Ben & Jerry’s makes dog ice cream as pet food industry grows
Ben & Jerry’s has developed frozen dog treats called Doggie Desserts, which will be sold at grocery and pet stores.
– The Unilever-owned ice cream maker began developing dog-friendly sweets early last year, but the coronavirus pandemic has expanded their customer base as more Americans adopt and foster pets.
– Employees’ pets helped inspired the idea and became the company’s ready-made focus group as it formulated flavors.
If your furry friend gives you the puppy dog eyes when you dig into a bowl of ice cream, Ben & Jerry’s has a solution.
The ice cream maker is debuting Doggie Desserts, which will hit its website on Monday and the shelves of grocery and pet stores this month. The line kicks off with two flavors named after its employees’ pets: Pontch’s Mix, which is peanut butter with a pretzel swirl, and Rosie’s Batch, a mix of pumpkin and mini cookies.
The treats are made of ingredients already used in the company’s ice creams, but with a sunflower butter base instead of dairy to be gentler on dogs’ stomachs. They will sell individually as 4-ounce mini cups or in four-packs for a suggested price of $2.99 and $4.99.
The company will also carry pet accessories on its website, such as an ice cream cone plush toy and Ben & Jerry’s swag for dogs, including a tie-dye leash.
Pandemic pet boom
Ben & Jerry’s, which is owned by Unilever, began developing the dog-friendly sweets early last year, but the coronavirus pandemic has expanded the number of potential customers. Many Americans have adopted or fostered new pets during the global health crisis, as they seek companionship during a challenging time.
That’s inspired the launch of new pet products and piqued the interest of investors. Walmart now offers pet insurance and connects customers with dog-walking and pet-sitting services and Chewy launched virtual vet visits in October. The pet e-commerce company’s shares have risen more than 220% over the past one year, bringing its market value to about $39 billion. And this holiday season, pets were a popular gift category.
The pandemic pet boom has heightened patterns that began before the global health crisis, too. People were already upgrading to higher-end pet purchases, such as fresh and organic food, as some delayed having children or treated their dogs more like family members.
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Source: CNBC.com