Skip to content
MarketScale
‹ Back to Industries

Food & Beverage

Why You Should Care What’s In Your Pet’s Food

The pandemic caused many setbacks for the supply chain. Not remised from this setback was pet food. Pet adoption rose in 2020, with animal shelters seeing a 12 percent year-over-year adoption rate increase compared to a flat or declining rate in previous years, according to PetPoint. With so many new pet owners giving their pets…

This story was produced through MarketScale. See how Food & Beverage teams put it to work with Customer Stories & Case Studies.

Share

The pandemic caused many setbacks for the supply chain. Not remised from this setback was pet food. Pet adoption rose in 2020, with animal shelters seeing a 12 percent year-over-year adoption rate increase compared to a flat or declining rate in previous years, according to PetPoint. With so many new pet owners giving their pets a forever home, the broader pet supply industry looks like it just saw a squirrel in a tree. This is leading to a latent opportunity to build consistent revenue streams around pet toys, grooming materials, training, and of course, food.

Here to give some insights on the state of the pet food supply chain, and where the industry is innovating, and to what effect, is Melissa Olson, Vice President of Sales and Marketing with Carnivore Meat Company; a GFSI and EU certified, family-owned, tenured raw pet food producer, a leader in private label raw pet food providers, U.S.A. made and packaged in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Along with host, Voice of B2B Daniel Litwin, Olson talked about how the pandemic affected the pet food supply chain, the quality of food owners seek, and how COVID factors might have pushed owners towards more affordability.

“Pet ownership really skyrocketed last year, due in large part to COVID,” Olson explained. “Those pet adoptions were driven in large part by the stay-at-home/work-from-home experience.”

During these orders, people were finding they had more time to spend with family and with pets.

They had more time to train their pets, integrate them into their families, and help the pets adapt to the children. Pet adoption was also up for folks who lived alone, according to Olson, with other social outlets not available or on a limited basis.

Listen to hear more about the latent opportunities for revenue streams around pet products.

New to MarketScale?

MarketScale is the platform Food & Beverage companies use to turn their own experts into content like this. Want the short overview?

Free workspace

You just read one expert. Imagine publishing your whole team.

This article was produced through MarketScale. Create a free workspace and turn your own team's expertise into articles, video, and social posts. No credit card, no demo required.

NPS +73 · 1,000+ creators · 38+ countries

What you get, free

Your own MarketScale Studio workspace
One video edit a month, on us
AI writing, editing, and publishing tools
In-platform coaching to learn the system

More Food & Beverage Insights

FDA slows synthetic-dye phase-out as 160 food and ag groups press for USMCA renewal

FDA slows synthetic-dye phase-out as 160 food and ag groups press for USMCA renewal

The FDA has revised its timeline for phasing out petroleum-based synthetic food dyes, slowing a process it announced in April 2025 with a target end date of 2027. Separately, nearly 160 food and agriculture organizations have signed a coordinated letter urging USMCA renewal before the agreement's July 1 review deadline. Additional regulatory fronts — including a California ultra-processed food labeling bill, a bipartisan FDA import-destruction measure, and a USDA domestic fertilizer push — are compounding compliance demands across the food and agriculture sector.

  • 01FDA has revised its synthetic dye phase-out schedule, slowing a voluntary removal program originally targeting six petroleum-based color additives by end of 2027.
  • 02Nearly 160 food and agriculture groups have urged USMCA renewal before the July 1 joint review deadline, warning that inaction could disrupt cross-border supply chains.
  • 03California's AB 2244 and a bipartisan federal bill targeting unsafe food imports are adding new compliance layers for food manufacturers and retailers.

Jun 17, 2026

FDA slows synthetic-dye phase-out as 160 food and ag groups push to renew USMCA

FDA slows synthetic-dye phase-out as 160 food and ag groups push to renew USMCA

The FDA's April 2025 voluntary initiative to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the U.S. food supply has generated a wave of corporate commitments, with major brands targeting 2026–2027 deadlines. However, Consumer Reports found that many large food companies have yet to pledge any changes, even where natural alternatives are already used abroad. Meanwhile, broader regulatory shifts — including a USDA reorganization affecting food assistance programs and new legislative proposals on food labeling and import safety — are reshaping the operating environment for food and beverage manufacturers.

  • 01The FDA is working with industry to eliminate six certified petroleum-based color additives from the U.S. food supply by the end of 2027, after revoking authorization for Red No. 3 earlier in 2025.
  • 02A March 2026 Consumer Reports survey found 72 percent of U.S. adults are at least somewhat concerned about synthetic dyes, and 66 percent say companies should be required to phase them out — yet many major brands have made no commitments.
  • 03Separate regulatory pressures are mounting: California advanced a non-ultra-processed food labeling bill, Congress moved bipartisan legislation to let the FDA destroy unsafe food imports, and the USDA reorganized its food nutrition administration amid leadership changes.

Jun 17, 2026

The Produce Distribution Industry Needs Flexibility, Empathy, and a New Generation of Talent

The Produce Distribution Industry Needs Flexibility, Empathy, and a New Generation of Talent

Produce distributors are facing tightening margins and supply chain pressures that demand more flexible operations and empathetic leadership. AJ Krow argues that attracting and retaining a new generation of talent is critical to the industry's long-term survival. Modernizing workplace culture and rethinking traditional distribution practices are central to meeting these challenges.

  • 01Produce distributors must adapt operations to withstand tightening margins and supply chain volatility.
  • 02Empathetic leadership and flexible workplace culture are essential to attracting younger talent to the industry.
  • 03A generational shift in the workforce requires the produce distribution sector to rethink recruiting and retention strategies.

May 1, 2025

Explore More Food & Beverage Insights

Read more expert perspectives from across Food & Beverage.

Browse Food & Beverage Hub