Alpo canned dog food has been a staple in households with pets since the 1930s. It was one of the first dog foods to be developed with a complete and balanced formula specifically designed for dogs. As time passed, however, Alpo’s popularity faded and it eventually disappeared from store shelves. So why can’t you buy Alpo canned dog food anymore?
Competition
The pet food industry has seen a massive influx of competition in recent decades. As the market became more crowded, Alpo was unable to compete against newer, more popular brands. Many of these new brands focused on providing higher-quality ingredients and formulas that catered to specific dietary requirements for pets. This made it increasingly difficult for Alpo to keep up with the changing times and remain competitive in the market.
Ownership Changes
In 2001, Big Heart Pet Brands acquired Alpo from Nestle-Purina PetCare. At this point, Big Heart began to shift its focus away from the production of canned foods and instead focus on dry kibble products.
As a result, many of Alpo’s canned products were discontinued or sold off to other companies that continued to produce them. This left many loyal customers without access to their favorite canned foods from Alpo.
Recall Issues
In 2007, Big Heart issued a recall for some of its canned dog food due to possible contamination with pentobarbital, a drug used to euthanize animals. While this recall was limited in scope and did not affect all of their products, it did damage their reputation amongst pet owners and further contributed to their declining sales numbers.
Conclusion
Alpo canned dog food is no longer available for purchase due to competition from newer brands, ownership changes that shifted focus away from producing canned foods, as well as recall issues that damaged the company’s reputation amongst pet owners.