Market Focus: St. Louis

On a number of occasions, the greater St. Louis, MO has ranked in the top 10 friendliest cities for pets and owners due to a number of factors. One of the top reigning reasons is the reduced number of kill shelters in the city due to many organizations’ continuous work to lessen this number. According to Insurify, among the 100 most populous cities, St. Louis has the highest number of no-kill shelters and rescues per capita (6.4 per 100,000 residents). Other factors that have played a role in media outlets placing the market in the top 10 pet-friendly cities were affordability, animal welfare, attractions and walkability. Insurify noted that the average annual dog insurance premium in the state is 24 percent cheaper than the national average. Alongside this, St. Louis offers a wide range of activities and attractions that are considered pet-friendly due to the high number of dog owners in concentrated areas.

Looking closer, “When we did a lot of market research before we bought the business, John and I did a lot of research in the area to make sure that a business like this could thrive; not only survive but thrive here,” said Kari Cross, Owner of Whisker Bones Supply Co., a pet salon, treat bakery and boutique located in Edwardsville, IL. “We’ve found a lot of interesting things. We found that there was a higher saturation of DINKS (dual income, no kids) in our area. Whether that be retired people or people who choose not to have kids for whatever reason so they may have disposable income. There is also a huge amount of dog owners in our area. There’s a lot of groomers, pet stores, but there’s so many pets. There’s plenty to go around. It’s a competitive market.”

Retailers continue to thrive in the market; there are 15 PetSmart locations while Treats Unleashed and Petco have 14 locations, which solidifies these top three retailers’ hold of 54.4 percent in the market. Pet Supplies Plus has eight locations, Four Muddy Paws and Lola & Penelope’s both have two stores, each part of the multi-unit retailers that hold 22.8 percent of the market. Single-store retailers make 22.8 percent.

Closer Look

“The St. Louis area is a vibrant area with engaged pet parents looking for the best products for their pets, making it an ideal geography for Pet Food Experts to service,” said Tim Garrity, Regional Sales Manager overseeing the Midwest and Southeast regions for Pet Food Express. “St. Louis area consumers have a wide assortment of specialty independent pet stores that carry the very best in pet nutrition.”

The distributor stands out for retailers in the greater St. Louis region largely because, “Pet Food Experts offers best in class customer experience and quick delivery, with our expert sales staff in the market sharing the latest industry products and trends to retailers,” Garrity said. In the new year, “Pet Food Experts has cultivated an exciting range of new pet toys, consumables and other supplies that will delight retailers and St. Louis consumers in 2026!”he added.

Owner and Founder Teresa Miller started Treats Unleashed in the summer of 2002 in St. Louis. Miller started with a single batch of Apple Cinnamon Heart dog treats at a kiosk in the mall. Miller grew up with a father who had an extensive background and experience in animal nutrition. His legacy became the inspiration for Treats Unleashed. Today, Treats Unleashed now focuses on fresh-baked pet treats, toys, supplies and pet food. Additionally, some locations feature self-washing and grooming services. There are currently 21 locations in Columbia and St. Louis and Kansas City. There are 14 in the St. Louis marketplace and has remained a positive beacon for the city and Missouri as a whole. 

Treats Unleashed has been a key contributor to its local communities within the market as it encourages adoption, partnering with shelters and rescues and helping pet owners find the best food and supplies for their companion animals. Recently the retailer is hosting a fundraiser for pets in need on Oct. 4. Central Missouri Humane Society is expected to have a booth at the event, providing resources to those interested in adoption. 

Smaller retailers in the market have been able to thrive in St. Louis due to several contributing factors. “My parents opened The General Store in February 1982 when I was not quite 3 years old, and in 1985, built the building we currently occupy,” said Cory Giles, Owner of The General Store—Best for Pets, located in Collinsville, IL and specializes in pet specialty and bird. “I came to work every day with my mom and every afternoon after school. So I grew up as the business grew up and really as the pet industry as a whole grew into what it is today. Aside from all that, I also have a degree in mechanical engineering and 15 years experience working in manufacturing. Life led me back to work here full-time, and as my mom is able to take some well-deserved time away from coming to work every day, I am able to help steer the business towards 50 years in business and beyond.”

“The St. Louis area is really a hotbed for the pet industry,” Giles continued. “Multiple companies are headquartered in this area, and we are fortunate to have started long enough ago that we came to know some great people at various distributors in the area. There are also some great companies just starting out. For instance, we recently partnered with PupKitchen, a local maker of gently-cooked frozen food that we think is the best choice for our customers in what is the hottest category in the pet business at the moment. We are in Collinsville, IL in particular because that is where my family has lived for more than 100 years. … My parents started this business to provide for us in a way that helped us attain a better life.”

Cross with Whisker Bones Supply Co. and her husband joined the pet industry with a combined 40 years of experience in the restaurant industry. At the time, they had rescued a dog through the APA, named Bella. Although she was a mutt, Cross said Bella was the product of several smart breeds, namely Heeler, which was the impetus for Cross and her husband to find a way to better care for Bella. “She was training us, so we went to school to become dog trainers,” Cross said. “That is really what led us to want to do more with the pet industry. When you own a pet, you really don’t know what you’re doing, you really think it’s common sense, but it’s not. You’re kind of just out there just floating in the wind and seeing what sticks, and we didn’t really know how to best help our pet and help fulfill her needs. We weren’t able to read her body language because we didn’t have the [right] tools in our tool belt. So, after becoming dog trainers, we just wanted to make a difference in the industry for other people. We thought there was a need out there for what we did because we figured if we needed it, other people would also want to know this information and feel the same way we were. So in November 2019, Whisker Bones had been listed—we bought the business from the founding owners—[because] they were looking to move to Texas. In 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, we ended up signing the papers to purchase the business, and it’s kind of gone from there.”

Alongside retailers in the market, manufacturers have taken up residence in the city through their headquarters. “From a supply chain perspective, being a centralized state is very appealing to our customers as we can fill their orders quickly and drive down freight costs,” said Trevor Cronin, Chief Operating Officer of Dog Treats Naturals. “Additionally, as a fully sustainable company, it also allows us to reduce our carbon footprint. Growing up in the St. Louis metro area gave us the opportunity to study the local consumer and their purchasing behavior which ultimately led us down the path of starting this company; fulfilling those pet parent needs that were not being addressed by the current assortment of natural dog treats available.”

“We have had tremendous support from our customers in the St. Louis area since we first started the business which really allowed us to grow into the nationwide brand we are today,” Cronin said. “I’d personally like to thank Lynna Sherman and the team at Treats Unleashed for taking the chance on us as a young brand in 2022 without any national distribution and giving us the opportunity to prove our products. Since our launch with Treats Unleashed, we have secured national pet specialty and grocery distribution which allowed us to get our products into the hands of more pet parents in search of healthy, purposeful dog treats. … We have always had a passion for our local economy, taking care of the people in St. Louis and providing customers with the best possible product.”