Petworking

There are fewer than 100 board certified veterinary nutritionists in the country. Megan Sprinkle is one of them. She is also the host of Vet Life Reimagined and head of veterinary affairs at Golden Child, the vet-formulated fresh food brand. I had the pleasure of appearing on Megan's show earlier this summer, so it was a treat to return the favor.

We got into the inflection point facing veterinary care, the thin nutrition education most vets actually receive, whether "vet-formulated" means anything, and how you build a pet food company from day one. Megan brought a frame I keep thinking about: she has always moved toward what she wants, never away from what she doesn't. Give it a listen.In this episode:

• Why Megan knew the exam room was never her destination, and how a broad definition of "veterinarian" opened every other door
• The nutrition education gap, in her words: two hours of small animal nutrition lab at Auburn. Not two credits. Two hours.
• Enrichment and gamification of feeding, from zoo nutrition to companion animals, and what Farmer's Dog acquiring Woof signals
• My thesis that the vet channel is the next frontier for non-therapeutic brands, and Megan's healthy skepticism about "vet-formulated" as a buzz term
• Inside Golden Child: building from the who, the drizzles, shipping frozen D2C, and an overwhelming response from vets
• Why there is no single fix for access to care, and the two-clinic story that reframes the whole problem
• Building better community for pet parents, and a nutrition hotline to make those 90-ish experts more reachable

Chapters:
00:00 Welcome Megan Sprinkle
02:00 The inflection point in veterinary care
03:20 Never wanted clinical practice
05:40 Moving toward, not away
11:25 Marine mammals to zoo to nutrition
19:00 Farmer's Dog buys Wolf, and enrichment in the bowl
21:30 The nutrition education gap
26:40 The vet channel and the "vet-formulated" question
32:10 Building Golden Child from day one
46:45 The product line: diets and drizzles
48:40 What she would change: no single solution
54:30 Community for pet parents and the nutrition hotline
59:25 Parting words
01:00:25 Peony, and why food is love

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.

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

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.

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 tract
• How Antech is deploying AI across two tracks: improving commercial products like Rapid Read (trained on 16 million radiographs) and accelerating scientific discovery
• The 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 yet
• Why Dr. Barr, an emergency and critical care specialist, believes the biggest opportunity in veterinary medicine is prevention and early detection, not acute care
• The role of lab technicians and logistics teams in maintaining the integrity of every diagnostic result, and why Lab Week matters

This 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.

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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 think
• How B2B sales and marketing in pet has evolved from boots on the ground to digital relationship building
• The future of independent pet specialty in a convenience-driven, at-home delivery world
• Why brands questioning trade show ROI are often the ones not doing the digital work before, during, and after the show
• The execution gap between knowing the LinkedIn playbook and actually running it
• What Jessica covers in her forthcoming book, Marketing Magic, and her upcoming talk at Global Pet Expo

Jessica 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.

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.

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Peter Kenseth on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pkenseth

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 UnKibble
• Why Russell made the contrarian decision to build his own factory
• How they've maintained prices despite industry-wide inflation
• The difference between freeze-dried, air-dried, and dehydrated pet food
• Pup Gum: rethinking dental care for dogs
• The future of personalization in pet nutrition
• What it really takes to scale a startup through a pandemic

Whether 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

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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

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 ecosystem
• Jeff's approach to investing in innovative pet startups
• The evolving landscape of pet health technology, from at-home diagnostics to smart collars
• Why the pet industry remains recession-proof and ripe for innovation
• What 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!

Rising veterinary costs are forcing families into impossible choices—and it's not just hurting pets. Veterinarians face mounting moral distress when they know they could help an animal, but financial barriers prevent proper care. This crisis contributes to the veterinary profession's alarmingly high suicide rate.

In this episode, I sit down with Heather Schmid Moore, CEO and founder of PetCentric Health, to explore an innovative solution: subscription-based veterinary care plans for independent practices.

What We Discuss:

• Why 70% of families can't afford a $400 unexpected expense—and how that translates to delayed or avoided veterinary care
• The problems with traditional a la carte veterinary pricing and why pet insurance alone isn't enough
• How PetCentric Health's subscription model works: combining preventive care with flexible spending for sick visits and minor issues
• Why subscription plans allow pet owners to access more care on day one than they've paid in—and how this benefits both families and veterinarians
• The role of subscription plans alongside pet insurance, telehealth, and emergency assistance funds like the Petworking Angel Fund
• Real data on how subscription models improve compliance, reduce veterinary stress, and catch health problems earlier

Key Takeaways:

The way we've paid for veterinary care for the past 50 years isn't working anymore. Pet owners want bundled, predictable pricing—not line-item bills that create sticker shock. Subscription care plans address the gap between routine wellness and major medical emergencies, covering the primary care needs that often get delayed or skipped entirely.

For veterinarians, these plans reduce the pressure to discount services, improve cash flow, and allow them to focus on medicine rather than difficult financial conversations. For pet owners, monthly subscriptions eliminate the barrier of walking in the door, encouraging the regular visits that lead to early detection and better outcomes.

About Our Guest:

Heather Schmid Moore is the CEO and founder of PetCentric Health, which currently supports nearly 40 veterinary hospitals across 10 states. Her company helps independent practices build customized subscription care plans that work for their specific client base and clinical focus.

Resources Mentioned:

• Pet Centric Health: petcentrichealth.com
• Petworking Angel Fund (November cocktail party launch - details coming soon)
• ASPCA Poison Control (included with Pet Centric subscriptions)

About Petworking:

Petworking explores innovations in pet health, nutrition, and care through conversations with industry leaders. Recent episodes have focused on improving access to veterinary care and preventing economic euthanasia—the heartbreaking reality of pets being euthanized or surrendered solely due to cost.

Timestamps:0:00 - Introduction: Why access to care matters3:38 - The hidden crisis in veterinary medicine7:12 - Why the a la carte payment model is broken12:27 - How Pet Centric Health's subscription model works22:56 - Can you really use your subscription on day one?31:19 - Unlimited visits vs. flexible spending: what works?35:02 - Partnerships: insurance, telehealth, and poison control40:44 - Impact on economic euthanasia and veterinary burnout45:41 - Update on the Petworking Angel Fund

Subscribe to Petworking for more conversations about innovations in pet health and care.

Questions? Comments? Share your thoughts below—especially if you're a veterinarian considering subscription models or a pet owner with experience using these plans.