Ben & Jerry’s making frozen dog treats

Think your dog deserves dessert? So does Ben & Jerry’s.

The Vermont ice cream company said Monday that it’s introducing a line of frozen dog treats, its first foray into the lucrative pet food market. Doggie Desserts, sold in 4-ounce cups, go on sale in U.S. groceries and pet stores later this month.

The treats come in two flavors: pumpkin with cookies and peanut butter with pretzels. Both are made with a base of sunflower butter. They’re also made from the same ingredients Ben & Jerry’s uses in its nondairy human desserts.

Ben & Jerry’s is the latest food company to pivot to pets, sensing opportunity as more Americans acquire furry friends. The number of U.S. households with pets rose 6.5 percent to 84.9 million between 2015 and 2020, according to the American Pet Products Association, a trade group. Spending on dog treats has ballooned, jumping 44 percent to $5.5 billion between 2015 and 2020, according to Euromonitor, a data company.

Millennials in particular spend lavishly on their pets and look for pet products with humangrade ingredients, Ben & Jerry’s said.