“I and love and you” and Walmart Collaborate to Make Healthier Food Accessible to All Cats

High Growth Pet Food Brand Addresses Cat Consumer Needs with Variety and Innovation

BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--“I and love and you,” the makers of the food your pet would make for themselves…if they could, are excited to announce an expanded assortment at Walmart to offer additional ultra-premium products to more cats than ever before. The “I and love and you” cat portfolio at Walmart now includes a robust variety of pates, stews, shreds, kibble and treats in over 1,400 Walmart stores nationwide and online at Walmart.com.

This expansion also includes the exclusive Walmart launch of Treat Meow™ “Squeeze & Thank You,” a premium, lickable cat treat for pet owners to interactively show their love for their cats while delivering purpose, flavor and complete and balanced nutrition.

According to a survey by Packaged Facts, the majority of cat owners believe that felines are treated as “second-class citizens” in the pet industry compared to their canine counterparts. Today, only 8% of cat food and treat sales come from ultra-premium products, compared to 24% of dog food and treat sales, a stat “I and love and you” is on a mission to change. By dedicating equal attention to ultra-premium products for both cats and dogs with a 50/50 split of the brand’s products and sales volume, “I and love and you” offers a customizable portfolio that caters to the unique needs and preferences of both cats and dogs. With this Walmart expansion, “I and love and you” will be able to serve its cat food and treats to more cats nationwide.

“If you walk down any grocery pet food aisle today, the quality and variety of products offered for dogs versus cats is striking,” said Michael Meyer, CEO of “I and love and you.” “We know cat consumers are searching for products by benefit, flavor and variety and our robust line offers them high quality food with functional benefits in every product, plus an amazing variety of flavors, textures and packaging types. With this exciting expansion and collaboration with Walmart, we are delivering to cat consumers…full stop!”

• A Walmart exclusive - Treat Meow™ “Squeeze & Thank You”
  
  Lickable cat treats are one of the fastest growing pet treat formats (+98% annual growth) in the market. According to Mintel, more than 2/3 of cat owners purchase treats and more than half give their cats treats daily. Of these cat owners, a large margin of them, 70%, prefer to give their cat a variety of treats and 40% are interested in purchasing treats with functional ingredients that address specific health concerns.
  
  Treat Meow™ “Squeeze & Thank You” is the first function-forward, lickable treat that puts cats’ nutrition first – just how it should be. “I and love and you” saw an opportunity to meet the needs of this consumer and to fill a whitespace for premium cat treats with a priority on nutrition. The new cat products provide premium, holistic and accessible cat food and treats with the flavors that felines crave, closing the gap between current offerings and consumer desires.
  
  Available in three purr-worthy recipes, Immune Support with sustainably sourced seafood, Digestion Support with savory cage free chicken, and Skin & Coat Support with wild caught tuna, these treats are crafted with prebiotics, pumpkin, zinc, and added vitamins and minerals including Omega 3 and Omegas 6 oils to improve pets’ systems and functions. And they contain no grains or fillers, and nothing artificial for a truly clean treating experience. The product is available in single-flavor packs of four single-serve sticks, and a Variety Pack format including 12 single-serve sticks with four of each flavor. All packaging is 100% recyclable through Terra-Cycle.
  
  The Treat Meow™ “Squeeze & Thank You” line is being introduced right now exclusively at Walmart and will be coming to grocery stores and online retailers nationwide later in the year.

Added Innovation Across the Pet Aisle

Continuing the brand’s mission to deliver high-quality nutrition to multi-pet households, “I and love and you” is also introducing Irresist-A-Bowls™, a pantry-fresh skillet meal for dogs, at select Walmart stores and online at Walmart.com.

• Irresist-A-Bowls™
  
  The new Irresist-A-Bowls™ contain real, non-GMO, fresh protein and produce. With real meat always at the top of the ingredient list, these recipes contain farm-raised, grass-fed beef and cage-free chicken, alongside a healthy dose of prebiotics to support healthy digestion. Irresist-A-Bowls™ are carefully crafted in small-batch recipes, as if they came straight from the skillet, for hearty and wholesome nutrition pet owners can feel good about. Available in two lip-smacking varieties, Chicken + Beef Recipe and Chicken + Duck Recipe, these shelf-stable recipes can serve as your furry pal’s main course, or as a tasty topper.

About “I and love and you”

Based in Boulder, Colo., “I and love and you” is sharing the love with all the food and treats our pets would make for themselves…ya know, if they could. In partnership with their own pets and a holistic veterinarian, “I and love and you” creates a variety of meals and snacks made with quality meat and vegetables that contain zero fillers, preservatives, or artificial junk, or as they say: “nothing weird!” The fast-growing brand delivers to both dog and cat equally and can be found at retailers nationwide including Walmart, Albertsons, Kroger, Sprouts, Publix, and online at iandloveandyou.com, Amazon, Chewy, Thrive Market, and more.