Proctor and Gamble recently announced that they had purchased holistic pet food manufacturer Natura Pet Products which describes its products as “The Healthiest Pet Food in the World.” This action gives P&G entry into the fastest growing segment of the pet food industry with a portfolio of well-respected, selectively distributed brands in that space. These brands join P&G’s mass market Iams and premium Eukanuba brands and allows the company to leverage Natura’s credibility in holistic and natural pet foods. Eukanuba has dabbled in this sector with its Naturally Wild products, but the brand does not have strong credibility in this market space.
Natura now sells six brands of pet food and treats. Their EVO brand was one of the first to offer grain-free pet food; other brands focus on simple, organic, and premium quality ingredients. One thing I appreciate about Natura is a fearless approach to their competition as they offer an online comparison tool where consumers can match their products with competitive pet foods; including other premium and holistic foods.
Some in the “good food” movement for pets seem nervous about one of the world’s biggest consumer packaged good firms acquiring Natura. I see it as a savvy business move by P&G and I suspect they fully realize the power of these vigilant consumers both to build and destroy brand equity. It will be interesting to see how branding, distribution and promotion develop after this ownership change, which is still undergoing regulatory review.
An article in Ad Age discusses the purchase, including Independent pet retailer suspicion, speculation about future strategy, and backlash after other independent pet food brands were acquired by large CPG firms.http://adage.com/article?article_id=144160