Petworking

Peter Kenseth
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A podcast focused on Pet Care and Animal Health

  1. 6 de ago.

    Freezer Space Is Finite: Building a Brand One Lick at a Time

    Debbie Hendrickx spent 18 years as a Nordstrom buyer before a 2 AM idea sent her to a Seattle dog park with an orange cart and two flavors written on a cup in Sharpie. Nine years later, Swell is a premium frozen dog treat brand in 1,600 stores across the US and Canada. Peter Kenseth talks with Debbie about building a physical product the hard way, from the co-manufacturer problem that made her sell her house and buy a factory, to cold chain economics, channel strategy, and why she built her brand on independent pet. They get into trade show math, a DTC subscription idea that doesn't require her to ship a single box, and the thesis at the heart of it all. Ingredients make a product. A memorable experience makes a brand.

  2. 9 de jul.

    The Fresh Shelf-Stable Bet: Wellness Reenters the Category on Its Own Terms

    Wellness Pet Company exited fresh frozen a few years ago. At Global Pet Expo, they reentered the category on their own terms with protein bowls, a fresh shelf-stable pouch that needs no freezer, reseals, and lands at $4.99.Peter Kenseth sits down with Greg Kean, SVP of Innovation and Nutrition at Wellness Pet Company, and Lina Gearity, who joined from Procter & Gamble six months ago to lead insights. Together they get into the product development story, the consumer testing behind it, the economics of the pack size, the nutrition, the vet channel, and the case for rotational feeding. What we cover:- Why Wellness left fresh frozen and how they came back without the cold chain- The Culinary Institute of America chef who paired aromatics to each protein- Building for the human experience, not just the dog- The 6.2 oz, $4.99 strategy and whether a larger size is coming- Full AAFCO profiles, digestibility testing, and "veterinarian recommended" on the label- The vet channel as the next frontier for non-therapeutic nutrition brands- No-transition feeding and what it means for the ten-day switch- The rotation debate, emotional and nutritional- Arlo, and the personal origin of Wellness's sensitive skin and stomach dietChapters:00:00 Welcome, and celebrating Old Mother Hubbard's 100th02:00 The protein bowls genesis02:55 Why Wellness exited fresh frozen04:10 What the product had to accomplish05:20 Meet Kyle, the CIA chef behind the aromatics07:20 Palatability, senior dogs, and picky eaters09:30 Cold chain challenges across the category11:25 Fresh shelf-stable vs traditional wet food13:35 Two years of development and consumer insights15:45 The package that actually dispenses22:20 The 6.2 oz and $4.99 decision27:50 No compromise on nutrition30:00 The vet endorsement and the vet channel34:25 The nutrition education gap and vet burnout38:00 No transition required39:40 The rotational feeding question43:10 What consumers really want from variety46:00 Why this industry matters #PetIndustry #PetFood #FreshPetFood #PetNutrition #Petworking #DogNutrition #CPG #AnimalHealth #WellnessPet

  3. 18 de jun.

    Revenues Up, Visits Down: The Quiet Math Behind the Access to Care Crisis

    Veterinary revenues are up, but visits are down, and that gap is where the access to care crisis lives. In this episode of Petworking, Peter Kenseth reconnects with Dr. Ben Hantler, founder of Consulting Medical Partners and one of the show's earliest guests, to talk through why veterinary care keeps getting more expensive and what the industry can do about it. Their conversation moves from rising exam fees and a la carte billing to the stubbornly low rate of pet insurance adoption, the veterinary shortage and burnout, and the promise of at-home diagnostics, telehealth, and membership models. Along the way they get honest about economic euthanasia, the toll the system takes on veterinarians, and why Peter started the Petworking Angel Fund. It is a candid, solutions-minded look at a problem that touches every pet owner, every clinic, and every pet.

  4. 20 de abr.

    Behind the Curtain: How the Mars Ecosystem Powers Antech's Innovation Engine

    How does the world's largest pet care ecosystem actually work? In this episode of Petworking, I sit down with Dr. Jimmy Barr, Chief Medical Officer of Antech Diagnostics, for a behind-the-curtain look at how Mars Petcare's four divisions connect to drive innovation in veterinary medicine. Most people hear "Mars" and think M&Ms. They don't think of Pedigree, Royal Canin, Champion Pet Foods, Banfield, VCA, Blue Pearl, Wisdom Panel, and one of the most ambitious longitudinal pet health studies ever attempted. Dr. Barr walks us through all of it. In this episode, we explore: How the Waltham Pet Care Science Institute serves as Mars's greenfield discovery engine, recently identifying 89 previously unknown bacterial species in the canine GI tractHow Antech is deploying AI across two tracks: improving commercial products like Rapid Read (trained on 16 million radiographs) and accelerating scientific discoveryThe Mars Pet Care Biobank, a long-term study enrolling 10,000 pets with annual lab work, genetic sequencing, quality-of-life questionnaires, and biological sample storage for future testing methodologies that don't even exist yetWhy Dr. Barr, an emergency and critical care specialist, believes the biggest opportunity in veterinary medicine is prevention and early detection, not acute careThe role of lab technicians and logistics teams in maintaining the integrity of every diagnostic result, and why Lab Week mattersThis episode is a continuation of my earlier conversation with Dr. Phillip Bosse at WVC about Antech's measured approach to AI in veterinary diagnostics. Follow Peter Kenseth on LinkedIn for more conversations at the intersection of pet care, animal health, and innovation. Subscribe to the Petworking newsletter on LinkedIn to be notified of new episodes, and see accompanying episode articles.

  5. 10 de mar.

    Marketing Magic: Why Pet Brands Can't Afford to Ignore LinkedIn

    With Global Pet Expo right around the corner, I sat down with Jessica McCarthy, Founder & CEO of Brand Energy, to talk about something that should be on every pet brand's radar: the untapped power of LinkedIn as a marketing and relationship-building platform. Jessica brings serious pet industry credibility to the conversation, having spent nearly seven years at Mars — including a five-year run leading their national customer marketing program. In this episode, we explore: Why 99% of LinkedIn users are "lurkers" — and why that matters more than you thinkHow B2B sales and marketing in pet has evolved from boots on the ground to digital relationship buildingThe future of independent pet specialty in a convenience-driven, at-home delivery worldWhy brands questioning trade show ROI are often the ones not doing the digital work before, during, and after the showThe execution gap between knowing the LinkedIn playbook and actually running itWhat Jessica covers in her forthcoming book, Marketing Magic, and her upcoming talk at Global Pet ExpoJessica is a fractional CMO and CRO who works with pet brands and businesses of all sizes to build marketing strategies that drive real results. Her perspective on why independent pet retailers have been slow to adopt digital marketing — and what that means for the channel's future — is a must-listen for anyone in the pet industry. About Petworking:Petworking is the podcast for pet care and animal health professionals. Hosted by Peter Kenseth, VP & Partner at Maia Strategy Group, Petworking features interviews with founders, executives, and veterinarians driving innovation across the pet industry.

  6. 5 de fev.

    At a Tipping Point: Pet Insurance, Affordability, and the Future of Pet Ownership

    Is the middle class getting priced out of pet ownership? With headlines warning of rising pet debt and skyrocketing veterinary costs, I sat down with Lane Kent, former CEO of Independence Pet Group, to discuss the affordability crisis in pet care and the role pet insurance can play in addressing it. Lane shares why pet insurance adoption remains stuck at 4% despite over 90% of Americans considering pets family members, what's fundamentally broken about current product designs, and why he believes we're approaching a tipping point that could see adoption reach 10% within the next decade. We also discuss the 43% increase in veterinary costs since COVID, how employer-sponsored benefits could drive adoption, the promise of telemedicine and wearable technology, and why the current reimbursement model needs to evolve. Key topics:→ Why buying pet insurance is like buying homeowner's insurance after a fire starts→ The structural flaw of underwriting health insurance as property & casualty→ Signs of change: major insurers entering the market→ Lane's prediction for pet insurance adoption→ The PAWS Act and tax-deductible pet expenses About the Guest:Lane Kent is the former CEO of Independence Pet Group, one of the largest holding companies of pet insurance brands in the United States, encompassing approximately 25 brands including Pumpkin and Pets Best Insurance Services, LLC. About Peter Kenseth & Petworking:Peter Kenseth is the host of the Petworking podcast and Vice President & Partner at Maia Strategy Group, where he leads the Pet Care & Animal Health practice. He is also the founder of the Petworking Angel Fund, which provides financial assistance to families facing economic euthanasia decisions for treatable conditions. 📌 CONNECT WITH USPetworking Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/petworking-7052038911409160192 Peter Kenseth on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pkenseth

  7. 21 de jan.

    From Studio Apartment to Nine-Figure Brand: How Spot & Tango is Competing in the Fresh Pet Food Market

    From cooking fresh meals for his dog Jack in a NYC studio apartment to running a nine-figure pet food company, Russell Breuer's entrepreneurial journey is one for the books. In this episode, the CEO & Founder of Spot & Tango joins Peter Kenseth to discuss how his company is disrupting the fresh pet food market by making minimally processed nutrition affordable and accessible. With industry giants like Hill's, Royal Canin, and Blue Buffalo all piling into the fresh food space, Russell explains how Spot & Tango carved out a unique position through their proprietary "fresh dry" process—delivering the benefits of fresh frozen at 30-40% lower cost. We cover: The origin story behind Spot & Tango and UnKibbleWhy Russell made the contrarian decision to build his own factoryHow they've maintained prices despite industry-wide inflationThe difference between freeze-dried, air-dried, and dehydrated pet foodPup Gum: rethinking dental care for dogsThe future of personalization in pet nutritionWhat it really takes to scale a startup through a pandemicWhether you're a pet parent curious about fresh food options, an entrepreneur navigating the pet industry, or just love a good founder story, this conversation delivers. 🔗 Learn more about Spot & Tango: spotandtango.com🔗 Check out Pup Gum: pupgum.com — Petworking is hosted by Peter Kenseth, VP & Partner at Maia Strategy Group, covering the people, brands, and trends shaping the future of pet care and animal health. #PetFood #FreshPetFood #Entrepreneurship #PetIndustry #DogFood #Petworking

  8. 23/10/2025

    Connecting the Dots: How Jeff Mard is Building Bridges Across the Pet Industry

    In this episode, Peter Kenseth sits down with Jeff Mard, founder of Channel M, to discuss his unique business model in the pet industry. As someone who attends nearly every major pet conference—from SuperZoo to VMX to Pet Connect—Jeff has built a consulting practice focused on connecting brands, agencies, and service providers while also investing his expertise in exchange for equity stakes. In this conversation, we explore: How Channel M facilitates connections across the pet industry ecosystemJeff's approach to investing in innovative pet startupsThe evolving landscape of pet health technology, from at-home diagnostics to smart collarsWhy the pet industry remains recession-proof and ripe for innovationWhat makes a pet company worth investing in Whether you're a pet industry professional, entrepreneur, or investor, Jeff's insights on building relationships and identifying opportunities in this growing market are invaluable. 📧 Subscribe to Petworking to stay updated on the latest pet industry trends and conversations!

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Sobre

A podcast focused on Pet Care and Animal Health

Informações

  • Criado por
    Peter Kenseth
  • Anos de atividade
    2023 - 2026
  • Episódios
    83
  • Classificação
    Livre
  • Copyright
    © Peter Kenseth
  • Site do podcast
    Petworking

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