AI as an Extra Pair of Hands and a Head in Pet Food Product Development
Artificial intelligence (AI) is often associated with large tech companies, advanced robotics, or futuristic medicine. However, its practical applications extend into areas like pet food production. Practik, a Ukrainian brand focused on natural dog and cat food, integrates AI to improve and accelerate product development and operational efficiency.
About Practik
Practik was founded with a clear mission: to provide pets with food that has a transparent, balanced, and genuinely natural composition. Instead of replicating existing recipes or repackaging imports, Practik develops each formula from scratch, focusing on nutrient balance and the real dietary needs of pets. Recently, the brand has added AI as a key component in this process.
How AI Enhances Practik’s Production
AI at Practik supports various stages of product creation and business operations. This includes:
- Developing new products like healthy cookies for dogs and cats.
- Balancing nutrient formulas efficiently.
- Generating packaging designs to speed up initial concepts and testing.
- Marketing tasks such as creating videos, photos, captions, and technical specifications.
- Analyzing sales data and customer feedback.
- Automating internal workflows through integrations with tools like Notion, Telegram, and Make.
AI acts as an extra pair of hands and a head, enhancing productivity and precision throughout the company.
Types of AI Used
Practik experiments with various AI technologies, including generative models like GPT, Gemini, Claude, Midjourney, and DALL·E. Analytical machine learning models help optimize data handling, demand forecasting, and trend analysis. Custom GPT models assist the team by generating task specifications, checking SEO, calculating formulas, and suggesting hypotheses.
Management and Integration of AI
The founder personally oversees the configuration, testing, and team training related to AI tools. The company culture encourages all employees and contractors to use AI, not as a trend, but as an effective tool to stay ahead in the pet food industry.
AI’s Role in New Product Development
AI enables rapid consideration of multiple factors such as breed, age, health status, market trends, and scientific research. What once took weeks or months to calculate now takes hours, allowing for quicker iterations and refinements. This efficiency frees up resources to focus on improving natural food recipes and treats.
AI-Driven Product Innovations
- Healthy Cookies for Dogs and Cats: These treats are nutrient-balanced and healthy enough for daily consumption, breaking the stereotype that cookies are just tasty snacks.
- Food with Duck and Superfoods: Formulated using AI to match the nutritional and digestive needs of small dog breeds.
- Line for Sterilized Cats: Optimized to prevent weight gain and support kidney and urinary health.
Each product is developed individually with detailed calculations, ensuring quality and relevance.
Production Stages Using AI
- Identify product ideas based on market demand or pet owner needs.
- Conduct AI-driven market and trend analysis.
- Use AI for rapid nutrient formula calculations.
- Perform laboratory and taste tests for refinement.
- Generate packaging design options with AI.
- Launch production with quality control at every step.
- Engage with the market and customers.
Impact on Development Speed
AI significantly reduces product launch times. For example, a cookie product that typically takes 6 to 12 months to develop was launched in just four months. This saves time and money while allowing faster response to market demands.
Effect on Quality, Price, and Benefits
AI improves product quality by minimizing errors and increasing precision. Costs remain optimized by avoiding unnecessary ingredients. Most importantly, AI allows Practik to consider individual pet factors like weight, age, activity, and digestion, delivering a deeper level of nutritional customization.
Brand Transparency and Customer Trust
AI has become a core value of Practik. Communicating that products are developed with AI is an advantage, appealing to customers who value honesty and transparency about how their pets’ food is made.
Why Now?
Practik adopted AI because the technology is mature and the company is ready to leverage its benefits. The focus is on practical results—speed, accuracy, and depth—not on following trends. AI amplifies the team’s expertise and care, rather than replacing it.
Future Innovations at Practik
- Smart labels that customers can scan to get AI-generated explanations of ingredients and health effects.
- Interactive website support that communicates product details clearly and compassionately.
- Creation of an AI lab within the research and development team.
- Personalized nutrition development based on factors like activity, breed, and potentially biomarker analysis.
Company Evolution
Practik combines a foundation of care and honesty with modern technology. AI is one of the tools enabling the company to improve natural pet food products while maintaining authenticity and quality. Innovation has become a natural part of their approach.
For professionals in product development, Practik’s use of AI is a clear example of integrating emerging technologies to accelerate timelines, enhance precision, and deliver products that better meet customer needs.
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