Managing growth in pet food and product ranges to meet consumer demand

The question is – who is the consumer? The pet or the pet parent!

With the millions of new pet parents that have sprung up during the pandemic combined with our overwhelming demand to be informed about and buying pet products that align with a household lifestyle and values; ranges and new product introductions have escalated astronomically.

Product Information and Artwork Management is 4Pack’s pet subject

Product, packaging and labelling management for pet food is complex. Pet food is a regulated industry with potentially different local legislation to follow depending on where your products are being marketed.

Getting it right is important.

Pet food is subject to product recalls and withdrawals, just like human food. And there is so much product information to control across packaging, retail and now digital marketplaces. Removing risk of error is important and centralising and controlling approved product content and translation is critical.

Working with solutions that have experience of the pet food sector is essential. There are a number of key elements that need to be incorporated into the technical product information e.g. composition, analytical constituents, additives, daily ration tables, feeding recommendation etc., never mind the marketing copy! There are significant differences between human and pet product information management.

4Pack bring pet food experience to the market, we help Wonderfood reduce risk and accelerate product changes

Read our case study here to learn how using 4Pack helps Wonderfood to successfully manage their increasingly complex product range with 16 brands with translations into 18 local languages.

4Pack capabilities have been central to meeting Wonderfood’s requirements to collate and manage product information, handle translation, export accurate product data sheets and cross reference information by ingredients, markets and brands.

4Pack expertise in Artwork Management has also transformed Wonderfood’s approach to packaging and labelling, allowing the Marketing team to dynamically update artwork files directly in the 4Pack system from approved product content with no need to involve a graphics designer!

As a result, Wonderfood have increased their efficiency, reduced costs and incidence of internal errors, all of which has accelerated their time to market.

Here are 4Pack’s recommendations for enabling teams to be even more efficient:

1. Centralise and establish specifications for all ingredients, products and pack copy.
2. Take care with translation to ensure that information and claims are consistent across all markets and in line with local legislation.
3. Use a system to speed up approvals of specifications and artworks while maintaining a clear process and line of accountability.
4. Manage approval of suppliers.
5. Have a product withdrawal or recall plan.
6. Be in a position to track ingredients, packaging and products throughout the supply chain.

For additional label advice and information, use regulatory bodies like FDA, food.gov.uk and industry organisations PFMA and FEDIAF that offer market specific labelling guidance for pet food and animal feed products.