NEW YORK — Product of the Year USA, a consumer-voted awards program focused on product innovation, announced the winners of the 2024 Product of the Year Awards in early February, recognizing 46 brands and products across the food and beverage, personal care, household products and pet care industries. Among the winners, Pets Best Life’s Yummy Combs® brand has been named Dog Treat Product of the Year.

The awards are determined through a national study of 40,000 American shoppers in partnership with Kantar. Product of the Year aims to recognize innovation and support shoppers as a trusted guide for the best new products on the market, both in-store and online. Winners are provided the Product of the Year red seal, which serves as a distinctive mark, helping consumers locate the best products and providing winning companies with a valuable marketing tool to build consumer awareness.

“The significance of Product of the Year has reached new heights in 2024 as consumers enjoy unprecedented access to products, and the marketplace becomes more dynamic with strategic partnerships that amplify reach and impact,” said Mike Nolan, global chief executive officer of Product of the Year Management. “The Iconic Product of the Year Seal not only recognizes innovation but also signifies a powerful endorsement in the modern retail era, enhancing the winners’ visibility and credibility in the marketplace.

“The 2024 award winners reflect the ever-changing trends in the American market while also highlighting outstanding features in function, design, packaging, or ingredients,” Nolan added. “As a company, we are enthusiastic about maintaining our position at the forefront of recognizing and celebrating these remarkable products.”

The winners were revealed at the annual Product of the Year Awards Show on Feb. 8 in New York City.

Pet’s Best Life was recognized among the 45 other winners for its Yummy Combs dog dental treat product. To help support oral health in canines, Yummy Combs features a unique, patented shape to help clean and floss a dog’s teeth from all angles. The dental treat is produced in North Kansas City, Mo., and is formulated with 44% protein and low in carbohydrates and starch. The treat is also formulated with functional ingredients to support overall health and wellness.

According to a recent study on Yummy Combs, the treat has been proven to help remove more than 25% of hardened tartar on dogs’ teeth and improve breath by 46%. This comes as pet owners increasingly seek nutritional solutions that support their pets’ dental and periodontal health.

Joe Roetheli, Ph.D., co-founded Pet’s Best Life and Yummy Combs along with his wife Judy Roetheli, president of Pet’s Best Life.

“This award is particularly significant in that it is heavily weighted on innovation,” Roetheli said. “Yummy Combs® is… Hybrid Wellness™… for dogs. Its innovative foundation rests on eight issued patents, plus two more pending, and delivers ten ‘firsts’ in the pet treat category.

“The innovations address four major issues of dogs specifically dental care with clinically-proven reduction in hardened tartar of over 25% and a 46% reduction in halitosis, four innovations to deter gulping, choking and bowel blockages, a 20-fold reversal of the traditional protein to starch ratio to address weight control issues, and 95 total benefits for your dog’s best life — healthier, safer, more nutritious and happier ‘best friend,’” he concluded.

Product of the Year also maintains awards programs for various other global regions, including the United Kingdom. Earlier this year, two pet food products — Whiskas Pouch Reset by Mars Petcare Europe and Butcher’s Nourishing Food for Dogs Healthy Heart Tins by Butcher’s Pet Care — were recognized as winners of the Cat Food and Dog Food categories, respectively.

Read more about pet treat products.