Think your dog deserves dessert? So does
The venerable
The treats come in two flavors: pumpkin with cookies and peanut butter with pretzels. Both are made with a base of sunflower butter. They're made from the same ingredients Ben & Jerry’s uses in its non-dairy human desserts.
Ben & Jerry’s is the latest food company to pivot to pets, sensing opportunity as more Americans acquire furry friends. The number of
Spending on dog treats has ballooned, jumping 44% to
Lindsay Bumps, a global marketing specialist with Ben & Jerry’s, said the company had been eyeing the exponential growth in pet spending and started developing its dog treats early last year. The company consulted with a veterinary nutritionist, regulatory consultants and others to make sure the treats are safe and easy to digest, said Bumps, who is also a certified veterinary technician.
As with any treat, owners should go slow with the introduction, offering a spoonful at a time, Bumps said. She suggested putting the dessert in a bowl so dogs have an easier time navigating it. Bumps’ 9-year-old French bulldog, Spock, is a big fan of the peanut butter flavor.
The treats —
The pivot to pets doesn’t mean Ben & Jerry’s is seeing any slowdown on the human side.
“This is an opportunity for people to treat their dogs as they’re treating themselves when they grab a pint off the shelf,” she said.
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