Behind the Curtain: How the Mars Ecosystem Powers Antech's Innovation Engine

Behind the Curtain: How the Mars Ecosystem Powers Antech's Innovation Engine

How does the world's largest pet care ecosystem actually work? In this episode of Petworking, I sit down with Dr. Jimmy Barr, Chief Medical Officer of Antech Diagnostics, for a behind-the-curtain look at how Mars Petcare's four divisions connect to drive innovation in veterinary medicine. Most people hear "Mars" and think M&Ms. They don't think of Pedigree, Royal Canin, Champion Pet Foods, Banfield, VCA, Blue Pearl, Wisdom Panel, and one of the most ambitious longitudinal pet health studies ever attempted. Dr. Barr walks us through all of it. In this episode, we explore: * How the Waltham Pet Care Science Institute serves as Mars's greenfield discovery engine, recently identifying 89 previously unknown bacterial species in the canine GI tract * How Antech is deploying AI across two tracks: improving commercial products like Rapid Read (trained on 16 million radiographs) and accelerating scientific discovery * The Mars Pet Care Biobank, a long-term study enrolling 10,000 pets with annual lab work, genetic sequencing, quality-of-life questionnaires, and biological sample storage for future testing methodologies that don't even exist yet * Why Dr. Barr, an emergency and critical care specialist, believes the biggest opportunity in veterinary medicine is prevention and early detection, not acute care * The role of lab technicians and logistics teams in maintaining the integrity of every diagnostic result, and why Lab Week matters This episode is a continuation of my earlier conversation with Dr. Phillip Bosse at WVC about Antech's measured approach to AI in veterinary diagnostics. Follow Peter Kenseth on LinkedIn for more conversations at the intersection of pet care, animal health, and innovation. Subscribe to the Petworking newsletter on LinkedIn to be notified of new episodes, and see accompanying episode articles.

Marketing Magic: Why Pet Brands Can't Afford to Ignore LinkedIn

With Global Pet Expo right around the corner, I sat down with Jessica McCarthy, Founder & CEO of Brand Energy, to talk about something that should be on every pet brand's radar: the untapped power of LinkedIn as a marketing and relationship-building platform. Jessica brings serious pet industry credibility to the conversation, having spent nearly seven years at Mars — including a five-year run leading their national customer marketing program. In this episode, we explore: * Why 99% of LinkedIn users are "lurkers" — and why that matters more than you think * How B2B sales and marketing in pet has evolved from boots on the ground to digital relationship building * The future of independent pet specialty in a convenience-driven, at-home delivery world * Why brands questioning trade show ROI are often the ones not doing the digital work before, during, and after the show * The execution gap between knowing the LinkedIn playbook and actually running it * What Jessica covers in her forthcoming book, Marketing Magic, and her upcoming talk at Global Pet Expo Jessica is a fractional CMO and CRO who works with pet brands and businesses of all sizes to build marketing strategies that drive real results. Her perspective on why independent pet retailers have been slow to adopt digital marketing — and what that means for the channel's future — is a must-listen for anyone in the pet industry. About Petworking:Petworking is the podcast for pet care and animal health professionals. Hosted by Peter Kenseth, VP & Partner at Maia Strategy Group, Petworking features interviews with founders, executives, and veterinarians driving innovation across the pet industry.

At a Tipping Point: Pet Insurance, Affordability, and the Future of Pet Ownership

Is the middle class getting priced out of pet ownership? With headlines warning of rising pet debt and skyrocketing veterinary costs, I sat down with Lane Kent, former CEO of Independence Pet Group, to discuss the affordability crisis in pet care and the role pet insurance can play in addressing it. Lane shares why pet insurance adoption remains stuck at 4% despite over 90% of Americans considering pets family members, what's fundamentally broken about current product designs, and why he believes we're approaching a tipping point that could see adoption reach 10% within the next decade. We also discuss the 43% increase in veterinary costs since COVID, how employer-sponsored benefits could drive adoption, the promise of telemedicine and wearable technology, and why the current reimbursement model needs to evolve. Key topics:→ Why buying pet insurance is like buying homeowner's insurance after a fire starts→ The structural flaw of underwriting health insurance as property & casualty→ Signs of change: major insurers entering the market→ Lane's prediction for pet insurance adoption→ The PAWS Act and tax-deductible pet expenses About the Guest:Lane Kent is the former CEO of Independence Pet Group, one of the largest holding companies of pet insurance brands in the United States, encompassing approximately 25 brands including Pumpkin and Pets Best Insurance Services, LLC. About Peter Kenseth & Petworking:Peter Kenseth is the host of the Petworking podcast and Vice President & Partner at Maia Strategy Group, where he leads the Pet Care & Animal Health practice. He is also the founder of the Petworking Angel Fund, which provides financial assistance to families facing economic euthanasia decisions for treatable conditions. 📌 CONNECT WITH USPetworking Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/petworking-7052038911409160192 Peter Kenseth on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pkenseth

From Studio Apartment to Nine-Figure Brand: How Spot & Tango is Competing in the Fresh Pet Food Market

From cooking fresh meals for his dog Jack in a NYC studio apartment to running a nine-figure pet food company, Russell Breuer's entrepreneurial journey is one for the books. In this episode, the CEO & Founder of Spot & Tango joins Peter Kenseth to discuss how his company is disrupting the fresh pet food market by making minimally processed nutrition affordable and accessible. With industry giants like Hill's, Royal Canin, and Blue Buffalo all piling into the fresh food space, Russell explains how Spot & Tango carved out a unique position through their proprietary "fresh dry" process—delivering the benefits of fresh frozen at 30-40% lower cost. We cover: * The origin story behind Spot & Tango and UnKibble * Why Russell made the contrarian decision to build his own factory * How they've maintained prices despite industry-wide inflation * The difference between freeze-dried, air-dried, and dehydrated pet food * Pup Gum: rethinking dental care for dogs * The future of personalization in pet nutrition * What it really takes to scale a startup through a pandemic Whether you're a pet parent curious about fresh food options, an entrepreneur navigating the pet industry, or just love a good founder story, this conversation delivers. 🔗 Learn more about Spot & Tango: spotandtango.com🔗 Check out Pup Gum: pupgum.com — Petworking is hosted by Peter Kenseth, VP & Partner at Maia Strategy Group, covering the people, brands, and trends shaping the future of pet care and animal health. #PetFood #FreshPetFood #Entrepreneurship #PetIndustry #DogFood #Petworking

Connecting the Dots: How Jeff Mard is Building Bridges Across the Pet Industry

In this episode, Peter Kenseth sits down with Jeff Mard, founder of Channel M, to discuss his unique business model in the pet industry. As someone who attends nearly every major pet conference—from SuperZoo to VMX to Pet Connect—Jeff has built a consulting practice focused on connecting brands, agencies, and service providers while also investing his expertise in exchange for equity stakes. In this conversation, we explore: * How Channel M facilitates connections across the pet industry ecosystem * Jeff's approach to investing in innovative pet startups * The evolving landscape of pet health technology, from at-home diagnostics to smart collars * Why the pet industry remains recession-proof and ripe for innovation * What makes a pet company worth investing in Whether you're a pet industry professional, entrepreneur, or investor, Jeff's insights on building relationships and identifying opportunities in this growing market are invaluable. 📧 Subscribe to Petworking to stay updated on the latest pet industry trends and conversations!