FRANKLIN, TENN. — CESAR®, a Mars Petcare brand, has entered the fresh pet food category with its new CESAR FRESH CHEF™ refrigerated cut-and-serve dog food rolls. They are formulated with only human-grade ingredients and will be sold exclusively through Walmart.

"Refrigerated pet food has become the fastest-growing segment of pet food products on the market," said Josh Evertsen, senior vice president of customer development at Mars Petcare. "Now pet parents who know and love the CESAR brand for its culinary-forward recipes have more feeding choices with the new CESAR FRESH CHEF product line. We're thrilled to team up with Walmart to bring our newest innovation to shoppers nationwide."

The FRESH CHEF line includes two formulas: Beef & Chicken Recipe with Peas & Carrots, and Chicken Recipe with Peas & Carrots. Both are available in chub rolls of 1.3 lbs and 3.2 lbs. Fresh chicken or beef is the No. 1 ingredient in each formula, according to the company.

"The increased humanization of pets is driving innovation and we're proud to offer new products that promote pet health and wellness because that's what our customers want," said Melody Richard, vice president of pet merchandising at Walmart US. "This expansion by CESAR into the refrigerated dog food space gives our shoppers a fresh way to feed their pets from a brand they already love and trust, made with delicious and balanced human-grade ingredients."

According to Chicago-based market research firm IRI, dollar sales of refrigerated and frozen dog food products grew 29% from August 2019 to August 2020, totaling $514 million in sales in the US Multi-Outlet retail channel. The average price per unit for this category is $7.40 for this time frame, up $0.10 from year-ago prices.

These new fresh CESAR products will be sold in CESAR-branded coolers in the dog food aisles of more than 800 Walmart stores across the United States. The suggested retail price for the 1.3-lb roll is $4.58, and $8.43 for the 3.2-lb roll.

CESAR FRESH CHEF diets are free from artificial flavors, colors and preservatives, although the company stated “trace amounts may be present due to potential cross-contact during manufacturing.”

Read more about new pet food and treat products.