FARMINGTON, Conn., Feb. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- As in human health supplements, aging is a core market driver for pet nutrition supplements as more pets suffer from age-related conditions, including joint deterioration and cognitive dysfunction. Taking a page from human supplements are popular ingredients such as glucosamine, omega fatty acids, and probiotics, along with "trendier" ingredients like bee pollen, green tea, and elk velvet antler. At the same time, many supplements not sold as foods continue to inhabit a regulatory gray area while banking on "unapproved drugs for which enforcement discretion may be exercised" status with the FDA. Nevertheless, the industry's self-policing efforts, spearheaded by the NASC, have clearly raised the industry confidence level, as has the increased focus on supplements wielding the kinds of scientific backing most veterinarians require.

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Nonetheless, the environment is increasingly competitive across the pet nutrition market, particularly with the growing sophistication of specialty nutrition and condition-specific pet food formulas. Companies must also be careful about product cannibalization as now more than ever, the sale of one pet supplement or nutraceuticals treat comes at the expense of another.

Not only for humans, nutritional supplements and vitamins also form a vital component in the diets of dogs and cats. The fourth edition of "Pet Supplements and Nutraceutical Treats in the U.S." examines a peaking market, one which will have marketers working harder to remain relevant. Following double-digit annual sales gains in years past, growth in the U.S. market for supplemental pet nutrition products is moderating.

With hundreds of products batting for limited shelf space, selling pet supplements means educating consumers and retailers about their benefits and differences, with veterinarians remaining the toughest customers of all. Clinical testing, proprietary formulas, the NASC (National Animal Supplement Council) seal of approval, novel ingredients, natural ingredients, retail merchandising, and social media programs are all parts of the competitive equation. Now more than ever, the sale of one pet supplement or nutraceutical treat comes at the expense of another.

Traditional forms still abound, including tablets and pills. But palatability concerns and the human/pet bonding and fun factor of supplements in treat form has led to an explosion of functional biscuits and "soft chews." Also gaining ground are alternative delivery formats including gels and pastes, as well as gravies and powders designed to be added to pet food. As a result, the boundary between supplements and foods continues to blur, and the number of pet owners regularly providing their pets with specialty nutrition products keeps rising.

An Executive Summary for this report and free sample pages from the full document are available at http://www.giiresearch.com/report/pf164685-us-pet-supple-nutra.html

More brightening prospects are in store for the human dietary supplement industry, particularly the Chinese market. According to "Research and Forecast of China's Dietary Supplement (Health Food) Industry, 2013-2017", the scale of China's dietary supplement industry reached CNY 158.4 billion in 2012, ranking China second all over the world. However, as for the product distribution and sales channels, China's dietary supplement industry is still in the initial stage compared to the development history of European and American markets.

This report examines policy environment, industry status quo, market scale, development in key regions, import and export characteristics, development trend, investment opportunities and investment risks; and also pays particular emphasis on eight key enterprises. This report also analyzes the industry existing problems, influencing factors and consumer demand characteristics.

An Executive Summary for this report and free sample pages from the full document are available at http://www.giiresearch.com/report/hui261374-research-forecast-chinas-dietary-supplement-health.html

As with any industry, business deals abound in the nutrition and vitamins market. Understanding the flexibility of a prospective partner's negotiated deals terms provides critical insight into the negotiation process in terms of what executives and their firms can expect to achieve during the negotiation of terms. "Nutrition & Vitamins Partnering 2007-2012" is a new report providing an analysis of nutrition and vitamins partnering deals.

The majority of deals are discovery or development stage whereby the licensee obtains a right or an option right to license the licensors nutrition & vitamins technology. These deals tend to be multicomponent, starting with collaborative R&D, and commercialization of outcomes. This report is a significant tool for understanding and accessing nutrition and vitamin partnering deals involving the world's leading healthcare companies.

An Executive Summary for this report and free sample pages from the full document are available at http://www.giiresearch.com/report/wild243599-nutrition-vitamins-partnering-2007-2012.html

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