Debbie Phillips-Donaldson

2 weeks ago | petfoodindustry.com | Debbie Phillips-Donaldson

In uncertain times, people often adjust their spending habits. That seems to be happening now (as this issue goes to press), with consumers practicing “doom-spending” in reaction to U.S. tariffs and a global trade war. Surveys earlier this year showed consumers stocking up on items or making large purchases before tariffs took effect. In a survey from CreditCards.com, 19% of 2,000 U.S. respondents said they were buying significantly more (5%) or slightly more (14%) than usual.

3 weeks ago | petfoodindustry.com | Debbie Phillips-Donaldson

Despite longstanding concerns over raw pet food safety by veterinarians and regulatory agencies, raw brands have several ways they can, and do, ensure their products are safe. Which is good, considering the steadily growing interest in so-called alternative pet food formats, including raw. This is especially true among U.S. cat owners, according to a 2024 report from Packaged Facts.

2 months ago | petfoodindustry.com | Debbie Phillips-Donaldson

Hill’s Pet Nutrition. Nestle Purina PetCare. General Mills/Blue Buffalo. These are among the pet food companies that have been led by a female executive in the past five years or so — as have many smaller companies and pet food suppliers. I don’t have definitive data, so I can’t compare this to the 12% of women sitting in the C-suite or on executive boards in the 2,500 companies, across 12 companies and 10 industries, measured in a 2023 survey from IBM’s Institute for Business Value.

Mar 11, 2025 | petfoodindustry.com | Debbie Phillips-Donaldson

For many pet owners, protein is still king: In a 2024 survey of 1,000 U.S. owners, 52.6% chose “high protein” as the top pet food ingredient attribute. And while novel proteins rise as consumers and businesses alike recognize the need for more sustainable sources, animal protein still matters, at least to 20.8% of these pet owners, who say it should be the first ingredient.

Feb 18, 2025 | petfoodindustry.com | Debbie Phillips-Donaldson

For most pet food companies, ingredients account for the largest share — often more than 50% — of their products’ carbon footprints, so finding more sustainable options and sources offers a meaningful tactic for reaching a sustainability goal. Which nearly every company these days, whether pet food manufacturer or supplier, has. An important tool for striving toward such a goal is a life cycle analysis.