Focus on: Business Strategies Twenty years of steady growth and smart acquisitions have propelled Doctors Foster & Smith to the top spot among pet-supply catalogers.

By Reported Donna Loyle

“We’re putting a lot of resources into this plan,” says Foster. “This will be a true niche for us, a real brand-differentiator. Some other company may come in and start selling pet food, but it will be extremely difficult for it to open a pet pharmacy that’s fully licensed in all 50 states.”

In addition, the pharmacy program requires a separate computer system, warehouse and order-management procedures, but they all have to tie together for seamless integration. “It’s been a real challenge for our MIS department,” Foster admits.