As the pandemic pet business continues to soar, EarthWise Pet stands out in the market

Walking into a pet supply superstore, customers find the shelves stocked in a uniform way and segregated by animal type, further broken down into value and premium selections. If they can flag down a busy worker in a usually understaffed store that’s the size of a warehouse, it’s a toss-up as to whether they’ll find someone knowledgeable enough to answer their questions.

Walking into an EarthWise Pet, the customer will certainly be familiar with our all-natural, premium product lines. Layouts might vary from location to location, as each one is unique to its community. But one thing is certain: They can count on a friendly and educated worker who greets them and is well-prepared to answer any questions right away.

Every franchise has a certified pet nutrition expert, trained by EarthWise Pet’s own staff pet nutritionist, so they really know the product lines inside and out. That’s a key differentiator between our business and theirs, and even in a time of plenty in the pet supply business, it’s important to stand out. 

Better products for better pets

From Nulo, a pet food brand that offers low-glycemic index ingredients and probiotics, to Weruva, a family-owned dog and cat food line known for using real ingredients, premium brands are all we stock. Many of EarthWise Pet’s curated products are so specific to a certain type of customer, they’re not even available at the big-box stores. That’s the kind of above-and-beyond experience we like to provide our guests.

As a family-owned business ourselves, EarthWise Pet has always been centered around better nutrition and better products. All our product lines are all-natural, and that’s how it’s been since we were founded in 1977 in Huntington Beach, CA.

From the beginning, EarthWise Pet was all about helping people create healthier lives for their pets. “It was something that we knew we could grow,” says CEO Mike Seitz, whose family founded the EarthWise Pet brand, “but more than anything, it was the love for animals, and that’s always been a part of the family.”

That’s why we offer our premium all-natural product lines as well as grooming — both full-service and self-service — which has been proven to be a health benefit for dogs. And what truly sets apart our retail experience is the staff education on all the products.

Customer intimacy

Retail business can be challenging, even in the booming $100 billion pet industry. Before the pandemic, 65% of pet owners purchased pet supplies from brick-and-mortar stores, while only 43% percent shopped that way during COVID, according to a survey by American Pet Products Association, as reported by Pet Business magazine.

But the EarthWise Pet approach to customer intimacy truly sets us apart. We educate franchisees and their staff about the ins and outs of our product lines, which empowers them to help people with their animals and directly provide the kind of personalized expert customer service that they simply can’t find elsewhere.

The APPA study also showed that 47% of pet owners increased their online shopping for pet products in 2020. Out of this group, Millennials had the biggest increase in online shopping habits, with 58% reporting the uptick, with the next largest increase coming from Gen Z at 56%. As the pandemic restrictions are lifting and more people are returning to in-person retail shopping, EarthWise Pet stands out.

We offer a curated shopping experience that is laser-focused on eco-friendly, holistic and all-natural brands. That sets us apart from big-box pet warehouses or Amazon.com. And for those who plan to continue shopping online, EarthWise Pet stores offer online shopping and home delivery, including subscriptions for those pet products consumers know they want to buy repeatedly.

In short, EarthWise Pet is a full-service pet care hub. Our franchise business has been around for decades, and we’re positioned to continue thriving long after the pandemic is gone.

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