In March and April, the situation looked bleak. The current situation and the stark sales spikes are a welcome change from the early weeks of the pandemic. As a privately held firm, West Paw doesn’t disclose its full financial data, but Williams said sales were above $10 million in 2019. The company also craned in a 12-ton, 30-foot-long injection molding machine used to make the durable, bendy and recyclable Zogoflex toys for which West Paw is known.
In response to the boosts in business, the 24-year-old Bozeman, Montana company which makes chew, play and puzzle toys and other dog products, added 19 employees, bumping up its workforce to about 80 people. “It has just been staggering how quickly people have pivoted to find ways to keep their dogs engaged and mentally stimulated,” he said. One of the bestsellers has been the Toppl – a bowl-shaped, treat-dispensing puzzle toy – which has seen its year-to-date sales jump 160%, Spencer Williams, CEO, said, noting the puzzle toy category has grown about 125% year-to-date. From May through September, they were up 55% from the same period last year. West Paw’s sales in recent months have responded accordingly. A dog plays with a Toppl puzzle toy made by West Paw.
