet.

Jolanta Smulski: A thousand percent. And what you do is very important, in terms of innovation, right? Because we come to shows like this and we've seen a lot of it before, every year, after year. And that's also what I feel is a contributing factor to the slowdown in the growth now, because these consumers in this industry are way more savvy. They're doing their research. They don't want “been there, done that.” They want the newest thing. So, if your positioning is very lasered in on innovation and bringing to the market something that hasn't been done before or a problem, uncovering what that problem is, right, and answering it? That's a huge service to the industry.

Jordan Tyler: Yeah, just like, super random, but I was walking to the show, I think this was yesterday morning as we were setting up and I saw one of the ads that they have just kind of posted here and there along the hallways, and it was like, for some kind of paw balm that is supposed to help with odor. Like for, I think “stinky paws” was the phrase that was on the billboard. And I was like, “I didn't know that was a problem.” But I started thinking about it, and I was like, “Oh, that makes sense.” And yeah, somebody came in and was like, “That's a problem, hasn't been solved. I'm going to solve it.” So…

Jolanta Smulski: Exactly. Yeah, exactly. Rather than taking a treat and making it for cats or taking, you know, mushrooms and being the hundredth brand to make, you know, some kind of superfood out of mushrooms, find what is, like—ask your consumers, you know, what challenges are they facing? You know, what do they wish was solved? Right? Everybody has a question like that, but if you don't ask, you'll never find the answer.

Jordan Tyler: Yeah. And I think that's where a lot of brands get kind of stuck in this like cycle of, you know, of anti-growth. That might be a strong term, but you know, consumer research is expensive and it's time consuming. It's a lot of data, but it's so, so critical, especially now that we've reached this market maturity that we have in the United States and the pet market. You have got to understand your consumer, and you have to understand their pain points, and you have to be able to pivot to be able to meet those pain points, so…

Jolanta Smulski: A hundred percent. Well said.

sights to see on the SUPERZOO: 2025

For now, though, I want to shift gears just a little bit. Did you know that most of the pet food treat and supplement products out there on the market today are manufactured by someone other than the brand on the label? It's called a co-manufacturer or contract manufacturing, and it's basically when a brand partners with another company to actually produce their product.

Now, you may have heard of WSAVA Nutritional Guidelines for Pet Food—WSAVA stands for World Small Animal Veterinary Association—and these guidelines include a recommendation that every brand should own its own manufacturing facility to control the quality, consistency, and safety of their products. The reality is, for most companies, that's just not feasible. So, I'd argue the real question isn't who owns the building, but rather, how strong is the relationship between co manufacturer and brand? How aligned are their values? Because at the end of the day, what really matters is that the product consistently delivers on the promises it makes to pets and their people.

This is where people like Aaron Merrell, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Plato Pet Treats, come in. Aaron explains how the best partnerships between brands and co-mans can bring their expertise together with trust, innovation, and shared values that reinforce great products for pets.

Just hearing you guys talk about like, working with a co-man is not always a walk in the park, and when you find a co-man that's really collaborative and is invested in a brand’s success as much as they are in their own success, like, that makes a huge difference in the partnership, but also in the, like, product of the partnership, right? And so, it really is, like, you have to have that really good partner to get that really quality product, I think.

Aaron Merrell: Mm-hmm. So, you know, we want to make the right companies—we want to help them succeed, to make it harder for the people that are just ex coming to exploit a market dynamic and capitalize on something, you know. I call them interlopers. We want to make it harder for them to compete and raise the bar across the industry. And so, we try to partner with the right types of companies that have similar values and beliefs, not just about what they're trying to do with their brand, but also about caring for the pet at the end of the day. So, that's important.

Jordan Tyler: I love the way that you put that, but also like, yeah, taking it that step further, like it has to work for people, but like the pet is the end consumer.

Aaron Merrell: Yeah. We did a lot of soul searching over the years to kind of understand and clarify our “why.” And it all comes down to a concept, we call it the cycle of virtue. And it's that, you know, at the end of the day, people are parting with their hard-earned money to give something to their dog that they're not going to taste, to bless that animal, and they want to know that it’s going to be healthy, it's going to be safe, it's going to be beneficial, functional, whatever it is. And it's an act of love and spending the money and taking the time and handing that, especially with a treat, right? Like every treat is something that you're handing to that dog.

And so, the idea is what they're getting for their money is confidence that they're doing right by this animal that they love and that love is reflected back to them. And so, I see that as a chain that's going all the way up from the pet to the pet parent, to the retailer, to the distributor, all the way back down to us, and then it works its way through our company and benefits everybody. You know, that's a part of what we're doing all the way to our suppliers, and it's a positive feedback loop that we want to continue to, you know, perpetuate. That's our responsibility is to find new ways to continue to elevate and expand that positive feedback loop, because it all comes back the other direction to better products that are more nutritious, that are going to help expand the life and the quality of life of every pet. So, that's really our mission is to try to never break it and try to find new ways to elevate that cycle.

Jordan Tyler: Yeah, I love that. So, if you had a message to, you know, dog parents, cat parents out there from the SUPERZOO show floor, what would that be?

Aaron Merrell: Pay attention, because what you feed, your pet matters, it makes a difference. The quality of the nutrition that you're giving your dog, especially when it's through the thing that they're primarily eating all the time—it's the majority of, you know, how they're getting everything that they need to live—the quality of that really matters in the longevity and the quality of life. And so pay attention, learn about it. Question some of the marketing claims. Try to understand some of the things that you're seeing, why they actually matter, or maybe they don't. That would be my message.

Jordan Tyler: As Aaron emphasized, co-manufacturing at its best is about trust, alignment, and a shared commitment to quality. It's not just outsourcing—it's a partnership that can unlock innovation when both sides are equally invested.

And to build on that theme, we also spoke with Rick Ruffolo, Chief Executive Officer of Phelps Pet Products. Rick brings another layer to this conversation highlighting how a co-man can be more than just a production partner, serving really as a true collaborator that helps brands bring bold ideas to life while still keeping quality and safety at the forefront.

Rick Ruffolo: This is one of those industries where innovation is pretty ripe. I mean, there's a lot of it going on and everybody's focused on it, right? You can't walk this show—every booth has something they're trying to tell different than the last time you saw them. Now, obviously there's consistency in the brands, but some new twists, some new story, and one could argue having run innovation in a lot of different categories in my career, the word “innovation” could be interpreted pretty broadly, what an innovation truly is. But, I think newness is a big part of the pet industry, and newness is driving interest. It's driving repeat purchases. It's driving re-engagement with your brand.

So, the fact that their New Product Showcase is as packed as it is, is an indicator of a healthy industry. In my mind it's saying it's not, “Oh, those three companies, yeah, they're the innovators and the rest of us just follow.” That's not how this industry works at all, which is awesome. And it's why a little company like ours can innovate and it maybe makes a little splash.

Jordan Tyler: So, here's the key takeaway: co-manufacturers aren't just behind the scenes players. They're often key partners who help bring brands ideas to life. But once those products exist, the next challenge is getting them into the hands of pet parents who need them most. That's where marketers and retailers step in bridging the gap between innovation and you and your pets experience with the product.

Now, as we wind down today, let's turn to Dave Ratner, owner of Dave's Pet Food. But not just that—he's a long time retailer and advocate for independent pet stores.

Dave Ratner: This is my 48th year in the industry. I know I look really young, but…

Jordan Tyler: You do.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Had me fooled.

d seven pet food stores since: 1975

Jordan Tyler: Dave sat down with us to share a critical message for pet parents regarding how recent global trade shifts will impact pet food prices—and soon.

Dave Ratner: You are going to see price increases. They have not hit yet. So, no one has gone up on their prices yet because no one knows where the tariffs are going to land. They're going to be somewhere around 20%. But this is what I ask you, this is coming from the retailer in me. Pretty soon when you walk into your store and you see what you were buying just went up 20%, don't scream at the retailer.

Jordan Tyler: It's not their fault.

Dave Ratner: It’s not their fault.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Yeah. They're feeling it too.

Dave Ratner: They’re feeling it too. And the retailers that I've talked to, there are literally thousands of retailers at this show. They are panicking folks. After all the price increases from COVID, they don't want raise prices. They don't want to get yelled at. I don't know how many of you out there have ever worked in a store, but it ain't fun when someone comes in and starts yelling at you because the price went up. This is completely out of their control. So, be nice.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Yeah, but don't turn yourself away from them too. Because they're small businesses. Well, most of 'em are.

Dave Ratner: That's my point. Yeah. That's my point.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Keep going. Keep supporting them.

Dave Ratner: Yes. But I'm just telling you there's, they're coming.

Jordan Tyler: It's important to remember the pet industry isn't all fur and games. This is a critical insight from Dave, and his perspective is a sobering reminder that behind every innovation and new product launch, the realities of global trade and economics still shape what ends up on the shelf—and ultimately how much we're going pay for it. It's a tension the industry will have to keep navigating even as creativity and consumer demand push us forward.

t we recorded on the SUPERZOO: 2025

But we're just getting started! So, over the next several weeks, we will bring you a series of mini-episodes straight from the show floor, spotlighting the trends, innovations, and even some hot takes from the people driving change in this space. Expect to hear from independent retailers, up-and-coming brands, and innovators pushing boundaries of what's possible in pet care. Stay tuned!

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Barking Mad. If you want to learn more about BSM Partners, please visit us at www.bsmpartners.net. Don't forget to subscribe on your favorite leading podcast platform or share it with a friend to stay current on the latest pet industry trends and conversations.

Jordan Tyler: We'd also like to thank our dedicated team, Ada-Miette Thomas, Neeley Bowden, Kait Wright, Cady Wolf, and Dr. Katy Miller. A special shout out to Lee Ann Hagerty and Michael Johnson in support of this episode, and to David Perez for our original music in the intro and outro. See you next time!

Jordan Tyler: Are you a cat lover?

Aaron Merrell: I like cats. I know a lot of people are kind of hit or miss, but we had cats when I was a kid, cats and dogs.

Jordan Tyler: Cat liker?

Aaron Merrell: That’s right, I’m a cat liker. Not licker, but a liker.

Jordan Tyler: Do not get it twisted.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Yes, “I hate cats,” on this podcast? No one’s going to admit it!

Jordan Tyler: That’s true, nobody is going to admit it…

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