Chewy, which sells everything from dog toys to equine joint supplements, added millions of customers in the wake of lockdowns and a spike in pet adoptions. At times, surging orders stripped its virtual shelves bare of popular dog and cat foods. Now that inventories are under control, Singh and his team are touting a recession-resistant business model: They continue to see gains from consumers who like Chewy’s pets-only focus and easy returns policy.
Singh, who joined Chewy from Amazon.com Inc. in 2017, has been chief executive officer since 2018 and led the company to a successful initial public offering last year. Prior to joining Amazon, he spent a decade at Dell Technologies Inc. His next test at Chewy will be retaining customers and winning over new ones who shop at supermarkets, warehouse clubs, and neighborhood pet stores. Wall Street is also waiting for the company to expand internationally.
