WellPet LLC is a big player in the premium pet food space, managing several brands of pet food, treats and dental chews. Its diverse offerings are centralized by the company’s core philosophy that uncompromising nutrition plays a vital role in helping pets lead long and healthy lives.

The company believes this diversity across its brands contributes to its continued success in an increasingly crowded pet food and treat market. By offering a holistic portfolio for pets of all sizes and life stages, said Chanda Leary-Coutu, director of consumer experience for the company, WellPet brands are able to grow with and adapt to the full spectrum of consumer trends and preferences.

Leary-Coutu said in order to ensure that a pet food product is embraced by both the pet and the pet owner, it is crucial to formulate products with high-quality, natural and recognizable ingredients that are responsibly sourced and prepared with care. Palatability is another key part of this equation, so WellPet aims to formulate foods that are sufficiently healthy while still incorporating aromas and flavors that dogs and cats instinctually crave.

“Our brands are dedicated to seeking new ways to bring excitement to mealtime and meet the unique needs of each pet and family,” Leary-Coutu added.

WellPet supports product innovation across all its brands. For example, WHIMZEES recently capitalized on a gap in the dental chew category for puppies. Most dental chew products on the market were designed for dogs at least six months old, so WHIMZEES created Puppy Chews, which can be given to dogs as young as three months old.

As another example of the company's eye for innovation, Wellness Natural Pet Foods launched two lines of high-protein diets with wholesome grains in August 2019 — one kibble diet and another kibble diet with freeze-dried raw meat inclusions — to add to the brand’s portfolio of original, grain-free and limited-ingredient lines.

In June 2019, WellPet’s WHIMZEES brand cut the ribbon at its newest manufacturing facility in Veendam, The Netherlands, to support continued double-digit growth of its all-natural dental dog treats. WHIMZEES’ original facility in The Netherlands has taken a holistic approach to sustainability by improving energy efficiency, dramatically reducing waste and taking other small but effective measures to minimize its operational impact on the environment.

During SuperZoo in August 2019, WellPet launched the Wellness Foundation and announced the foundation’s first partnership with Best Friends Animal Society, a national organization advocating for animal welfare and humane animal shelter practices. To raise awareness for the foundation and its first partnership, the Wellness brand released a co-branded dog biscuit, product called Bestie Bars,
under its CORE line.

Going forward, the Wellness Foundation will advocate for pet adoption, ethical breeding and overall companion animal welfare by partnering with and supporting other pet-focused organizations such as the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI), Pet Sustainability Coalition (PSC) and TerraCycle.

Read other pet food and treat company profiles featured in our 2019 Resource Guide.