Private Brands Key to Pet Supplies Plus Future Growth

The past few months have been a busy time for Pet Supplies Plus. In June, the retailer unveiled new products to its OptimPlus private brand. A month earlier, the company opened its new South Carolina distribution center that will allow for enhanced distribution to stores across the southeast. 

These recent events speak to the growth the pet specialty retailer continues to see today and expects in the future. Store expansion, said company CEO Chris Rowland, is at the forefront of this effort.

“We have commitments in place for nearly 300 new and existing franchise stores to open in the future,” he told Store Brands. “This will fuel our growth of 70 to 90 new stores for Pet Supplies Plus and Wag n Wash each year.”

Playing a major role in the company’s expansion plans is growth of its private label assortment. The past few years have seen a number of retailers expand their selection of pet food to include a broader range of store brands. Driving this is a need to offer shoppers items at lower prices that also provide retailers a point of differentiation from their competitors.

“Private brand products are essential to the success of Pet Supplies Plus,” Rowland said. “Building strong private brand offerings allows us to stay in touch with our neighbors and react to their needs because we develop the products ourselves. We are also providing high-quality, lower-cost options to ensure we’re giving our store owners and neighbors the very best value.”

Currently, Pet Supplies Plus’ private brand assortment features consumable and hard goods. Its store brands selection includes Redford Naturals, OptimPlus, Mitten’s Morsels, Mitten’s Pickins, Hartwick Fields, and the newly launched Wixom Ranch Natural Chews that cover cat food, dog food, and treats. Play On is its hero hard goods brand for cats, dogs, and some small animal products, and Fins First is the retailer’s private brand for fish.

Rowland said Pet Supplies Plus has seen sales of private brand items continue to increase. He noted that while some shoppers initially converted to store brand products to offset higher prices from national brands, they have continued to buy the items as they like the quality and value offered.

“Our private brands are designed and curated to be stand-alone brands that are exclusive to Pet Supplies Plus stores,” he said. “We benchmark against national brands to ensure we are meeting the needs of our (shoppers) and meeting or exceeding the quality standards, while still offering the best value to our store owners and neighbors.”

He added, “We are always looking for opportunities to bring new private brand offerings to our stores to provide the best options for our store owners and (customers).”