Special Report: Industry Milestones and Anniversaries

The global pet care market is projected to reach $350 billion by 2027. While the “humanization” of pets has elevated their status among owners, this shift is relatively recent. Many legacy pet companies predate it, yet have adapted alongside consumers to help define today’s expectations for safety, quality, and responsible care.

For 60 years, Phelps has been first-to-market or has helped others bring innovative products to market, including 100 percent plant-based (meatless)jerky dog treats and USDA-certified organic meaty dog treats.

Rick Ruffolo, President and CEO of Phelps, described how they will be celebrating. “We will be featuring our 60th anniversary during Global Pet Expo and SUPERZOO this year, and we plan to do a 60-day countdown via LinkedIn and social media highlighting the Phelps journey, our innovation, and how we can continue to help enhance, evolve, and advance the pet industry over the next 60 years!”

The pet industry has grown and evolved throughout the last six decades, Ruffolo shared. “We like to think we have helped the industry expand through our focus on innovation, our embrace of new ingredients, and our investment in custom treats and specialty food recipes for each of our customers.”

A standout feature of Phelps is its dedication. “We care about people—our employees, our customers, our retailers, our vendor partners, and our consumers—who are doing the best they can to make good decisions for the care and welfare of their pets. This ‘people-first’ focus has been one of the keys to our staying power and is the source of our innovation, our ability to collaborate, our willingness to evolve, and why we have attracted and retained customers for decades,” explained Ruffolo. 

Midwestern Pet Foods is thrilled to be celebrating its 100th anniversary. Brandi Kramer, Marketing Manager of Midwestern Pet Foods, reported, “We’re proud to stand behind a century of corporate responsibility and family leadership, so we’re weaving this milestone into everything we do in 2026. Throughout this year, you’ll see references to our anniversary reflected in special giveaways, promotions and our Global Pet Expo and SUPERZOO booth designs and décor. And yes, it wouldn’t be Midwestern Pet Foods without a party or two to commemorate this special achievement!”

Midwestern Pet Foods’ relatively small size gives it an advantage. “Just about everything we do is managed and controlled in-house,” said Kramer. “We own and operate four of our state-of-the-art USA kitchens. Our in-house nutritionist and veterinarian collaborators create our own nutritious recipes. We source our own ingredients. Even the packaging designs and promotions are curated internally. Finally, our Food Safety and Quality Teams help to ensure our products are among the best and safest in the industry.” 

Looking back

Dick Phelps started the Phelps company in 1966 at the age of 35. Ruffolo relayed, “He foresaw the growth of the industry and the evolving roles of pets in the family. While his initial insights and motivation likely were driven more by his commercial instincts than simply an altruistic love of pets—there is no doubt Dick wanted Phelps to be a source of innovation to help drive category growth. I believe one of the keys Dick understood, and we still embrace today, is that—despite servicing the pet industry—Phelps very much is (and always has been) a ‘people’ business.”

Midwestern Pet Foods started with a different name and mission. Kramer revealed their origins, “The Nunn family founded Nunn Milling Company in Evansville, IN, in 1926. Originally a miller of flour and corn meal for human use, over time, we couldn’t help but notice the increasing importance of pets and the desire to better meet their nutritional needs. Consequently, Midwestern Pet Foods was founded in 1982 to address this market shift. We’ve since expanded from a modest, regional operation to having national and international reach. Going forward, as always, our goal is continuous improvement in our product offering and leading the way in bringing cutting-edge nutritional products to market.”

Looking ahead

Anniversaries and milestones are a time of reflection and also a time of looking to the future. 

Ruffolo of Phelps felt the immensity of the company’s milestone. 

“60 years is a big achievement,” he admitted. “We are happy to celebrate all of the hundreds, or even thousands, of people who have helped make that happen. Looking forward—we know that to continue to grow and win in the future—we don’t need to find a new strategic playbook. Rather, we need to evolve, innovate, and remember what got us here by: staying ‘people-focused’ in a pet business; staying curious and embracing new learning and insights; staying nimble, entrepreneurial, and collaborative.”

Kramer said, “There’s never time to slow down. Our customers and our retail partners expect fresh ideas, innovation and nutritional advances. Moreover, despite our improvements along the way, we never stop striving to be a better company. We are truly excited to embark on our next 100 years.”