Martha Stewart teams with PetSmart

New York City On the heels of Monday’s announcement that Martha Stewart and Kmart would not renew their partnership, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia said Tuesday that the company has entered into a multi-year relationship with Age Group to create a line of pet-care products that will be sold through PetSmart.

The line will include a wide range of pet accessories, including apparel, collars, leashes, bedding, grooming supplies, toys and more. The first products are expected to roll out in second quarter 2010.

Stewart said, "I have always loved having a lot of pets - dogs, cats and birds, and consider them members of my family ... I look forward to working with Age Group and PetSmart to provide other pet owners with the types of Martha Stewart-designed products that will keep pets happy, safe and healthy."

According to the 2009/2010 National Pet Owners Survey, an estimated 71 million U.S. households include at least one pet. In 2008, the U.S. Department of Labor’s bureau of labor statistics consumer expenditure surveys found that consumers spent an estimated $52 billion on their pets, an amount that has more than doubled in less than a decade. Approximately one-third of those expenditures are dedicated to pet supplies, grooming and boarding.