The 2025 Global Pet Expo was a masterclass in how innovation often emerges not from the center, but from the edges.

In a space dominated by traditional players, it was a rising company named Veterinary Exam Assistant (VEA) that captured headlines and hearts. As the unanimous Grand Prize Winner of the 2025 Pet Care Innovation Prize, sponsored by Purina, VEA exemplifies a bold, often-overlooked thesis: the future of pet care will be shaped by ideas borrowed from outside of it. But they are not alone.

Scaling Through Adjacent, Non-Endemic Business Models

The winners of tomorrow will embrace a simple belief: animal health doesn't have to invent everything from scratch. It can and should adapt proven strategies from parallel industries. Whether it’s automation tools from logistics, AI decision-support systems from human healthcare, or consumer experience models from retail, the winners are weaving external innovation into the internal fabric of veterinary care.

We live in an era of constant motion, and our eating habits reflect this shift. Snacks are no longer mere in-between treats; they now constitute 25% of all calories consumed on a daily basis. This simple fact has given rise to a movement more commonly referred to as Better For You (BFY) consumer packaged goods.

As consumers increasingly rely on snacks to fuel their busy lives, the snacking industry is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by evolving consumer demands, the rise of health consciousness, and the emerging influence of GLP-1 medications. This article delves into the shifting patterns of consumption within the snacking category, drawing insights from the 2025 Natural Products Expo West flagship conference.