In 2023, we worked with Performatrin to design a digital experience that reflected their deep-rooted dedication and passion for enhancing the lives of our furry friends with enriched nutrition, flavour and variety in pet foods.
Premium pet owners don’t buy ingredients — they buy trust, care, and expertise. We designed the new Performatrin experience to celebrate that relationship, blending heart and science through warm storytelling, natural textures, and rich imagery. It’s luxury without arrogance — informed, emotional, and honest. Working with the team at Performatrin was a wonderful, enlightening experience that took us farther into the science and importance of fresh ingredients than we could have ever expected — and it was exactly what we needed to design something that uniquely reflected not just the brand, but the underpinning values. We designed innovative experiences into the website like a Food Finder that lets you find the right food for your pet based on a number of variables like age and fitness, as well a wonderfully interactive experience we called “build a bowl” — which allowed pet parents to create unique recipes combining wet, fresh, and dry Performatrin ingredients to craft unique meals for their beloved family members…
Performatrin’s previous website failed to embody its premium positioning. It was outdated, overly rational, and lacked emotional connection. The food was crafted with science and care, but the site made it feel like any other pet product. The challenge was to convey expertise and empathy simultaneously — to make “formulated nutrition” feel alive.
Fortunately we did have direct access to the passionate leaders within Performatrin that through our unique discovery process were able to share with us all the details about pet nutrition, lifestyles, tastes and the benefits that come from quality foods — which we then translated into the digital personality of the experience. And no, if you’re wondering… we didn’t actually eat the food. Even if it wasn’t always easy not to. It looks so tasty!
We unpacked Performatrin’s story through stakeholder interviews, competitive reviews, and a deep dive into pet owner motivations. We learned that the emotional bond between owner and pet was missing from the digital brand, and that the design language needed to honour that relationship.
Business Purpose Workshop
Customer interviews
User Archetypes Workshop
Current State Journey Workshop
War Room Conceptualization
We mapped the experience as a prototype that we then validated with stakeholders and users to ensure the content strategy, the navigation, and the overall experience reflected the care, passion and dedication towards real nutrition.
Wireframes
Interactive Prototypes
User testing
Validation
We created a design that balanced emotional warmth with scientific credibility. Rich photography and soft lighting made ingredients and pets feel tactile and real, while structured layouts conveyed intelligence and order.
Full product visual design
Style guide and Asset Library
High Fidelity Prototypes
We built the website internally in Wordpress to accommodate the team’s requirements for easy updatability, and familiarity with the platform.
The redesigned experience blended emotion and science, giving the brand a voice that was authentic, authoritative and heartfelt. The new site feels premium without being distant, grounded in care, guided by knowledge, and centred on the bond between beloved pets and their people.
The redesign elevated Performatrin’s presence across digital and retail. Engagement rose, dwell times increased, and internal teams wanted to expand the design system across Pet Valu’s other brands. The project transformed perception — from another pet food line to a truly premium experience.
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