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DR. TIM’S PREMIUM ALL NATURAL PET FOOD: GROWTH OPTIONS AND WEB ANALYTICS INSIGHTS

Glenna Pendleton wrote this case solely to provide material for class discussion. The authors do not intend to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of a managerial situation. The authors may have disguised certain names and other identifying information to protect confidentiality.

This publication may not be transmitted, photocopied, digitized, or otherwise reproduced in any form or by any means without the permission of the copyright holder. Reproduction of this material is not covered under authorization by any reproduction rights organization. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, contact Ivey Publishing, Ivey Business School, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada, N6G 0N1; (t) 519.661.3208; (e) [email protected]; www.iveycases.com.

Copyright © 2012, Richard Ivey School of Business Foundation Version: 2017-01-03

Dr. Tim’s Pet Food Company (Dr. Tim’s) grew from its beginnings in 2004 to selling 900,000 pounds of pet kibble in 2010. In addition, approximately 1.8 million pounds of kibble were sold between January and July of 2011, which represented a 100 per cent rate of growth in kibble sold in the first six months of 2011, as compared to the whole year of 2010.1 Company founder Dr. Tim Hunt was looking for ways to continue to grow his pet food business, despite the fact that many of the local markets were saturated with his company’s existing products. What was the best strategy for expansion — especially since this business venture was located in an isolated geographical area and sales representatives were not able to easily access large populated areas? Hunt was particularly concerned about an issue that his wife had raised: if Dr. Tim’s was to expand the distribution of its high quality formula to large, low-cost stores like Walmart (i.e., stores that did not carry similar exclusive brands like Science Diet) would this hurt the exclusive image of the brand that Dr. Tim’s had worked hard to create?

Hunt had four basic options open to him. He could:

1. Expand his current products in current markets (a penetration strategy);

2. Develop new products for current markets (a product development strategy);

3. Expand current products in new markets (a market development strategy); and/or

4. Expand new products in new markets (a diversification strategy).

Increasing consumer demand was obviously an aspect of growth; therefore, Hunt wanted to know what potential consumers were looking for. How could he best match an expansion strategy to consumer demand? Web analytics could be used to make better informed decisions on marketing on the Internet, and therefore new analytical tools such as those found in Google Analytics would be very helpful for gaining insight into consumer demand for pet food products in different geographical areas. Hunt knew that his website, drtims.com, and online ordering were going to be crucial aspects of the company’s future growth.

1. Personal written communication with Hunt, July 2011.

HISTORY

Dr. Tim Hunt graduated from Michigan State University with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. His successful practice, Bayshore Veterinary Hospital, was located in Harvey, Michigan in the Upper Peninsula. The name of his practice reflected its location on the shore of a very small bay where the water eventually emptied into Marquette’s Lower Harbour on Lake Superior. A large number of dog owners resided in Marquette County, and Marquette, Michigan was the home of the UP 200 Dog Sled Race Championship (the UP 200) that began and ended each February at the Lower Harbour (see Exhibits 1 and 2). Hunt’s veterinary hospital for ‘companion animals’ (as opposed to animals used for agriculture, etc.) was 20 years old. In addition to running his successful veterinary practice, Hunt was a volunteer sled-dog-race veterinarian and also an accomplished ‘musher’ (person who races with a dog team and sled). He had entered the 1,150-mile Alaskan Iditarod race after working as a volunteer veterinarian on this nationally acclaimed race.2 The trail for this competition involved crossing jagged mountain ranges, a frozen river, dense forest and desolate tundra, often in temperatures far below zero. In addition, high winds along the coast often caused complete loss of visibility and there could be long hours of darkness, interrupted only by the Northern Lights filling the expansive sky. The mushers travelled west from Anchorage in south-central Alaska to Nome on the Bering Sea coast. The trip could take 10 to 17 days and required dog teams to be in excellent health to be able to complete the highly competitive run. Hunt had also competed in a number of races in the lower 48 states and Canada as well as in races in Europe, such as La Grande Odyssee. 3 Hunt had also competed in a number of races in the lower 48 states as well as in the Grande Odyssee in Europe. Competitors from all over the world raced in La Grande Odyssee, a trail of more than 500 miles taking approximately two weeks to finish. The run involved an extreme 16-mile change in altitude as dog teams travelled across France, Switzerland and Italy in the Alps.4

Hunt’s experience as a veterinarian helped him to realize his own competitive canines required a formula that promoted stamina, endurance and performance along with proper digestion. Specifically, during racing each dog needed to consume 12,000 calories per day in order to keep up the pace for a race.5 When Hunt searched for a brand of commercially available dog food to fill the needs of his Alaskan Huskies he became dissatisfied with existing brands on the market.6 Therefore, he decided to begin creating his own formula with the help of a PhD-trained canine nutritionist. Hunt determined that a dog’s metabolic ‘furnace,’ especially while competing in athletic and highly competitive sports such as racing, ran most efficiently on fat, as opposed to carbohydrates or protein; therefore, among other important natural ingredients, his formula would need to include higher levels of fat and lower levels of carbohydrates compared to other formulas on the market.7 Overall, the formula was designed to be a premium all-natural formula. In these early days, Hunt was working on the new ‘Momentum’ formula in his home Northern Michigan.

The final formula developed for mushers to feed their dog teams included the following:

1. Highly digestible low-ash proteins, fats and carbohydrates allowed dogs to reach full potential in racing;

2. Supplements that encouraged the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut to decrease the stresses that dogs endured in highly competitive sports (to help prevent diarrhea, among other things);

1. Personal verbal communication with Hunt’s secretary, September 7, 2012.

2. Personal verbal communication with Hunt, September 14, 2012.

3. Ibid.

4. “Dr. Tim Hunt’s Exciting Iditarod Videos,” www.petfoodindustry.com/7026.html, accessed June 25, 2011.

5. Johanna Boyle, “Harvey Vet Creates Dog Food Brand,” The Mining Journal, Marquette, Michigan, October 31, 2010, front page.

6. http://drtims.com/why-dr-tims/, accessed June 25, 2011

1. Natural fibre sources such as rice, psyllium, beet pulp, oatmeal and chicory root;

2. A high level of omega-3 fatty acids; and

3. An extremely dense concentration of calories (see Exhibits 3 and 4).

Early Success

Hunt’s musher network provided him with his first customers for his newly developed kibble for racing canines since fellow mushers were looking for a high-performance formula for their dog teams. Compared to other kibble brands, Dr. Tim’s Ultra Performance Low Carb Momentum formula was the only formula that contained prebiotics, externally applied probiotics and chelated minerals (see Exhibit 5); the first two ingredients were particularly important for canines involved in competitive sports. Chelated minerals were important because they were more likely to be absorbed by the animal instead of simply being passed through the digestive system. Mushers also preferred foods that were hypoallergenic and this was largely accomplished by not including corn or soy products in the formula. Hunt found that his formula was very successful.

When Hunt developed his new formula for active canines he found a golden opportunity. His Momentum formula was popular not only locally but also in areas such as Alaska: 75 per cent of all Momentum sales were in Alaska between 2005 and 2011.8 The ingredients of this racing canine formula fulfilled needs that were not fully being met by other commercial kibbles currently on the market, which was an important factor in propelling sales. Two additional factors gave Dr. Tim’s Pet Food a competitive advantage: location and Hunt’s expertise.

Firstly, the home of Hunt’s entrepreneurial enterprise in Marquette Country was also the home of the UP 200, a qualifying race for the Alaska Iditarod. The UP 200 was known across the United States and beyond. Hunt’s Momentum formula was therefore a good fit for the area since sled dog racing was so popular. During the cold winter months, when daylight hours grew shorter in northern latitude towns, races generated community spirit. In early January of each year, Marquette citizens started preparing for the visitors and competitors who would arrive from throughout the United States and other countries for the weekend of the UP 200. A few days before the event, volunteers began preparing the trail, barricading streets in the downtown area and packing down the snow. On the evening of the race, onlookers dressed warmly and lined up along the trail, cheering as the sleds passed. Every two minutes a dog team left the starting line, travelled through town and then sped into the night to the outskirts of Marquette County and on toward Grand Maris. Temperatures could be below zero. The dogs, organized into teams of 12, often looked surprisingly thin to be running in the brutal cold in a three-day race, but this allowed them to run much faster. They could not keep up the necessary strength for three days if they had to carry excess weight. This was why these canines needed high quality nutrition in their diet.

Hunt knew that sled dog owners were interested in maximizing the speed, strength and endurance of their teams and they therefore tried to ensure their dog kibble was of optimum nutrition.9 The availability of his product fit this niche market very well. Also, Marquette County was known to mushers as an area where top dog trainers were located; for example, one musher moved more than 1,700 miles from Big Piney, Wyoming to live in Caribou Creek, Michigan (approximately 29 miles from Hunt’s veterinary hospital)

1. Personal written communication with Hunt, July 2011.

2. “UP200 Dog Sled Race,” Mackinac Island Insider Tips, www.mackinac-island-insider-tips.com/UP200.html, accessed December 7, 2011.

with her 20 dogs in order to work with some of the greatest trainers in the United States.10 Hunt’s company was located in a region where numerous mushers and trainers were looking for high quality nutritious kibble and this was an important factor contributing to the company’s competitive advantage.

Secondly, Hunt’s expertise as a veterinarian, an active participant in the Alaska Iditarod and a respected, knowledgeable member of the musher community was highly advantageous. When Hunt’s company designed a new formula for racing canines, the musher community in Marquette and other regions knew that Hunt had the required knowledge to create the best possible kibble to enable their teams to become more competitive in races. It would be difficult for another firm to replicate Hunt’s experience, training and social connections.

The Evolution of Dr. Tim’s Pet Food: Product Line Success

Over time, Hunt added new formulas to his product line for dogs with different activity levels. For example, while the original Momentum was a high-performance formula designed to support stamina and endurance in canines, ‘Pursuit’ was a newer formula designed for companion canines that exhibited a moderate-to-vigorous activity level. Some of the same quality ingredients used in Momentum were used in Pursuit and this helped to maintain a consistent brand image of a high quality food with natural ingredients. Pursuit contained the same high protein content, probiotics, and prebiotics as Momentum, as well as avoiding the use of soy and corn to minimize allergic reactions. To round out the Dr. Tim’s canine product line, a formula was developed for dogs with a medium-to -low activity level, including puppies — ‘Kinesis.’ In addition, there was a feline kibble product extension called ‘Chase’ (see Exhibit 6).

Dr. Tim’s products were competitively priced against similar brands like Iams and Hill’s Science Diet (see Exhibit 7). Also, the company’s formulas were highly rated on websites that evaluated the quality of dog food on the market (see Exhibit 8).

DISTRIBUTION FOR HUNT’S PRODUCTS

Initially, Momentum was distributed directly to mushers, sometimes in areas as far away as Alaska, in cities such as Talkeetna, Eagle River, Soldotna and Seward. The primary Alaskan distributer was Specialty Supply Inc., in Anchorage. Hunt’s direct involvement with many customers and distributors (through his musher experiences and volunteer veterinary work) was an important component for building loyalty to his brand and helping his distribution system run efficiently.

Hunt’s new canine formulas (Pursuit and Kinesis) were first distributed to clients of his veterinary clinic. This provided an alternative to brands typically distributed through veterinary offices. By avoiding the costs of using middlemen and by being able to directly answer customers’ questions about the variety of formulas sold in his office, Hunt created a highly efficient distribution system that was again very effective. Other brands, such as Hill’s Science Diet, would be less attractive on the shelf in Hunt’s office since these were no cheaper in price, did not have the Dr. Tim’s label and did not provide the same personal connection with clients in the veterinary hospital.

1. Powderhounds Racing, www.powderhoundsracing.com/, accessed December 7, 2011.

The Expansion of Hunt’s Distribution System: Retail Stores and the Internet

Due to the high local demand for Dr. Tim’s kibble, Hunt began to distribute some of the company’s products commercially at retail stores such as Mares-Z-Doats, the local lawn and garden store in Marquette, Michigan. This family -owned retail store was known for its high quality products, and it was for this reason that Hunt arranged to have Pursuit, Kinesis, Momentum and Chase distributed through this retail outlet (see Exhibit 7).

The distribution system for all of the Dr. Tim’s pet food products was extended further with the creation of Hunt’s website for ordering kibble online. Consumers could not only order additional food supplies online but could also research information about the ingredients in new formulas, read questions sent by consumers and answered by Hunt and keep up with the latest news about dog sled racing. Without this alternative means of distribution, many customers would not have had access to the Dr. Tim’s products since the company was located in a physically isolated region of the United States. While Marquette was a good location for Hunt’s business in terms of the Momentum formula, since it was an area known for dog sled racing where there was an average of 141 inches of snow per year, there was limited direct access to customers for other canine and feline products.11 Therefore, Hunt relied strongly on continuing expansion through online ordering by adding location drop-down options on the company website’s order page. Expanded location options allowed consumers to connect with new high quality retail stores and distribution centres (similar to Zeigler’s Distributor, Inc., a family owned business operating out of Lebanon, Pennsylvania).12

Global Distribution

Hunt also sought to expand the company internationally. Mushers and trainers like Taisto Thomeus in Sweden were always looking for an improved formula for their sled racing canines. In 2011, Thomeus was searching for a commercial dry food that he could use without it causing problems for his dogs such as loose and bloody stools. After trying a test shipment of seven pallets, he wrote the following in an email to Hunt:

I found Momentum to be way better than any dry food I used before. Last summer we fed all our dogs (more than 160) with only Momentum and fresh, cold water. Now in early winter (December) and long runs, we have already more than 1,200 miles on race dogs and 700 -800 miles on tourist dogs and yearlings, yet less than one- third of their total diet is meat — more than two-thirds is still dry food. I have never had a dry food that came even close to this. I look forward to this winter’s racing season because with good food and serious training put into my dogs I am as ready as anyone else for the big races.13

Dr. Tim’s began shipping its canine kibble to Norway as well, home of the longest sled dog race in the world: the Arctic Barents Race — a perfect strategic fit for the Momentum formula. This race was 1,800 miles long and ran through Russia, Finland, Sweden and Norway. It took mushers approximately 25 days to complete the trail with their teams of 14 dogs each.14

11 “Snowfall — Average Total In Inches,” National Climatic Data Center, 2008, http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/online/ccd/snowfall.html, accessed July 8, 2011.

1. “Store Locator,” http://drtims.com/distributors/, accessed September 14, 2012.

2. Taisto Thorneus recommendation on Dr. Tim’s website, http://drtims.com/taisto-thorneus/, accessed December 7, 2011.

3. “Distance Races,” Sled Dog Central, www.sleddogcentral.com/racelinks.htm, accessed July 8, 2011.

In addition to these shipments to Scandinavian countries, Dr. Tim’s products were being distributed by the following European entrepreneurs: Gardenhead Croft and Grange Keith of Trailbreaker Sled Dogs in Banffshire, Scotland; Julie Bloch in Lans en Vercors, France; Fabrizio Lovati of Grandes Jorasses Adventures S.R.L., Italy; and Pierre-Antoine Heritier and Hales Dubuis in Valais, Switzerland. There were a significant number of races won in Europe by mushers using the same Dr. Tim’s formula made and sold in the United States.15 The high success rate for mushers using the Momentum formula in Europe supported the competitive advantage developed by the firm. In July 2011, Dr. Tim’s shipped its first container of formula to Hong Kong.16 Kibble was also distributed by Penda Global Limited in Gateway East, Singapore.

EXPANSION AND IDENTITY

On a warm July day in 2011, a client of Hunt’s brought her yellow Labrador retriever to have its shots updated and a general check-up. This particular client was researching the success of Hunt’s new pet food business for the business school at the local university and looked forward to talking with him while he treated her dog.

While Hunt examined the client’s Labrador, he shared a concern that was frequently occupying his mind: how could he grow his business? What was the best strategy for expansion? His business venture’s birth centred around unveiling a special food for dogs in training for athletic and competitive sports, and had already expanded to include other high quality formulas for dogs of all activity levels and also cats. How could he continue to expand?

Hunt was especially concerned with the issue of brand identity: how could Dr. Tim’s maintain its special identity as a company that focused on creating all-natural, veterinary -standard kibble? If Dr. Tim’s expanded its distribution to stores associated with mass production, such as Walmart, would this hurt the brand’s image and tarnish the special identity developed for this small business? Distribution in Walmart stores would be starkly different from distributing, for example, bags of kibble directly to fellow mushers through Hunt’s social network in Alaska. Yet the location of his business in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan exasperated the problem of establishing new distribution centres since it was located in an isolated geographical area and sales representatives could not easily access large populated areas due to very long travelling distances.

The researcher with the yellow Labrador knew that Hunt had developed a very successful website and that an increased number of future customers, including current customers, could continue to order kibble formulas through that website. Focusing on choices for expansion that took advantage of the website would help to avoid the pitfalls of trying to expand by sending sales representatives to distant locations. In addition, she had seen that there were many new web data tools available for small business to help better position their products on their websites and better answer the needs of potential future customers. Google, a popular consumer search engine, offered a new tool called the Google AdWords Keyword Tool that was, for the time being, a ‘shareware’ product (meaning there was no fee required for its use). Consumers searching on Google left a trail of keyword searches that helped businesses gain insight into what consumers were looking for during these searches. This tool could be used to explore data for all of the growth strategies open to Dr. Tim’s — penetration, product development, market development and diversification — within the framework of web distribution.

1. Personal written communication with Hunt, July 2011.

2. Ibid.

Hunt could plan for growth by focusing on his website and analyzing up-to -date marketing web analytics data from Google. While several options were available, since Dr. Tim’s Pet Food was run by a small number of staff and Hunt also managed a veterinary hospital, he had limited time to devote to the business. He also had limited financial resources. Consequently, Hunt was cautious about taking on too many growth options at once or pursuing any options that required physical expansion of the company. The researcher knew that Hunt needed to explore all of the options for expansion and then make a decision as to which of the four to follow — keeping in mind the financial limitations and small size of the company.

PRODUCT MIX ISSUES

While the business expanded its product mix from one product that served the competitive-sports -canine segment to several products that also served the companion-canine and feline segments, all of Hunt’s products were highly integrated. He maintained premium quality across all of the new formulas. This integration not only helped in brand identity but was also financially beneficial since similar raw materials were used across the product line as opposed to using many different contents for the various canine formulas. In addition, Dr. Tim’s arranged for a family-run business in Lisbon, Ohio to produce and package the kibble. This business was similarly characterized by high quality control standards. All of these factors helped to maintain the brand image of high quality products, an aspect of the business Hunt believed should be changed as little as possible during expansion.

WEB DESIGN AND MARKETING ISSUES

As well as brand identity, Hunt wanted to maintain the special relationship he had developed with mushers and sled dog enthusiasts. One way to help maintain the Dr. Tim’s identity was to make sure that the business kept its connection to the original Momentum formula and reinforced its musher network. To this end, Hunt included information on the company’s website referencing dog sledding events, etc., and the Dr. Tim’s social networking sites, such as Facebook and Flickr, promoted Dr. Tim’s premium athletic dog food with photos of mushers and sled dogs (see Exhibit 9).

MATRIX OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH

Hunt carefully considered the four options open to him to grow his business (see Exhibit 10):

1. Following a marketing penetration strategy, he could expand current products in current markets; for example, he could develop the Dr. Tim’s website to reflect the interests of consumers based on web analytics data, emphasizing content that is popular with consumers and ensuring meta description tags were relevant during the website design stage.

2. Following a market development strategy, he could research cities in the United States where Dr. Tim’s could continue to expand distribution through new high quality retail stores (such as It’s A Bird’s Life in Spring Grove, Illinois) and high quality distribution centres (such as Zeigler’s Distributor, Inc., in Lebanon, Pennsylvania). He could also expand internationally using a market development strategy based on information collected from Google Analytics.

1. Following a product development strategy, he could develop new Dr. Tim’s products such as dog treats or cat treats.

1. Following a diversification strategy, he could distribute new products in new markets. For example, he could distribute new cat treats and/or dog treats internationally through online

ordering (in addition to his existing organic growth strategy). Again, Hunt could gain insight from Google Analytics when deciding which locations to target.

MATRIX OPPORTUNITIES MATCHED TO GOOGLE ANALYTICS

Consumer organic search data was easily available since the new tools in Google Analytics were available at no charge.17 Using the AdWords Keyword Tool, a company could simply type in a keyword (or phrase) and obtain a list of search engine queries entered by consumers related to that keyword. Additional functions allowed the company to see, for example, the number of times each query was entered during a certain time period or to compare data for different geographical locations. In the case of Dr. Tim’s, each of the four basic growth options could be explored further using web analytics before making a final decision on choosing a direction for growth (see Exhibit 11).

Growth in Existing Markets for Existing Products and Google Analytics

Referring to the first of the four growth options, consumer interest could be explored further using the AdWords Keyword Tool to see what consumers are typing into the Google search engine; for example, if typed queries show a high degree of interest in the contents of pet food, Hunt could make sure his website reflected that interest by providing easy access to information on the contents of his products. He could also make sure that his website designers embedded popular words used in Google searches into the code of the company’s website (i.e., using popular phrases in meta description tags) — a process referred to as search engine optimization.

Growth in New Markets for Existing Products and Google Analytics

For exploring option two further, the AdWords Keyword Tool could be used to determine current geographical hot spots. Dr. Tim’s could obtain web analytics data on cities (national and/or global) and countries that showed a high interest in specific keyword phrases such as “dog food.” Because this data was so easily available, the company would not have to invest in conducting international focus groups or collecting information on surveys. The company could use functions that allowed it to see how this data had changed over time to determine where new demand was developing.

Growth in New Products for Existing Markets and Google Analytics

For exploring option three further, the AdWords Keyword Tool could be used to determine interest in new products using keyword search terms. Hunt could evaluate the interest for new dog and/or cat treats based on consumer demand as reflected in web analytics search data for the “dog treat” and “cat treat” search phrases. While the Dr. Tim’s website had a link to pet treats offered by a recommended distributor, Hunt had the option of expanding his own product mix to include Dr. Tim’s Dog Treats and/or Dr. Tim’s Cat Treats in existing markets.

1. With Google Analytics, a business can track information concerning its website, such as consumer click histories, time spent on the website and the number of times each computer visited the website. For additional information on this see Vanessa Fox, Marketing in the Age of Google, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, 2012.

Growth in New Products for New Markets and Google Analytics

For exploring the fourth growth option further, Dr. Tim’s could create a formula for cat and dog treats and target new markets for these products. Again, using the AdWords Keywords Tool in Google Analytics, Hunt could see which countries had a high number of consumers searching for dog treats or cat treats. Using English keywords with the AdWords Keyword Tool would most likely bring up countries where many of the residents searched online using English. Therefore, this would only be the first step in a longer process; at a later date, Hunt should not only explore Google web addresses in foreign countries, but also use keywords and phrases in other languages.

THE DECISION: HOW SHOULD THE BUSINESS GROW?

Hunt was unsure how to utilize Google Analytics to its fullest potential, but knew it was necessary to use the information collected to make an initial decision on which of the growth options to emphasize and explore further for the Dr. Tim’s product line. He realized there were three points that he must keep in mind when making this decision:

1. While he could choose more than one option, he must be careful not to spread the company’s resources too thin.

2. Results using the AdWords Keyword Tool were constantly changing as consumers, trends and preferences changed as well; results should therefore be considered simply as a snapshot in terms of planning for future growth.

1. The organic growth strategy had been very effective for the Dr. Tim’s Momentum formula, largely due to Hunt’s strong connection with other mushers, both locally and internationally.

Keeping these points in mind, which growth option should Dr. Tim Hunt choose?

Exhibit 1

TRAIL FOR THE UP 200 SLED DOG CHAMPIONSHIP IN MARQUETTE, MICHIGAN

The UP200 is one of the top 12-dog mid- distance races in the Midwest and an Iditarod qualifier. The UP200 trail covers 240 miles of challenging terrain… The first leg of the trail is from Marquette to Wetmore, a distance of approximately 60 miles… From Wetmore, the trail winds through Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and continues on to Grand Marais, another 60 or so miles. Here the mushers will rest and feed their teams, be checked over by vets, and plan their strategy for the second half of the race. A total rest time of 16 hours is required, and the mushers decide how much rest time they will use at each checkpoint… The return to Marquette is over the same trail.

Source: Author interview with Dr. Carol Steinhaus, Upper Peninsula Sled Dog Organization Board Member, September 9, 2012.

Exhibit 2

UP 200 SLED DOG CHAMPIONSHIP START IN MARQUETTE MICHIGAN

Source: Snapshots from Glenna Pendleton, “Marquette Michigan Dog Sled Race,” 2009, www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEJAr4xYaRY, accessed June 25, 2011.

Source: Adapted by case author from “Health and Nutrition,” Dr. Tim’s, http://drtims.com/health-and-nutrition/, accessed June 25, 2011.

Exhibit 4

MOMENTUM AT DRTIMS.COM

Momentum has been formulated to help facilitate the stamina, endurance and performance of canines; the food contains highly digestible low ash proteins, fats and carbohydrates to allow your athletic dog to reach their full potential. In addition, supplements are included to decrease the stresses that dogs’ bodies undergo in highly competitive situations that may produce stress diarrhea. These supplements include prebiotics, externally applied probiotics and multiple fiber sources such as rice, psyllium, beet pulp, oatmeal and chicory root. Momentum also contains chelated minerals, kelp, selenium, natural antioxidants and L-carnitine. To minimize allergic reactions, corn and soy products are not used in Momentum.

Source: “Dr. Tim’s Premium All Natural Pet Foods,” Dr.Tim’s, http://drtims.com/, accessed June 25, 2011.

Exhibit 5

INGREDIENTS OF TWO OF DR. TIM’S FORMULAS COMPARED TO OTHER BRANDS

Source: “Dr. Tim’s Comparison Charts,” Dr. Tim’s, http://drtims.com/comparison-charts/, accessed July 8, 2011.

Exhibit 6

PRODUCTS AVAILABLE ON DRTIMS.COM

Source: “Premium All Natural Pet Food,” Dr. Tim’s, http://drtims.com/, accessed June 25, 2011.

Exhibit 7

COMPARISON PRICES: MARES-Z-DOATS, MARQUETTE (AS OF JULY 2, 2011)

Source: Created by case author.

Exhibit 8

EXAMPLE CUSTOMER REVIEW

It is very hard to find a bad review of Dr. Tim’s Dog Food. People love the fact that this is a high-protein food with no corn or soy products. Dog owners find that dogs with sensitive stomachs can eat this food with no problems, and that their pet’s stools seem more solid and less odorous after switching to this brand. Dogs seem to like the smell and flavor of the food, and the small pieces of kibble are easy to chew and digest.

Many dog owners like the fact that Dr. Tim has removed menadione from the formulas, as this is a controversial synthetic form of Vitamin K that is believed to cause kidney problems in dogs. People also like the fact that Dr. Tim takes the time to respond to customer comments and does his best to answer any questions customers may have about the products. The only negative thing that people have to say about this food is that it is not widely available in some areas.

Source: “Dr. Tims Dog Food Reviews,” Dog Food Reviews, http://petfoodtalk.com/dogfoodreviews/dr-tims/, accessed June 18, 2012.

Exhibit 9

SLED DOG NEWS ON HUNT’S WEBSITE

Source: “Archive for the ‘News & Events’ Category,” Dr. Tim’s, http://drtims.com/category/news-events/, accessed June 18, 2012.