Happy New Year!

May you and your best friend(s) have a happy and healthy 2010!

UK sees increased gourmet, seasonal sales

UK petfood manufacturers reported an increase in demand for their gourmet food ranges as well as seeing a seasonal surge in purchases of special snack treats for animals, according to Financial Times.
“The number of people buying products such as our gourmet cat food … increases by 13-16% during December and January,” said Andrew Harding, director of market development at Nestlé Purina.
The demand for seasonal novelty items extends to pet owners with some pet stores reporting a 30-50% increase in sales during the holidays.

Petfood companies participate in Romer Labs survey

Romer Labs, a company that specializes in diagnostic solutions for food and feed safety, conducted its first Check-Sample Survey in November with its Brazilian subsidiary.
The aflatoxin test samples were dispatched to 49 laboratories in Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. Almost 60% of the survey participants were from the food, petfood and feed sector, showing the ever-increasing quality consciousness of laboratories in South America.

Purina launches new ad promoting nutrition

Nestlé Purina launched a new documentary-style ad for Friskies via YouTube that depicts a cat named Bobo as he runs and climbs walls in Barcelona, Spain.
The ad aims to show that Friskies delivers the nutrition that can provide agility and energy “for cats that live life to the full.”

Happy Holidays

No limit on belly rubs today!

Packaging company announces expansion before takeover

France-based Alcan Packaging has started production trials at a new €17 million (US$24.4 million) flexible packaging plant in the Czech Republic as part of its strategy to strengthen its position in the growth markets of Central and Eastern Europe, according to www.foodproductiondaily.com.
The announcement on the plant came shortly before the European Commission gave its approval to the proposed US$2.025 billion takeover by Australian company Amcor.
Amcor unveiled its anticipated reorganization with the formation of seven major business units, including a Rigid Plastics division that would consist of what was previously Amcor PET Packaging, Bericap closures - North America and Alcan Packaging Pharma Plastics (Rigids).
The combined Amcor and Alcan Packaging businesses in Europe currently have sales of approximately US$4.8 billion across 75 plants.

French scientist explains the effects of DON

Mycotoxin intestinal absorption – specifically the effects of DON on the gastrointestinal tract – is the subject of one of the latest videos on Biomin’s Mycotoxin Channel on YouTube.
In a one-minute-plus clip, Dr. Isabelle Oswald of the French National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRA) explains what happens in the intestines of animals as a result of the mycotoxin DON.

Zuke's announces support initiatives for retailers

Zuke’s, a manufacturer of all-natural pet treats, announced its 2010 retailer support initiatives, many of which are currently in effect.
“We want to support this trend by providing our retail partners with the tools and incentives they need to increase the sell-through of these products in natural and general grocery,” said Patrick Meiering, founder of Zuke’s.
Support initiatives include in-store sampling programs, store locators on the Zuke’s Web site to push retailer sales and tradeshow specials to support new and existing products.

Hartz seeks input on shelter donations

The Hartz Mountain Corp., a US company offering pet supplies and treats, has agreed to donate US$3 million worth of its pet products to animal shelters in the US and Canada.
The company has already donated US$2 million but is asking customers to nominate additional shelters that will benefit from the other US$1 million worth of pet supplies by e-mailing the company at hartzshelterheroes@hartz.com.

Merrick donates petfood to shelters

After deciding upon a list of no-kill shelters throughout the US, Merrick Pet Care committed to providing six months worth of petfood to each. To date, Merrick delivers both dry and canned food to shelters in nine states: Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia and Washington.
This past month, the company provided approximately 14,500 pounds of dry food and 50,000 cans to the shelters.

The 'catch me if you can' B vitamin

Thiamine, an essential ingredient for cats and dogs, can be lost during typical petfood production. Read the full column in Petfood Industry.

iPhone app benefits animal rescue organizations

A new iPhone application called the Rescue Cleaner is only one of more than 100,000 apps that benefits animal rescue organizations.
It features videos of rescued animals, including six dogs, two cats and a ferret, that are put to work inside the mobile device, cleaning the screen with their tongues.

FDA launches pet widget

The US Food and Drug Administration recently launched a pet health and safety widget for consumers as part of an ongoing effort to provide timely public health information.
The widget – a portable application embedded in a Web page that can be copied onto any other Web site or blog – will include topics such as how to report a problem with petfood, purchasing pet drugs online and caring for a pet in a disaster.

Companies offer free processing webinar

K-Tron Process Group announced its collaboration with Hosokawa Micron Powder Systems to present a complimentary technical webinar, “Innovations in Continuous Processing,” that offers pharmaceutical and food processors the latest detailed process information about continuous mixing and loss in weight feeding.
The webinar, set to take place on February 10, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. (EST), will cover developments in continuous feeding and refill operations, with an emphasis on continuous blending for the ultimate in flexibility and processing of multiple ingredients.
For free registration, visit www.ktron.com/webinars.

Ethoxyquin redux

Right now, consumer advocates are asking manufacturers about the preservation of fish meal in their products. Read the full column in Petfood Industry.

Live long, live strong

From puppy to senior to everything in between, lifestage petfoods target immunity and lifespan of dogs and cats. Read the full article in Petfood Industry.

Aller's recipe for success

Combine a commitment to petfood with an emphasis on quality and a focus on a premium and superpremium private label. Read the full article.

Hilary Swank to help pets find homes

Iams' Home 4 the Holidays program recently announced actress Hilary Swank will serve as the drive's 2009 ambassador.
Swank will share her personal experience with adoption and rescue in an effort to help educate others about how they can make a positive impact on the lives of homeless pets. Along with founding partner Helen Woodward Animal Center and nearly 3,500 participating animal organizations from around the world, the program has set a goal to help 1.5 million pets find homes from October 1, 2009, through January 4, 2010.
Swank has adopted many pets throughout her life, including her two dogs Karoo and Rumi. She rescued Karoo from the side of a road while filming in South Africa a few years ago and adopted Rumi last fall from a participating IH4TH shelter in Los Angeles.

Eukanuba, magazine and Web site launch Cat College

Eukanuba cat food, Cat Fancy magazine and CatChannel.com recently launched Cat College – an online school where cat owners can learn more about their pets through educational courses.
The Eukanuba Cat College program kicked off in the January 2010 issue of Cat Fancy, with a quiz to determine how knowledgeable readers are about their feline pets. Readers are then able to go online and enroll in Cat College.
The Cat College curriculum includes courses on feline nutrition, biology, zoology, genetics, psychology, language, sociology, art history and physical education.
The program's valedictorian will win a year's worth of Eukanuba cat food.

Update on Premium Edge cat food recall

Diamond Pet Foods recalled certain bags of Premium Edge Finicky Adult Cat and Premium Edge Hairball cat food in September due to a lack of thiamine, according to The Associated Press.
Since then, the company has confirmed 21 reports of thiamine deficiency in New York and Pennsylvania.
The recalled cat food was pulled from shelves on September 23 after being distributed in 18 states in the US. No incidents have been reported since October 19.

All American Pet Company to focus on drug, convenience stores

All American Pet Company Inc. is beginning a product launch strategy with a focus on the drug and convenience store marketplace.
"Our aging population is making more frequent visits to ... drug and ... convenience stores," said Lisa Bershan, president of AAPT.
The company is offering a food bar for dogs, designed for heart health, convenience and the price-conscious consumer.

Halo sponsors iPhone app for petfood donations

Halo Purely for Pets, a producer of holistic pet care products, announced its official sponsorship of Freekibble.com’s first iPhone application.
On Dec. 1, Freekibble.com will launch “Kibble Katch,” a game that results in Halo donating 1,000 pieces of kibble per purchased application (about four meals), to Freekibble.com to donate to shelters dogs.
“We are proud to be working with Freekibble to help feed animals that deserve a decent meal,” said David Yaskulka, vice president of marketing and communications at Halo. “People who love animals can make small but significant donations with huge pay-offs.”

H1N1 virus reported in Chinese dogs

China’s Agriculture Ministry announced on November 28 that two dogs tested positive for H1N1 virus, as reported by Beijing’s Jinghua Times. The two dogs were among 52 sick dogs tested for the virus.
The H1N1 flu found in the above cases is suspected to have been transferred from humans to their pets, and the disease can be transferred among dogs, according to the report.
This is the first time H1N1 virus has been found Chinese dogs, the report said, though four cases of H1N1 were found in a hog slaughterhouse in North China last month.