Debbie Phillips-Donaldson

Rockford

Editor-in-Chief at Petfood Industry

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Articles

Developing and growing careers in pet food

1 month 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.
What consumers think about novel pet food proteins

2 months ago | 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.
Pet food sustainability progress via robust ingredient data

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.
5 human food trends that could impact pet food in 2025

Jan 14, 2025 | petfoodindustry.com | Debbie Phillips-Donaldson

5 human food trends that could impact pet food in 2025As human food and pet food continue their symbiotic relationship in the marketplace, ingredients, digestive health and other trends will play out in both.
Cat ownership on the rise around the world

Nov 20, 2024 | petfoodindustry.com | Debbie Phillips-Donaldson

Cats are becoming more popular globally due to rising urbanization and more challenging economic times. Shipilov77777 | Shutterstock.comWhile we are temporarily petless (our 17-year-old cat died in May 2024), my husband and I have been cat owners our entire marriage; Deacon was the fifth to share our home. We both also grew up with cats. Log in to view the full articleSubscribe to Magazine
US pet food sales: Units and volume catching up to dollars

Oct 30, 2024 | petfoodindustry.com | Debbie Phillips-Donaldson

Recent monthly U.S. pet food sales data show unit and volume sales growing slightly yet at greater rates than value (dollar) sales growth, according to Chris Storves, director, North America retail, pet industry, for NielsenIQ (NIQ). The value sales growth rates have also been small for the past six months, likely due to pet food prices falling from their high inflation rates of recent years.
US consumersâ€™ pet food ingredients wants vary by income

Oct 28, 2024 | petfoodindustry.com | Debbie Phillips-Donaldson

While most of the 5,000 U.S. pet owners surveyed by Kansas State University (KSU) researchers share some common preferences for ingredients in the pet foods they buy, the study also uncovered some differences by income level.
Where do pet owners stand on plant-based pet foods?

Sep 25, 2024 | petfoodindustry.com | Debbie Phillips-Donaldson

Yeast is among the plant-based proteins being used in pet diets. In July 2024, the British Veterinary Association announced it had ended its opposition to “nutritionally sound” vegan pet diets. How does that track with pet owner acceptance and usage of such pet foods, along with vegetarian and other plant-based ones?
Will high pet treat sales growth soon come down to earth?

Aug 14, 2024 | petfoodindustry.com | Debbie Phillips-Donaldson

Higher pet treat prices may be driving some pet owners to cut back on their spending, leading to falling sales growth. ClarkandCompany | iStock.comPet treats have been one of the fastest-growing categories for several years. In 2023, U.S. sales of dog and cat treats rose more than 10% both online and in stores, according to NielsenIQ. That was on top of double-digit growth in 2022, helping U.S. pet treat sales reach US$11 billion, per Packaged Facts.
Mexican pet food market reaches US$7.7 billion | PetfoodIndustry

Aug 14, 2024 | petfoodindustry.com | Debbie Phillips-Donaldson

More than 200 businesses manufacture or market pet food in the country and are projected to increase production of pet food by 2.5% per year through 2030.