SANTA MONICA, CALIF. — eTailPet, a company helping brick-and-mortar pet specialty retailers establish e-commerce capabilities, launched a new vendor program to increase its support for in-store pet retailers in the wake of COVID-19.

The company has rallied several of its vendors, including a variety of pet food and product distributors, brands and manufacturers, behind a common goal of supporting small pet retail businesses and independent retailers across the United States.

“COVID-19 thrust them [local retailers] into the future and forced them to adapt or be out of business,” commented Lonnie Schwimmer, founder of Nootie, a pet grooming product brand and one of eTailPet’s vendor partners. “Now that stores have seen the future accelerated, the next steps should be focusing on brands that are not on Chewy or Amazon, so they continue to separate themselves from them." 

Michael Baker, chief executive officer of Pet Food Experts, announced its sales staff of 28 employees are helping eTailPet in its operational efforts at this time.

Overall, eTailPet’s vendor program allows pet food and product distributors, brands and processors to connect more directly with independent retailers. This includes updating and improving product catalog accuracy to alleviate stocking issues, as well as collaborating on key buying habit data to improve product offerings going forward.

“We are always looking for ways to support our eTailers,” said Berenice Giannini, founder of eTailPet. “This pandemic has upended communities and our families. The overwhelming and generous initiative on the part of our vendor community will help neighborhood pet adapt and succeed in this rapidly changing environment.”

Pet food and treat vendors supporting eTailPet’s program include:

  • Almo Nature USA
  • Champion Petfoods
  • Earth Animal
  • Farmina
  • First Mate
  • Fromm Family Pet Food
  • Holistic Hound
  • Inaba Foods
  • Midwestern Pet Foods
  • Natural Pet Food Group
  • Nature’s Logic
  • Nature’s Variety
  • Nutrisource (formerly Tuffy’s Pet Food)
  • Pets Global
  • Plato Pet Treats
  • Primal Pet Foods
  • Redbarn Pet Products
  • Sustainably Yours
  • Swedencare USA
  • The Bear and The Rat
  • The Honest Kitchen
  • Treat Planet, LLC
  • Vetdiet
  • W.F. Young
  • WellPet
  • Weruva
  • Ziwi Pets

Other vendor partners, including DuckyWorld Products, Inc., First Mate, H&C Animal Health, PetSafe, Skout’s Honor, Tall Tails and Tropiclean, represent health and wellness, veterinary and toy products.

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