Case Study: How Caledon Farms solved low awareness and built trust with new customers

98.6%
purchase intent
18.9%
review response rate
25,000
samples to new customers
4.8 / 5
star rating

About

Caledon Farms was founded in 2006 with a simple mission—make natural, high-quality treats that pet owners can trust. What started in a small kitchen in Ontario has grown into a leading pet treat brand across Canada and the US. Their commitment to single-ingredient, all-natural products has earned them a loyal following.

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Challenge

Breaking through to new customers in a crowded market

Caledon Farms had built a loyal following among pet owners who valued natural, high-quality treats. But beyond their existing customers, millions of pet owners had never heard of them.

They knew that if people tried their treats, they would love them. The challenge was getting the right samples into the right hands—dog owners who truly cared about what they fed their pets.

They also needed to do more than just raise awareness. To grow sustainably, they had to:

  • Turn trial into trust – collecting authentic reviews to build credibility with retailers and new customers.
  • Capture valuable first-party data – creating a CRM of engaged pet owners for future marketing.
  • Drive website traffic and purchases – making sampling a launchpad for long-term growth.

With no experience in digital sampling, they eeded a guided strategy and a partner that made the process easy and impactful.

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Solution

Sampling with purpose, not guesswork

Instead of handing out free treats to just anyone, Caledon Farms partnered with Sampl to make sure only genuinely interested dog owners got a sample—people who actually cared about what they were feeding their pets.

Here’s how we did it:

  • Dog owners had to opt in – only those genuinely interested received a sample, ensuring every pack went to the right person.
  • More for newcomers – those who had never heard of Caledon Farms got two packs to introduce them properly, while existing customers received one as a thank-you.
  • Personalisation mattered – every pet owner shared their dog’s name, making future communications more engaging and relevant.
  • Smart targeting through Meta ads – reaching dog owners who followed competitor brands, bought premium pet products, or showed interest in natural treats.
  • A clear path to purchase – every sample came with a discount voucher, encouraging trial to turn into a first sale.

This wasn’t just about getting treats into homes. It was about making sure the right people got them—and giving them a reason to keep coming back.

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Results

98.6% purchase intent and lasting brand impact

The campaign delivered results far beyond expectations, proving the power of precision sampling in building brand trust and driving real action.

  • 98.6% purchase intent rate (target: 75.7%)
  • 18.9% review response rate (target: 14.9%)
  • >3.8M campaign interactions
  • 4.8 star rating
  • A strong database of high-intent customers for future marketing

By getting their treats into the right hands and making the experience personal, Caledon Farms turned a simple sampling campaign into a way to build lasting relationships with new customers.

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Insights

What pet brands can learn

This campaign proved that sampling can create real connections with the right people (when done properly).

For brands looking to break through and build trust, the key takeaways are:

  • Make every sample count – don’t just send out products, send them to people who actually care.
  • Get personal – small touches, like using a pet’s name, make a difference to both engagement and sales.
  • Create a clear next step – discount vouchers helped turn interest into action.

Caledon Farms is now expanding its sampling into new markets, using what they’ve learned to scale their success.

For any pet brand looking to turn trial into trust and customers into loyal fans, this campaign proves just how powerful the right sampling strategy can be.

Book a free demo with the team today and see for yourself.

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