Petco Appeals to 'Pet Parents' With All-Natural Pet Food Initiatives
*By Carlo Versano*
Petco will phase out dog and cat food containing artificial ingredients and preservatives entirely by May 2019, the company announced Tuesday.
Petco CEO Ron Coughlin told Cheddar Tuesday that the decision to move to a wholly natural-ingredient line was part of a corporate strategy to become a full-service "partner to pet parents." It also reflects broader consumer trends toward healthier, organic foods ー that now includes the diets of their pets.
"All the trends that happened in farm-to-table are happening in pet food," Coughlin said. Some Petco stores will even start piloting "human-grade" food cooked in-store ー made-to-order meals for dogs.
Coughlin admitted that revenues at the privately-owned Petco could get dinged in the short run as it terminates relationships with suppliers who won't follow it to the "nutrition high ground." It's also facing headwinds from tariffs that are forcing the company to rethink aspects of its supply chain, he said.
For all the health consciousness, the move to go all-natural is very much a way for Petco to Amazon-proof ($AMZN) its business model. Coughlin said some stores will soon have on-site veterinarians, along with its roster of groomers, to create what Coughlin called "360 degree care for pets" and a one-stop shop for pet owners.
"We want to make sure we're doing the right thing for pets," he said.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/petco-ceo-were-banning-artificial-ingredients).
Lila Snyder, CEO of Bose, joins Cheddar News anchor Hena Doba to discuss her journey to the top of the corporate world, the business of selling top of the line speakers, and how new technologies such as machine learning are shaking up the industry.
Stocks drifted ahead of reports that could offer clues on questions that have kept Wall Street at a standstill, including on where the economy and corporate profits are heading.
Aidan McClean, co-founder and CEO of UFODRIVE, joined Cheddar News to discuss how his company plans to shake up the car rental market with a digital experience. "There are no lines, there are no paperwork, there is no key collection ... no pushy insurance or pushy fuel options," he said. "You simply arrive for your electric car, use your smartphone and drive away."
Nearly half of Americans report having to side hustle to make ends meet, according to a survey from LendingTree. Jane Oates, president of WorkingNation, joined Cheddar News to discuss the state of play as families are having a difficult time with inflation and high-interest rates.
Melissa Armo, founder and owner of The Stock Swoosh, joined Cheddar News to discuss this week's markets which were little changed in trading as investors digested the latest corporate earnings results as concerns over a coming recession grow.
Peter Krull, a partner and director of sustainable investing at Prime Capital Investment Advisors company Earth Equity Advisors, joined Cheddar News to give some tips on green investments.
