241. How the Pet Industry Really Works - from a 30 year insider
What really happens behind the scenes of the pet industry? In this episode, I sit down with Clayton Payne of Pet Business Disruptors, who has spent more than 30 years working inside the pet industry in both the U.S. and the U.K. Together we pull back the curtain on how the industry actually operates—from marketing claims and labeling tricks to the signals consumers think matter but often don’t. We talk about how pet products are positioned, how brands communicate value, and some of the subtle...
What really happens behind the scenes of the pet industry?
In this episode, I sit down with Clayton Payne of Pet Business Disruptors, who has spent more than 30 years working inside the pet industry in both the U.S. and the U.K. Together we pull back the curtain on how the industry actually operates—from marketing claims and labeling tricks to the signals consumers think matter but often don’t.
We talk about how pet products are positioned, how brands communicate value, and some of the subtle ways marketing shapes what pet parents believe they’re buying. If you’ve ever looked at a label or claim and wondered what it really means, this conversation will help you think about the pet industry in a whole new way.
🐶 🐱 Nutrition & Holistic Health Consults: https://www.wildwellnesspet.com/collections/consultations
🐶 Get to the root cause with the Wild Wellness Bioenergetics at-home testing kit: https://www.wildwellnesspet.com/products/bioenergetic-sensitivity-testing-for-dogs-full-scan-wild-wellness-powered-by-pet-medella
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Pet Industry Expert
Clayton Payne is a pet-industry strategist, product developer, and podcast host with over three decades of hands-on experience across pet nutrition, manufacturing, distribution, and regulatory compliance.
He works at the intersection of science, ethics, and commercial reality, advising and representing brands across the UK, EU, and U.S. markets—particularly in supplements, functional nutrition, and novel ingredients. Clayton is known for cutting through marketing noise and challenging industry assumptions around ingredient quality, processing, and transparency.
With a background that spans both frontline manufacturing and high-level strategy, his focus is on helping pet parents and professionals alike understand what actually matters when it comes to feeding and caring for animals—without fear-based messaging, trends, or hype.