Target introduces Kindfull dog and cat food

Target is launching its new private brand of dog and cat food, with the rollout of Kindfull in stores and online on Aug. 15. The assortment of wet and dry food, treats and toppers includes such items as Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, Wild Caught Salmon Recipe Wet Cat Food and Chicken, Pumpkin & Turmeric Recipe Toppers. More than half of the more than 50 new items are priced under $10.

“Kindfull highlights Target’s continued commitment to providing our guests with an incredible cross-category portfolio of owned brand options to choose from alongside their favorite national brands,” said Jill Sando, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer, Target. “With Kindfull, our newest owned brand offers guests pet food for their furry family members that showcases our commitment to quality, value and thoughtfully selected ingredients.”

Based on Target’s own research, the retailer found that the majority of its shoppers are pet parents who say they are looking for high-quality pet food at a great value. Target’s in-house team worked with pet food and nutrition experts, diving deep into customer insights, to create a line of pet food with no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives and no wheat, corn or soy. Kindfull is made with Ingredients like real poultry, pasture-raised beef and fish that are wild-caught using sustainable practices that help protect ocean resources. More than 40% of Kindfull items are in recyclable packaging, which supports the retailer’s Target Forward ambition to innovate to eliminate waste.

Related:Target eyes new era of sustainability with ‘Target Forward’

Kindfull pet food is made with Ingredients like real poultry, pasture-raised beef and fish that are wild-caught using sustainable practices that help protect ocean resources

As part of Target’s goal to create a one-stop shop for pet owners, Kindfull joins Boots & Barkley, Target’s owned brand apparel and accessory line for pets, plus seasonal owned brand pet gear and accessories from Sun Squad, Hyde & EEK! Boutique and Wondershop.

Kindfull is the latest expansion of Target’s owned brands, which also include its Good & Gather food and beverage brand (and the recently launched Good & Gather Plant Based line) and Favorite Day indulgent food brand.  

In a conference call earlier this year reporting fourth-quarter results, Target chairman and CEO Brian Cornell noted that private brands have become a major business at Minneapolis-based Target, which in 2016 began an “own brand reinvention” that has since produced 30 new brands.

“We cleared 2020 with 10 of our own brands each generating $1 billion or more, and four of those crossed the $2 billion per year threshold,” Cornell told analysts on the call. “Any one of these brands alone would be a sizable retailer and, as you know, their contribution of profits is outsized.”

Related:Target launches Good & Gather Plant Based label

Chief growth officer Christina Hennington said during that call that more new brands were upcoming.

“Our owned brand portfolio, which spans all categories, is vital to the success of our business. It represents about one-third of our total sales and even more of our gross margin, which helps to sustain key enterprise investments. And Target’s owned brands continue to generate strong growth because of our approach to creating, designing and maintaining these brands. They’re not just private labels. They’re brands our guests trust. They’re brands our guests love,” Hennington said.

Kindfull will launch at all 1,900 U.S. Target stores and via Target.com, available for in-store Order Pickup, Drive Up curbside service and Shipt same-day home delivery.