Dive Brief:

• Petco on Tuesday said it’s expanding into Canada through an exclusive partnership with Canadian Tire, which will carry Petco's pet food, treats, supplies and accessories online and in stores.
• This month, Canadian Tire will begin selling Petco’s private-label WholeHearted premium pet food and more products will be added in September, according to a press release from the companies.
• Founded in 1922 and offering an assortment of toys, home improvement, apparel and automotive items, Canadian Tire runs 1,700 retail and gasoline locations, according to a press release.

Dive Insight:

This partnership brings Petco’s assortment to Canada, continuing the pet retailer’s assertive growth strategy in a highly competitive market.

There are plenty of pet owners willing to pay for premium pet products and services these days, but the competition is fierce. PetSmart acquired online rival Chewy for $3.35 billion, for example. Last year, Target partnered with pet supplies subscription service BarkBox and bolstered its private label pet supplies brand. And this year Amazon (in a move previously presaged by One Click Retail), announced its first private-label pet brand Wag, a pet food available exclusively to Amazon Prime members.

The move across the board is the latest in Petco's growth playbook. Last month, the retailer brought its newly acquired and previously online-only pet health and wellness concept, PetCoach, into a physical store in California. The location includes personalized pet services, products and experiences, "all designed through a veterinary lens," the company said. 

And last year Petco acquired PupBox, a puppy- and "life stage-focused" subscription service aimed at new puppy or dog owners, for an undisclosed amount. Each box contains customized products and training information based on a pet's stage of development and physical characteristics.