With healthier food, eco-friendly cleaning supplies and fitness and other tracking devices in growing demand among consumers, it’s only natural they find their way into the pet industry.

And as pet product companies and retailers gather for the Global Pet Expo in Orlando this week, trends from the consumer market are finding their way into the pet business. U.S. pet industry sales have been increasing, with revenue estimated to have risen 3.9% to $69.36 billion last year, according to the American Pet Products Association. Supplies/over the counter medicines, a category that includes licensed products, were $14.36 billion in 2016, the association said.

“From the consumer perspective a brand name can guide them into making a purchasing decision,” says Fetch…For Pets’ Steve Shweky. “If someone has used a brand name, it is possible they are going to trust it across product categories. Consumers enjoy using same technologies and branded products for their pets as they do themselves.”

Among trends expected to capture attention at Pet Expo:

Smart devices, whether Bluetooth, WiFi or app enabled, while largely non-licensed, are on the horizon. Wagz is expected to display and range of technology-drive products, including a $295 smart dog collar that combines GPS tracking and the ability to set boundaries for a pet with an activity tracker that monitors weight how many calories are burned. Also available is a “smart” dog door ($250) that can be controlled by a mobile app and is integrated with the Nest smarthome system and Amazon’s Alexa.

Mars Petcare will highlight new versions of its Whistle Activity Monitor, a device that tracks duration, time, intensity of a pet’s exercise then sends data to users via WiFi networks or to a smartphone app with Bluetooth. And Gramercy Products, better known for its Nerf dog toys, is introducing its first Nerf activity trackers as it extends the brand with “lifestyle” items including lifejackets, weather-resistant beds and other items.

Despite the variety of products, smart technology has struggled to get a foothold in the pet business, says MHT Ventures’ Carol Frank, who has worked with many pet tech start-ups.  “There have been a lot of start-ups but nobody has yet broken through the barrier to where there is mass acceptance,” says Frank. “It will happen, but there has been hesitancy so far from pet owners to fully embrace the technology. Given these things are $200-$300, many consumers aren’t ready yet to spend that much on the technology.”

Food buzzwords such as “natural,” “organic” and “eco-friendly” are spreading quickly in the pet world, where the food business has largely remained non-licensed. Celebrity names have made inroads, most prominently via Ainsworth Pet Nutrition’s Rachel Ray Nutrish, Ellen DeGeneres’ Halo and dog trainer Caesar Milan’s Vivamune.

There are lots of other ingestible categories in which licenses could become a factor, such as the growing growing array of hemp-based products. Treatibles has been expanding its line to include grain-free turkey, pumpkin and blueberry chews and recently struck an agreement to expand distribution to the 64-store Pet Express chain in California. True Leaf Pet also has launched True Hemp chews and oils, while Canna Companions has hemp-based capsules and oils.

Meanwhile, Wild Earth is introducing supplement products with cultured proteins, the first of which contain human-grade koji. Koji is a fungus that produces enzymes beneficial to animal health, including amylase, which aids in digestion.

In the licensed sector, Pets First Co.’s expanded its line of pro sports-licensed jerseys, collars and leashes to include all-natural NFL, MLB and collegiate Team Treatz Sport Snack dog treats. “When we first started thinking about these a few years ago we weren’t thinking all-natural, but that is what retailers and consumers are requesting,” says Pets First Co.’s Mark Sok.

Cleaning brands that are already in the home, are extending into petcare. Fetch…For Pets will be introducing Martha Stewart-brand shampoos, conditioners carpet sprays for dogs, all of which will launch through Amazon in April, says Shweky. That’s in addition to the Burt’s Bees shampoos it already fields along with Arm and Hammer oatmeal dog and tearless puppy shampoos that are being launched at the Expo. Boss Pets is further extending the Burt’s Bees brand to include dog and cat wipes as well as deodorizing spray.

And then there are the traditional play toys that have long been a fixture with specialty pet and mass retailers alike. Gramercy Products is launching Tonka dog toys, leveraging the brand’s reputation for durability, says Gramercy’s Rishi Gupta. “Durability is a key factor when a consumer buys a dog toy and we feel this will fit the bill,” says Gupta. Multipet International is introducing a new 13-inch version of its Lamb Chop-licensed dog toy, while also adding a non-licensed Chew Spinnerz in seeking to cash in on last year’s spinners craze with humans.

All the companies are increasing shifting some of their business to eCommerce, where both Amazon and PetSmart’s Chewy.com have become major factors in the pet business. Fetch..For Pets’ eCommerce business has grown to 15% of its annual revenue, up from 3% a few years ago and is adding staff for its own direct-to-consumer business, says Shweky. The company plans to launch a licensed product exclusively through Amazon later this year. Meanwhile, the percentage of Grammercy Products’ e-commerce revenue has quadrupled over the past three years to 12% of overall sales, and is expected to reach 25% by late 2019, says Gupta.

Contacts:

Boss Pet Products, Robald Orchen, General Mgr., 216-332-0832

Fetch…For Pets, Steven Shweky, Pres., 212-244-2456 x270, steven@fetch4pets.com

Gramercy Products, Rishi Gupta, CEO, 201-537-5648, rgupta@nerfpet.com

MHT Ventures, Carol Frank, Managing Dir., 303-284-9832, carol@carolfrank.com

Multipet International, Leslie Yellin, EVP, 201-438-6600

Pets First Co., Mark Sok, National Sales Mgr., 908-289-2900 x300, mark@petsfirst.com

Treatibles, Juliana Carella, CEO, 415-579-2230, julianna@treatibles.com

Wagz, Terry Boyd Anderton, Founder, 603-227-0500