FOR YEARS, pet food innovators have taken the best (and worst) of people food trends and incorporated them into product development. Case in point: the Paleo/Whole 30 craze, which can be seen reflected in the move toward “ancestral” diets for dogs and cats. Here, we’ve selected some of the ways these trends can shine, through premium choices that mirror popular human counterparts.

Special Sauce

Move over, pâté. This gravy train is pulling into the station! Stews and sauces are the ultimate comfort food for people, so why not let kitty pull up a chair to the table and dine on home cooking as well? Only danger here is you might mistake these stews as something you can serve yourself, as the selections are made from human-grade ingredients and can pass as the real deal.

Cat Stews
Caru Pet Food

KEY FEATURES: Four savory selections: Chicken, Chicken with Crab, Turkey and Wild Salmon & Turkey, in 6-ounce cartons. American-made in a human-grade facility using human-grade ingredients. Packed with added vitamins, minerals and taurine, and contain no GMO ingredients, grains or gluten.

SALES TIP: Your customers can kick the cans, thanks to BPA-free TetraPak cartons. Once opened, the stews can be refrigerated for up to three days, for extra staying power.

carupetfood.com, (855) 330-CARU

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Oh My Gravy!
B.F.F. (Best Feline Friend) by Weruva

KEY FEATURES: Six gravy-based recipes that focus on maximizing hydration and providing quality protein from land-based meats. Oh My Gravy! (OMG!) line is available in 2.8-ounce packages and cans, and 5.5-ounce cans.

SALES TIP: Instant BFF! The cute and colorful packaging featuring creative illustrations and fun graphics will appeal to your millennial customers.

bestfriendsfoods.com, (508) 620-0001

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Feline Cafe Fricassees
Bravo! Pet Foods

KEY FEATURES: Three flavors of fricassees — beef, chicken and turkey — are loaded with minced meat or poultry in a tasty gravy. Complemented with cranberries, salmon oil, garden greens, green-lipped mussels, turmeric and more. Comes in 5.5-ounce cans.

SALES TIP: Good enough to serve with a side of cornbread, or maybe catnip.

bravopetfoods.com, (866) 922-9222

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Gourmet Grub

What do coconut oil, savory sauces and slow-cooked broth have in common? While they sound like they are taken from a food blogger’s top-10 list, they are all new releases of cat food that each take a fresh spin on updating old classics, moving them into the realm of fine dining.

Tropical Blendz
Solid Gold

KEY FEATURES: A unique twist on classic pâté, with real meat and nutrient-rich coconut oil to support skin and coat health. Featuring four nutritionally complete recipes, in 3- and 6-ounce cans.

SALES TIP: Play some Jimmy Buffett in the background and whip up a batch of piña coladas to get your customers in an island state of mind.

solidgoldpet.com, (800) 364-4863

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Fussie Cat Super Premium
Pets Global

KEY FEATURES: Seven grain-free varieties in 2.8-ounce cans. The Chicken and Chicken Liver recipe contains shredded chicken and liver packed in a low-sodium pumpkin soup, complete with prebiotics for digestion and DHA for brain development.

SALES TIP: Your customers can go for the gold with this “gold” line of chicken-based formulas. For a pairing they can dive into, offer alongside the tuna-based “premium” line.

fussiecat.com, (888) 897-7207

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La cucina
Almo Nature

KEY FEATURES: Made with “HQS” (high-quality sourced) ingredients, in grain-free gourmet formulas that are also free of additives and carrageenan. Three chicken and three tuna recipes of shredded cuts preserved in their own cooking broth. Comes in 1.94-ounce pouches.

SALES TIP: With a slogan of “owned by the animals,” this Italian-based multinational keeps raising its own bar on quality and places animal welfare high in its mission.

almonature.com, (305) 450-1343

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Surf ’N’ Turf

From Atkins to paleo, people have embraced diets that put protein front and center on the plate. With cats being meat-eaters by nature, it only makes sense to give them more of what they want and need. Cater to the inner carnivore with these meat-centric, high-protein formulas that focus on quality ingredients and no fillers. Your customers can get kitty counting carbs in no time!

Ziwi Peak New Zealand Mackerel and Lamb
Ziwi Peak

KEY FEATURES: Combination of wild-caught, sustainable New Zealand blue mackerel and free-range, grass-fed lamb, resulting in a recipe that contains 93 percent meat. The mackerel is rich source of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. Available in 3- and 6.5-ounce BPA-free cans.

SALES TIP: Your customers won’t have to travel to reap the benefits of New Zealand’s superfoods, including green mussels for natural glucosamine and chondroitin.

ziwipets.com, (877) 464-9494

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Purrfect Bistro Surf & Turf Pâté
Merrick

KEY FEATURES: A food that has the “surf” (salmon) and the “turf” (beef) happily co-existing in the same meal. This grain-free bistro favorite is also loaded with chicken, antioxidants to support immunity, omegas for a healthy skin and coat, plus vitamins, minerals and taurine. Available in 3- and 5.5-ounce cans.

SALES TIP: No reservations required for this bistro fare. You might want to pair it with a red-and-white checkered placemat, though.

merrickpetcare.com, (800) 664-7387

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Crave Pâté
Crave

KEY FEATURES: Six flavors, including Chicken and Beef and Salmon and Trout. Real meat gets top billing and recipes are free of fillers, artificial colors, or preservatives. Each 2.6-ounce tray is a twin pack of two servings, for easy meal time.

SALES TIP: New Mars brand launched last year, and has received favorable reviews. A solid contender for retailers looking to add a more commercial offering.

cravepetfoods.com, (800) 255-4738

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