Pet Nutrition & Supplement Executive Recruiting: Finding Leaders for the $60B Pet Care Market

The Pet Nutrition Market: Premium, Science-Backed, and Growing

The U.S. pet care market exceeded $60 billion in 2024, with pet food and supplements representing the largest and fastest-growing segment. Pet owners increasingly treat their animals as family members and apply the same quality standards to pet nutrition they apply to their own supplements: clean ingredients, science-backed formulations, and transparent sourcing.

The result is a market that has transformed from commodity to premium in less than a decade — and that requires executive talent who can operate at the intersection of veterinary science, consumer brand marketing, and specialty retail channel management.

Regulatory Context: AAFCO and NASC

Pet food products in the U.S. are regulated at the state level, with the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) providing model regulations that most states adopt. Pet supplements are regulated separately and are addressed by the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC), which maintains a quality seal program and adverse event reporting requirements.

Key Executive Roles in Pet Nutrition

• VP of Sales: Key account management with Chewy, PetSmart, Petco, Amazon, Tractor Supply, and the independent pet specialty channel


• VP of Marketing: Science-backed brand narrative, veterinarian endorsement programs, social media, and DTC subscription acquisition


• VP of R&D: Veterinary nutritionist leadership, AAFCO-compliant formulation, and functional ingredient integration


• VP of Supply Chain: Protein sourcing, contract manufacturer management, and cold chain/raw food logistics for premium brands


• Regulatory Affairs Director: AAFCO state registration management, NASC quality program compliance, and pet supplement label review

Compensation Benchmarks (U.S., 2025)

• VP of Sales: $155,000–$225,000 base + 20–35% bonus


• VP of Marketing: $145,000–$215,000 base + bonus + equity


• VP of R&D: $145,000–$205,000 base + bonus


• Regulatory Affairs Director: $120,000–$165,000 base + bonus

NutraHire places executive and technical talent for pet nutrition, pet supplement, and premium pet food brands. Learn about our pet nutrition search practice or start a search.