问答题

More Pet Brands Target Owners Who Like to Cook Their Own Dog FoodA) Dog owners "know they’re not quite cooking" when they mash the meat or mix it with kibble, says Scott Morris, co-founder of the Secaucus, N. J., company. "But they still feel emotionally rewarded for the effort." That insight is driving a big shift in the way companies are designing food for the nation’s millions of dogs and cats. After years of steadily rising pet-food sales, brands are launching premium-priced products requiring humans to refrigerate, freeze, dice, heat and/or mix-in additional ingredients like meat and vegetables.B) More pet owners want to feed their dogs and cats fresh food like the stuff people eat. These pet "parents" want to do more than dump food from a can or a bag into a bowl. They want to prepare a meal for their pet the way they would for a family member. Companies are designing specifically for the "happy dance" —what the industry calls all the jumping, wagging, purring and pawing that hungry dogs and cats do when anticipating a meal. " That enjoyment is what the pet parent is looking for," says Evelia Davis, vice president of consumable merchandise for retailer PetSmart Inc.C) A majority of pet owners now customize their pet’s meals in some way, maybe adding bacon or some chopped vegetables, according to research from retailer Petco Animal Supplies Inc. "We’re seeing it as a shift," says John Sturm, vice president of food and treats. "Just putting the bowl on the ground and walking away isn’t the humanized experience that pet parents are looking for." Laura Twichell says the extra steps she takes to feed her black Labrador help stave off digestive problems. Twice a day, Ms. Twichell, a stay-at-home mother in Cincinnati, slices a quarter-pound slab from a roll of refrigerated chicken-and-vegetable dog food. She mixes it with a half-cup of organic, salmon-based kibble, which she has soaked in water and then heated in the microwave, plus three tablespoons of canned pumpkin puree.D) Once mainstream shoppers didn’t give the ingredients in pet food much thought. Experts say it’s hard to achieve a balanced homemade diet, though, and eventually the expense and time involved turned a lot of pet owners off—and opened the door to nutrient-rich packaged products that require just a little preparation.E) In March, Nestle S. A. —owned Purina introduced Just Right, an online customizable brand that asks owners questions about their dog, including breed, age, activity level and skin condition, and then helps tailor food to the dog’s individual needs. "We built this brand based on the belief that the best nutrition is personalized," says Brian Lester, Purina’s director of marketing for innovation.F) U. S. sales of pet food in 2013 totaled an estimated $21 billion, up 24% since 2008, according to market research firm Packaged Facts. The industry’s growth through the recession points to the close bond consumers feel with pets. In a survey last year, 83% of consumers said they consider their pets part of the family. Over the next 18 months, Whole Foods Market Inc. says it plans to expand its selection of organic and animal welfare-rated pet food so the aisle looks more like one of its human—food aisles. "We want people to know that the pet food they buy in our store would be something that they would be just as happy buying for themselves," says Dwight Richmond, global grocery purchasing coordinator at Whole Foods.G) Mr. Richmond—who prefers the term pet "partners," not "owners" —cooks for his two Jack Russell Terriers, often making salmon or beef for both the dogs and for his wife and himself. The dogs’ meals are mixed with kibble. Freshpet says its refrigerated meat rolls are cooked in small batches at lower temperatures without preservatives. With flavors for dogs like "grain-free salmon and ocean whitefish with spinach, cranberries and blueberries, " Freshpet compares its products to " a meal you’d cook for your family, using simple ingredients you recognize".H) Lucy Postins, chief executive and founder, at first worried people wouldn’t want the hassle of mixing warm water with dehydrate (脱水的) food mix. " But they embraced it, " she says. "They love the fact that they share with their pet this moment of anticipation." Ms. Postins says she personally tastes all Honest Kitchen’s products and ingredients and now is focused on adding variety—because many owners worry their dogs and cats will get bored with repetition.I) In July, duck will join the lineup including cage-free turkey, free-range chicken and line-caught haddock. Honest Kitchen plans to add dry mixes—including blends of buckwheat, millet and quinoa, and vegetables like chard, pumpkin and peas—to which consumers can add cooked or raw meat. Several pet-food makers say natural ingredients make their recipes appealing to humans. "The gross-out factor is gone with us," says Mark Sapir, vice president of marketing for Merrick Pet Care Inc. The company’s canned "French Country Cafe" dog food evokes "the romance of France" and "will have your dog begging for more in a heavy French accent, "the company says. "Thanksgiving Day Dinner" has turkey, sweet potatoes, carrots, green beans and Granny Smith apples. "When you open the can, it’s really a human mealtime experience," Mr. Sapir says.J) Not every popular fruit and vegetable translates well for the pet palate. "A lot of these natural ingredients have a good cachet about them but aren’t necessarily what a dog or cat would have any interest in eating," says Nancy Rawson, a director of research at AFB International, in St. Charles, Mo., which produces flavor coatings to the pet-food industry. Behavioral analysis of dogs and cats helps Dr. Rawson determine whether flavors need to be adjusted. By examining how dogs and cats sniff, poke and eat their food, she finds out their enthusiasm or objection. Having worked to balance strong-flavored pet-food ingredients like blueberries and peas, Dr. Rawson is bracing for the day when she’ll have to tackle the bitter taste of kale. "I’m sure it’s coming," she says. Experts try to balance the ingredients of pet food in order to produce suitable food for dogs and cats.