Vanguard Awards: Meat Focused Treats

Manufacturers leading the meat-focused treats category excel at helping retail partners differentiate their treat assortments. They offer unique, authentic, and practical treats that resonate with pet parents and strengthen shopper loyalty.

“Phelps has had the good fortune of experiencing annualized growth rates of >25 percent per year since 2020, and with that type of growth—comes the challenges and responsibility to be good stewards of our customers’ businesses,” said President and CEO Rick Ruffolo. “To help fuel and properly manage this growth—we have attracted and retained what I consider to be some of the best young talent in the industry. We have built a cadre of Key Account Managers who are on the front lines working closely with each of our customers, as well as expert specialists in Sourcing/Procurement, Regulatory, Operations, Customer Service, and Inventory Management, as well as our rapidly-growing DTC business. Together, we are building a culture of collaboration that is unlike any other in the industry. We are winning new customers and growing the business of our existing customers because our team members focus first on listening to what our customers are wanting to do—and then deploying our company’s resources to help make that happen.”

A recent launch for Hillside Farms was an air-dried dog food called The Good List that was introduced under the Farmland Traditions brand. In addition to innovation, Hillside Farms stands out for the process the company uses to make air-dried food. “Our manufacturing facility is deemed to make human grade dog food and human grade dog treats,” VP Scott Wu said previously. “The reality is that the lesser amount of the heat and the longer amount of time you have it in an air dried oven is what really retains its nutritional value. The higher heat, the shorter time you’re dehydrating something, you’re losing nutritional value. Heat is what kills nutritional value. If you can retain a lower heat for a longer threshold of time that is really the key to success in delivering all the nutritional benefits of a dog food, and that’s what we do.”

Leadership develops in many ways. Each company within the meat-focused treats category has distinct leadership qualities and traits. This has allowed them to stand out and drive product innovation, expand their reach and achieve long-term success in the pet industry. 

“The Phelps team has evolved over the last five-plus years into becoming the leading partner for innovation in the dog treats, toppers, and air-dried specialty foods market segments,” Ruffolo said. “We are most noted for our ability to customize our product development, production processing, and supply chain activities to best meet the needs and aspirations of our customers. For example, five years ago we were not involved in mixers/toppers or in the air-dried food and treats market—whereas now it has become a key growth driver representing over 25 percent of our total business. We were able to successfully integrate salient consumer insights, key market trends, and our flexible production processes into new business growth for our customers (and for Phelps).”

“What really sets Vitakraft apart is our manufacturing process—these products are slow-smoked over real beechwood, not flavored with liquid smoke, and made without added sugar, preservatives or artificial ingredients,” Jim Gorrell, VP of Marketing said. “That’s a meaningful point of difference in a crowded set. Ultimately, we want retailers to see Vitakraft as a credible, high-quality partner in dog treats—bringing proven global expertise in treats and translating it into products that can drive incremental growth, trade-up, and strong repeat purchase in their category.”

Vitakraft has been focusing on its meat-focused portfolio. Earlier this spring, Vitakraft took advantage of promoting its MeatyStick and MeatyBits during Global Pet Expo. “It delivers on the three things that matter most to consumers—taste, quality ingredients, and purpose-driven treating,” Gorrell stated. “With MeatyStick and MeatyBits, we’re not just entering the category—we’re addressing clear gaps within it. MeatyStick taps into the everyday treating routine with individually wrapped sticks that deliver freshness, convenience, and a premium experience in a format that’s underdeveloped but growing. At the same time, MeatyBits provides a high-value training solution with real meat as the #1 ingredient and a variety of premium flavors that dogs crave.”