If we are what we eat, then are our pets walking, barking kibble? Well not anymore. With the natural, organic movement extending to our furry friends-we can expect a myriad of healthful options for man's (and woman's) best friend.
From Niche to Mainstream
"Is your pet paleo?" Brands like Real Pet Food Company are taking this question seriously and serving up "a roasted chicken and vegetable stew pouch and chub backs of fresh meals, such as gourmet chicken with brown rice and vegetables." With options like these, our main concern is that we are going to mistake Fido's food for our own. But with the way pet food is moving, maybe that wouldn't be the worst thing.
Not Just the Millennials
We know what you're thinking. "Millennials must be the only demographic spending money on this trend." Well, it turns out we can't blame this one on that generation alone. Founder of Primal Pet Foods, Matt Koss said, "While the millennial generation has proven to set trends in the general market, demand for fresh/raw pet food and for a wider range of pet treats is broader." In 2018 and beyond, our dog might just have a more sophisticated diet than us.
CBD for Pets
You've heard the claims that CBD can help alleviate pain, assist with sleep, reduce stress, and offer a cornucopia of other benefits for humans. Maybe you heard about it for the first time in our July Food Trends Report. Brands like CW Hemp and Innovet are applying the same belief to pets with products like CW Paws and Innovet's Pur CBD. The products are meant to help "dogs maintain a sense of calm plus support for their active hips and joints." We can't stand to think of our furry friends in pain and our solution might just have three letters. 
What This Means for Brands
Health food brands, both for humans and pets, have an opportunity to highlight simplicity and transparency in their marketing efforts as the demand for real food increases. According to Nielsen, consumers are less focused on ingredient-driven labeling and are becoming more skeptical of claims like "all natural." As consumers become savvier, they will "shift toward clean-label products or those that don't include certain undesirable ingredients." And above all, if consumers (re: millennials) are buying houses to accommodate their pets, they'll have no problem investing in some lavish pet chow.