With the United States still reeling from the coronavirus pandemic and customers looking to support local and domestic businesses, the made in the USA dog food and treat category is poised for success.
Simply put, pet owners feel good when they support made in the USA brands, said Aaron Merrell, CEO of Plato Pet Treats, a manufacturer in Fresno, Calif.
“Not only are pet food and treats that are made in the USA more trusted by American consumers, but [shoppers] also feel good that they are supporting businesses within our economy,” Merrell said.
All of Plato’s treats, with the exception of its Single Ingredient Fish line, are made at its factory in California.
“When we built our Plato operation in 2006, we chose to locate in the heart of California’s San Joaquin Valley in order to be close to the farms we source from,” Merrell said. “We can, and often do, hop in the car to visit the chicken farm where we source the majority of our chickens from. We believe that knowing our suppliers and their operations is very important to ensure that we are offering a high-quality product.”
Perhaps even more important than where ingredients are grown is their quality, said Bob and Susan Goldstein, co-presidents of Earth Animal, a manufacturer in Southport, Conn.
“We believe that it is important to use raw ingredients that are sourced in the…
