PetSafe indigo treats now available in Canada

PetSafe has announced that its indigo line of dog treats is now available in Canada.

The treat line features Smokehouse Strips and the indigo Fresh line: Floss Bones, Dental Sticks and Dental Sauce. Treats contain premium ingredients, according to the company, including vitamins, antioxidants and USDA-inspected meat, in order to provide dental and digestive health benefits. 

Freshpet announces terms for US$135 million IPO

Freshpet, which sells refrigerated petfood, has announced terms for its IPO. The New Jersey-based company plans to raise US$135 million by offering 10.4 million shares at a price range of US$12 to US$14. At the midpoint of the proposed range, Freshpet would command a fully diluted market value of US$414 million.
The company cites a growing trend of "pet humanization" in the US where owners treat their pets as family members, along with the popularity of fresh, natural and organic food products among US consumers. Freshpet is backed by growth equity from MidOcean Partners and an investment vehicle co-owned by Chairman and CEO Charles Norris and Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors. Tyson Foods is also a stockholder.
Freshpet, which was founded in 2004 and booked US$74 million in sales for the 12 months ended June 30, 2014, plans to list on the NASDAQ under the symbol FRPT. Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse are the joint bookrunners on the deal. It is expected to price during the week of Nov. 3, 2014. 

Solid Gold Pet, Warrior Canine Connection benefit service dogs, veterans

Solid Gold Pet, a holistic petfood company, and the Solid Gold Foundation have developed an alliance with Warrior Canine Connection (WCC), a US non-profit organization that enlists recovering warriors in a therapeutic mission of learning to train service dogs for their fellow veterans.

“We are proud to be a part of Warrior Canine Connection’s efforts to support warriors and their families through the healing power of dogs,” said Michelle Higdon, CEO and managing member of Solid Gold Pet. “As curators of the highest quality of natural ingredients for petfood, we believe that good nutrition can change the lives of pets and that pets can change the lives of others too, so the alliance was a natural fit."
Founded in 2011, WCC helps combat veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury through a therapeutic service dog training program. Training service dogs for fellow veterans with disabilities provides an opportunity for warriors recovering from psychological injuries to reintegrate into civilian life. Working with Golden and Labrador Retrievers specially bred for health and temperament, warrior trainers must train the dogs to be comfortable and confident in all environments. In teaching the dogs that the world is a safe place, the warrior trainers challenge their symptoms of combat stress.
“Warrior Canine Connection is honored to receive this generous support from Solid Gold Pet and Solid Gold Foundation,” said Rick Yount, WCC founder and executive director. “Solid Gold Pet produces a premium product with an excellent reputation for quality and taste. Our partnership with Solid Gold will help to ensure the health of our dogs and their success as the lifetime companions of Veterans with disabilities. The generous financial donation from Solid Gold Foundation will aid us as we expand our programs and services to more recovering warriors.”
Solid Gold Pet will provide dog food, treats and supplements to all of the service dogs at WCC’s program sites including their headquarters in Brookeville, Maryland and at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence, the Department of Defense’s facility dedicated to advancing the diagnosis, clinical care and research of traumatic brain injury and psychological health conditions for service members. 

Oklahoma social service groups feed homeless pets

Tulsa, Oklahoma-based Night Light Tulsa, a social services group that offers weekly dinner and living necessities for homeless or needy people, has added pets to its list of those it helps.

Every week for the last year, Tulsa animal welfare staff has handed out 850 pounds of dog and cat food, according to Susan Stoker, animal welfare field supervisor. The program, Feed the Pets of Tulsa's Homeless, is 100% donation-funded and offers petfood and connects people in need with basic pet care. The workers also facilitate donated services from area veterinarians who provide free rabies vaccinations, spaying and neutering.

Bühler Aeroglide to hold drying theory seminar

Bühler Aeroglide will hold a drying seminar in Cary, North Carolina, on December 9–11, 2014. The seminar aims to help participants learn and apply drying theory to enhance the performance of processing equipment and improve product quality.
“Our most recent drying theory seminar in Barcelona helped European participants understand drying and apply knowledge to their own specific products and processing operations,” said Joe Tordella, manager of field engineering at Bühler Aeroglide. “Each time, our goal is to teach particular skills needed to evaluate drying operations and produce a baseline of improvements regardless of a dryer’s make or model. In the end, participants should be able to go back and train their own colleagues on best drying procedures to improve efficiency, increase production and achieve optimum product quality.”
"Drying Theory Put to Practice" explores drying basics including parameters, balancing, evaluating, mechanical inspections and troubleshooting with a dryer simulation. By learning how to adjust and regulate the process for the desired outcome, participants find hidden areas of opportunity in the drying process. In the long run, this can mean large savings and increased capacity, according to Bühler Aeroglide. The company also provides site evaluations to establish baselines for these improvements.
The three-day-interactive training program was created for plant managers, project managers, plant engineers and quality control personnel. It also teaches advanced drying concepts and measurement practices in a hands-on lab session combined with advance calculation methods used for dryer sizing. On day two, the class gets to address a mystery product and develop an out-of-the-box approach to solve a drying issue. For more information and to register, please contact Carolyn Gill at Buhler Aeroglide headquarters at +1.919.851.2000 or email carolyn.gill@buhlergroup.com. 

Biorigin releases sustainability report

Biorigin has released its latest sustainability report which, among other things, announces an investment of US$120 million in its plan to expand production, which should increase the company's net income and cash generation until 2017.

Another highlight was the result of Biorigin's satisfaction survey. The general index of customers’ satisfaction was 75.9%, whereas product quality obtained 91.3% approval, both at 95% confidence level. Brazilian and foreign customers of the food and animal nutrition sectors were interviewed, and the survey results generated an action plan that is already being implemented.
Antonio José Zillo, director-president of Biorigin, said the focus of the company is sustainable economic growth and generation of value for the shareholders. “We were able to identify opportunities and to find solutions for the challenges, maintaining the competitive level of the company and always aiming at increasing productivity and efficiency in cost management and operations," said Zillo. "This is our strength: To make business grow, while respecting people and preserving the environment."
The report also looked at traceability, clean energy and certifications.

Nestlé Purina holds 2014 Better with Pets Summit

Nestlé Purina PetCare Co.’s second Better With Pets Summit, held in New York on Oct. 14, 2014, emphasized how technology and scientific advances are leading to a brighter future for pets. Speakers included 15 experts, including animal behaviorists, researchers and entrepreneurs.

"As a leader in the pet care industry, we believe it’s very important to bring together these remarkable speakers to share their knowledge of how pets deeply impact our own behaviors,” said Steve Crimmins, chief marketing officer for Nestlé Purina PetCare. "From a rocket scientist to a 14-year-old inventor, we've brought together some of the most amazing thinkers and storytellers from across cultures to showcase the many ways pets and people are better together—both today and tomorrow.”