Fine dining is no longer exclusive to the human world. Pets’ elevated status in American households in recent years has created brisk demand for higher-grade pet food befitting of their new position as bona fide family members. As a result, the term gourmet in the pet industry has evolved beyond being a cutesy way to market pet foods to being a designation that implies quality, palatability and nutritional integrity.

As a category in pet specialty retail, gourmet fare has certainly earned its spot at the table, so to speak. The American Pet Products Association (APPA) gives it credence every other year in its National Pet Owners Survey, sandwiching the category between natural foods and premium foods on its listings of the types of food dog and cat owners feed their pets most often. In parenthesis next to the word “gourmet,” APPA defines the category as “food considered upscale or fancy.” As definitions go, however, it is a slippery one.

About eight percent of dog owners and 18 percent of cat owners who responded to the survey reported feeding “gourmet food” to their pets in 2010. Clearly, there is a modest market for gourmet food, but the category tends to defy precise definition. It cannot be defined, for example, with the same clarity with which the FDA defines the term organic, making it clear to both human- and pet-food manufacturers exactly what can and cannot be deemed organic.

Grab a few cans or bags of food labeled gourmet, however, and you will find some common denominators. These are premium foods that come with premium prices, boasting top-quality, human-grade ingredients that should be, above all, tasty. The other thing that remains clear is that these pet foods are in demand, and manufacturers agree that the demand is growing.

“Gourmet and premium dog food is here to stay and growing,” says Jamie Wiebrecht, director of field marketing for Three Dog Bakery, a gourmet pet bakery that manufactures treats and food.  “As humans focus on their health and well-being with quality products for themselves, they will focus the same for the dogs they love so much.”

Despite APPA’s treatment of gourmet food as a category of its own, many manufacturers agree that food bearing this categorization falls under a much broader umbrella—natural pet foods. This, of course, also includes organic, holistic and artisan brands. In fact, delineating the distinctions may be getting more difficult, according to Christine Hackett, president of Tiki Cat & Tiki Dog Natural Gourmet Whole Foods, by Petropics.

“The natural food world has evolved considerably—in the last two, three years even—so the waters are getting muddy again,” she says.

Whether it relates to pet or human food, many consumers understand the descriptor to mean that the product is upscale in price, quality and, hopefully, taste—and they may not require more of a definition than that. “Our customers have a preconceived notion of ‘gourmet’ in their human life that is easily adapted to our dog treats and food,” says Wiebrecht.

Regardless of exactly how gourmet is being defined these days, the category’s rising popularity is indisputable, according to manufacturers. Hackett, for example, reports “huge growth” in sales last year, despite the economic downturn. “I think we are capturing a consumer base that is  not necessarily as impacted,” she says. “We have a small, micro market share within the total food industry of course, but it’s a great business and a growing segment of the business.”

Among the most significant driving forces behind the growth of this category boils down to simple supply and demand. Increasingly label-conscious consumers are choosier than ever about the ingredients in the pet foods they purchase, and many are gravitating toward the premium brands that promise higher-quality formulas.

“Consumers are smart enough to understand what’s good and what’s not,” says Daryl Abrams, CEO of Party Animal Pet Foods, who attributes the success of his company to consumers’—and retailers’—obsession with ingredients and manufacturing processes.

It was merely a few years ago when Abrams’ company gained traction as a brand new manufacturer. When widespread pet-food recalls left retailers with gaping holes in their food aisles, they scrambled to find trustworthy suppliers that had clean ingredient lists and unmarred reputations. Party Animal was one of the brands that fit the bill, Abrams says, and the company benefited from the vacuum that the recalls created in the market.

“Ever since the recalls, retailers have done their research,” he says. “They haven’t forgotten. They are still analyzing and researching.”

Fortunately for these retailers, manufacturers are attentive to the demand for such high-quality products and are working hard to come with up diets that answer the call. Party Animal, for instance, manufacturers canned and dry dog and cat food made of mostly organic ingredients, with flavors such as Chillin’ Chicken (organic turkey, sweet potatoes, pears and cranberries with vegetables) and Heavenly Venison Recipe (venison with organic sweet potatoes and carrots).

Companies are also backing up their offerings with marketing messages meant to ensure that customers understand the value and the benefits these products offer. Three Dog Bakery devotes a section of its website to explaining the benefits of the ingredients it uses in its lines of oven-baked dog and cat foods and treats and wet entrees for dogs called, Gracie’s Gourmet . For example, a browser can click on brown rice to discover that it is “loaded” with the complex carbohydrates, B vitamins and minerals or click on lamb to learn that it is a “first-rate source of protein that assists in strong muscle and heart development.”

Meanwhile, Petropics makes canned diets containing shredded whole meats, fish and vegetables, and boast ingredients that are often considered upscale for even human consumption—lobster consommé, whole crabs, prawns, kale and garlic, to name a few. The result, Hackett says, is a product that looks good enough to put on the dinner table and not just in the dog’s bowl.

Although Petropics’ products have been on the market since 2005, the company just recently redesigned its label to include the word “gourmet.” It is a message Hackett wants to convey to consumers, to distinguish Tiki products within in the growing sea of natural food on the market.

“We wanted our branding to be more clear to the market,” she says.

Still, while many of these products boast ingredients found more often on Michelin star restaurant menus than in pet foods, once in the bowl, the food has to taste as good as it looks in order to warrant its gourmet status and premium price tag. Taste is naturally a big component to the gourmet proposition. Customers expect that products claiming to be gourmet will taste better than everyday fare—after all, feeding gourmet for many pet owners is a way to treat their pets to something special. This is especially true since many pet owners can’t afford to feed these higher-priced foods to their pets daily.

“If you are going out to a fine-dining restaurant, you are looking to have that experience match that price,” Hackett says. “For people who are treating their animals to a gourmet food, it had better feed [well], and it better match that message. The only vote that counts is if [their pet] really licks that plate clean.” 

Manufacturers have known for decades that it’s simply smart to market their products as flavorful, but living up to the claim is more important than ever. And, while cats have long been reputed to be finicky, people are questioning the common belief that dogs will eat just about anything.

“Pets are finicky, whether it’s a dog or cat,” says Abrams. “I’m a firm believer that each dog or cat prefers one style of food over another—whether that means a chunky style or pate style of food—and they have personal preferences [regarding] the ingredients.”

Three Dog Bakery also makes palatability a priority. The 20-plus year old company is committed to using all-natural human-quality ingredients in its products. Having a flavorful end-product, however, is no less important. “Three Dog Bakery prides itself on offering products that are just as healthy as they are tasty,” says executive pastry chef Sarah Deters.


Passing the Taste Test
Sometimes, a food’s palatability can serve an even higher purpose than the obvious. Hackett explains that the Tiki brand goes beyond just being an epicurean delight for pets by offering formulas that work particularly well for pet owners who are struggling to get their aging or ailing pets to eat. Sick animals, she says, often lose their appetites, and finicky older pets require tasty, high-quality meals—“they’ll eat if you can find something that really hits their palate.”

Manufacturers also agree that pet specialty is the prime domain of these higher-end brands. Consumers who are in the market for these premium products or those who already demonstrate preference for all-natural or organic pet foods see the value in seeking out the nearest pet specialty shop to buy them—even if that means making an extra stop after the grocery shopping or spending more than they would at a big-box store.

Says Amanda Harris, corporate assistant baker manager for Three Dog Bakery: “Most customers are willing to spend the extra money to have the peace of mind that they are feeding their pets a quality foods.”