Progressive Grocer Staff
Retailers looking for the next big thing in the pet care category have a friend in St. Louis-based Nestlé Purina PetCare. The Purina 9 Square Ventures group, founded in 2014, and startup investor Active Capital recently chose five winners from more than 100 companies to receive the Pet Care Innovation Prize powered by Purina.
The winners receive a $10,000 prize, mentorship from the Purina Pet Care Innovation team, and the opportunity to participate in a final pitch competition in March, with the grand-prize winner pocketing another $10,000. This year’s recipients of the Purina Pet Care Innovation prize are:
ClueJay: The
online diagnostic platform allows pet parents to access lab tests on demand from the comfort and safety of home. ClueJay lets dog and cat owners collect and mail fecal samples for parasite screening, without the hassle and stress of vet visits.