Quick Answer
There is no official announcement from Purina indicating that they are discontinuing Fancy Feast appetizers at this time. However, some retailers have noted supply chain issues impacting the availability of certain Fancy Feast products, including appetizers. It’s unclear if this is a temporary issue or signals an impending discontinuation. Pet owners who want to continue purchasing Fancy Feast appetizers may need to check at multiple stores or purchase online.
What is the Fancy Feast Appetizers Line?
Fancy Feast introduced a line of cat food called “Appetizers” in 2015. This line is different from traditional wet cat food in that it comes in smaller portions and packaging.
The Appetizers line includes products like:
- Broths – Chicken, Beef, and Seafood flavors
- Puree – Chicken and Beef flavors
- Treats – Salmon, Chicken, Beef, Turkey, and Ocean Fish flavors
The broths are liquid-based, the purees have a pate-like texture, and the treats are morsels in sauce or jelly. But all the products are packaged in small cans or plastic tubs designed for single use.
Benefits of Fancy Feast Appetizers
Fancy Feast designed these Appetizers to provide benefits like:
- Portion control – The small size makes it easy to give cats a treat or supplement meals without overfeeding.
- Convenience – The single-use packaging requires no storage or prep.
- Palatability – Made with flavors cats love and irresistible textures.
- Variety – Allows pet owners to give cats different flavors and formats to keep things interesting.
The Appetizers line was created to capture growing interest in convenient and tasty cat treats. As cats became more like family members, owners wanted new ways to provide enjoyable foods between regular meals.
Evidence of Possible Discontinuation
There are a few signs that Purina might be discontinuing the Fancy Feast Appetizers line:
1. Reduced availability in stores
Many cat owners have noticed Fancy Feast Appetizers are missing from store shelves where they were once regularly stocked. This includes major pet retail chains like PetSmart and Petco.
There are usually empty spots on the shelf where the Appetizers used to be, indicating a supply issue rather than lower demand. Availability seems sporadic even via online ordering and delivery.
2. No information from Purina
Purina has not provided any official announcements about the status of Fancy Feast Appetizers. Normally brands will communicate if a product is being reformulated or revamped. The lack of information from Purina suggests something unusual is occurring.
3. Not listed on Purina’s website
As of October 2023, the entire Appetizers line is no longer listed on Purina’s Fancy Feast website. All other product lines like Classic Pate, Flaked, and Minced are included. This could mean Appetizers are being phased out.
| Product Type | Listed on Website? |
|---|---|
| Classic Pate | Yes |
| Flaked | Yes |
| Minced | Yes |
| Appetizers | No |
Possible Explanations if Discontinued
If Purina has discontinued the Fancy Feast Appetizers line, here are some possible reasons:
Supply chain issues
Like many companies, Purina could be facing challenges with raw materials sourcing, manufacturing, or transportation – leading to the decision to cut certain products. Focusing on high-volume items helps maximize constrained resources.
Low profitability
The appetizers may not have been big sellers compared to Fancy Feast’s pate and minced varieties. Discontinuing them improves profitability margins.
Brand repositioning
Purina may want to re-focus the Fancy Feast brand on core products like their pate recipes. Pruning peripheral offerings like appetizers sharpens the brand image.
Cannibalizing other sales
The appetizers may have been cutting into sales of Fancy Feast’s pate wet foods rather than attracting new buyers. Simplifying the product range could increase per-item sales.
Are Any Alternatives Available?
If Fancy Feast Appetizers are permanently discontinued, here are some possible alternatives for cat owners:
Other Fancy Feast products
Fancy Feast’s pate and minced varieties come in a wide range of flavors and formats suitable for meals or mixing in treats. Options like Classic Pate Morsels provide a similar experience to the appetizers.
Broths from competing brands
Many cat food brands offer broths and juices – similar to the Fancy Feast appetizer broths – that can be used as treats or meal mixers. Popular options include:
- Sheba Perfect Portions broths
- Purina Pro Plan Broths
- Instinct Unpack’d Broths
- Tiki Cat Broths
Single-serve cat food pouches
Foil pouches of wet food from brands like Sheba, Whiskas, and Iams allow for easy portion control in a convenient format similar to the Fancy Feast appetizers tubs.
Human baby food
Many cat owners use human baby food pouches of pureed meat flavors as an occasional treat. Always verify the ingredients are cat safe.
DIY broths and purees
Homemade unseasoned broth from cooking meat along with DIY purees from boiled chicken, beef, salmon etc can replicate the Fancy Feast product experience.
How to Check If Officially Discontinued
To get definitive proof on whether Fancy Feast Appetizers have been permanently discontinued:
1. Contact Purina
Reaching out to Purina’s customer service department directly either by phone, email or social media is the best way to get an official answer. Provide them with the appetizers product names and UPC codes if possible.
2. Check Purina’s website
Keep an eye on Purina’s website as well as the Fancy Feast site specifically for any updated announcements, press releases or FAQs that provide discontinuation confirmation.
3. Call local retailers
Store customer service, pet care departments and consumer affairs hotlines may have insight from Purina sales reps on the status of the appetizers. But information may be limited.
4. Email retailer headquarters
Executive emails and consumer relations contacts for chains like Petco, Petsmart and Pet Supplies Plus could provide additional details not available at individual stores.
5. Search press releases
Monitoring animal and pet industry news sites and PR platforms may reveal any public announcements Purina makes on Fancy Feast appetizers being discontinued.
Purchasing Fancy Feast Appetizers While Available
For cat owners hoping to buy more Fancy Feast appetizers before a possible discontinuation, here are some tips:
Check stores in person
Visiting local pet stores, supermarkets and big box retailers can reveal remaining appetizer inventory that is hard to see online. Be sure to ask at customer service if they have any in the back.
Call ahead to verify availability
Phoning your usual stores and speaking to staff in the pet section can give insight on delivery days and current appetizer stock. You can confirm they have your flavor/format in stock for purchase before making the trip.
Ask about order/reserve options
Some independent pet stores or smaller chains will allow special orders or put items on reserve if they have cases left from Purina’s last shipment. This gives you first pick when new stock arrives.
Try online ordering/delivery
Large retailers like Amazon, Chewy, Petco may have online exclusives or unlisted inventory remaining. Timing delivery for when appetizers seem to appear can help secure them.
Set in-stock alerts
When appetizers pop up at major online sellers, signing up for availability notifications can prompt quick purchase before they sell out again.
Buy via third parties if necessary
If appetizers are completely unavailable nearby, resellers on eBay and individual sellers on sites like Craigslist may offer them at a markup before supplies run out.
Alternatives to Consider If Permanently Discontinued
If efforts to purchase more Fancy Feast appetizers are unsuccessful, cat owners do have some options to switch to long-term:
Transition to new flavors/brands
Slowly introduce different broth, puree and treat varieties your cat responds well to. Take note of favorites to become the new regular options.
Mix in new textures
Combine pates or minced types with some broths, splash of water or bonus juice from canned fish to moisten dry kibble.
Make your own
Experiment with DIY recipes blending meats, broths, baby foods or supplements into homemade approximations of appetizer textures.
Reconsider frequency of treats
Rather than daily treats, scale back to a few times a week for special occasions. Focus feeding on balanced complete meals.
Spoil with people food
Occasional tastes of unseasoned chicken, meat or fish give a similar experience to the Fancy Feast delicacies.
Try topping regular foods
Mixing in spoonfuls of shredded deli turkey, crumbled bacon treats, or a dab of Cheese Whiz can transform ordinary wet food into a fancy feast.
Conclusion
The apparent lack of availability of Fancy Feast appetizers suggests Purina may have quietly discontinued the line. With no official announcement, the only option is to directly contact the company’s customer service for definitive answers on the product’s status.
In the meantime, cat owners hoping to buy more appetizers can check stores diligently and set up online alerts for when brief restocks occur. If Purina has permanently stopped making this product range, viable alternatives do exist to keep cats happy and interested in mealtime. With some creativity and flexibility, Fancy Feast fans can find new ways to give their felines delicious treats and tantalizing textures at home.