Sealing the Deal: From Private Brand to National with Velcro Companies

Paragon Pet Products is a Holland-based manufacturer of natural, premium dog chews. The company’s products were white-labeled for some of the world’s top store and private label brands and distributed in more than 45 countries around the world. In 2012, Paragon sought to create its own brand of top-quality chews for dogs to shift its revenue strategy and grow its global footprint. However, the company faced a few significant challenges. First, Paragon’s success in the private label business limited its external brand awareness. Second, the pet food industry and pet treat marketplace is crowded, and it planned to sell to customers with high expectations: pet “parents.”

Paragon created the WHIMZEES brand (www.whimzees.com) to market and sell vegetarian chews in fun and fanciful shapes such as alligators and hedgehogs. The specialty treats made with limited ingredients help support dogs’ overall dental health. Despite these product attributes and benefits, Paragon realized that creating its own WHIMZEES brand and selling directly still required a different packaging approach to stand out on retailer shelves.