New Purina pet food promotes older dogs’ mental sharpness

Nestle Purina PetCare has introduced Purina Pro Plan BRIGHT MIND Adult 7+ dog food, with enhanced botanical oils shown to promote alertness and mental sharpness in dogs age 7 and up, with visible results within 30 days.

Around age seven, a dog’s glucose metabolism in the brain begins to change, which can affect memory, learning, awareness or decision-making.
After years of research, Purina experts have discovered that fatty acids derived from botanical oils, called medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), can be used in addition to glucose as an energy source for the brain. As part of an older dog's total nutrition, MCTs have been shown to promote alertness and mental sharpness in older dogs age 7 and up.
When added to the daily diet of dogs age 7 and older, MCTs promoted memory, attention and trainability. Owners who feed a Purina Pro Plan Bright Mind formula may notice differences in owner-dog interaction, interest in play and the ability to adapt and cope with change.
The food features high-quality protein, including chicken as the first ingredient; enhanced botanical oils shown to promote alertness and mental sharpness in dogs age 7 and up within 30 days; EPA, an omega-3 fatty acid, and glucosamine help support joint health and mobility; vitamin A and linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid, for healthy skin and coat; and natural prebiotic fiber, sourced from wheat bran, to help promote digestive health.
Purina Pro Plan BRIGHT MIND Adult 7+ Chicken & Rice Formula and Large Breed Formula are available at pet specialty retailers nationwide.

Freshpet launches new dog, cat food advertising campaign

Freshpet's new ads feature a variety of dogs, like this mutt, with signs that play off their breed.

Freshpet is launching the next phase of its "Protest" campaign, which highlights the benefits of the brand's fresh, refrigerated dog and cat food and compares it with other dog food brands on store shelves.
Freshpet's campaign, created by The Terri & Sandy Solution, is a follow-up to last year’s “Protest” spot, which was named the number one most effective spot in the petfood category, according to Ace Metrix.
The advertising campaign includes three television spots and posters to be featured at upcoming sponsorship events. A variety of dogs are featured wearing placards with sayings that play off the breed, including a mutt with a sign, “By-Products Can Kiss My Mutt”; a pug wearing a sign that says, “Pug Off, Preservatives”; and a Shih Tzu wearing, “Propolene Glycol Is Shih Tzu.”
"Last year's spot was the most effective in the petfood industry. And we wanted to up the ante. The lines and the music this year are more irreverent in a playful, wag-your-tail kind of way,” says Sandy Greenberg, co-founder of The Terri & Sandy Solution. Terri Meyer, co-founder, The Terri & Sandy Solution, added: “If dogs knew what ingredients were in their food, they would speak out. We’re just giving them a voice.”

Chef Michael's debuts Food Truck for Dogs

Chef Michael's debuted its first Food Truck for Dogs in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Chef Michael's pet food brand has debuted its first Food Truck for Dogs in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, along with the launch of new dog food recipes.
Dog owners can get involved by following @thefoodfordogs on Twitter or visiting the Facebook page to tell Chef Michael's where the Food Truck for Dogs should go next. Starting in mid-July, visitors to the Chef Michael's Facebook page can sign a "PAW-tition" to show their support for dog food trucks across the US.
Along with the Food Truck for Dogs, Chef Michael's is offering a new line of Carvery Creations, made of real beef or chicken in tender, pull-apart shreds. The new line is available in three flavors: Beef Short Rib, Stewed Chicken and Braised Brisket.
Pet owners can also enter the "Chef Michael's Food for Dogs Sweepstakes" for a chance to win a culinary adventure in New York City, compliments of Food Network Magazine and Chef Michael's. The winner's dog will receive a special prize package too, including a year's supply of Chef Michael's food for dogs. Information on how to enter the sweepstakes is available online.

Wellness natural pet food adds grain-free, limited ingredient diet formulas for dogs and cats

Wellness natural pet food brand is adding 49 new product SKUs to its pet food line, with many new grain-free pet food or limited ingredient diets. 
Among the new products are 9 new Wellness CORE grain-free recipes for dogs and 12 new Wellness CORE grain-free recipes for cats, 16 newly reformulated Wellness Simple: Limited Ingredient Diet for Dogs recipes, and 12 extensions to the line of grain-free Wellness Cubed, Sliced and Minced Canned Cat Cuts recipes.
New canine recipes include: Dry CORE Puppy Formula; Dry CORE Small Breed Formula; Canned CORE Beef, Venison & Lamb Formula; Canned CORE Weight Management Formula; Canned CORE Turkey, Pork Liver & Duck Formula; and Canned CORE Puppy Formula. New feline recipes include: Dry CORE Kitten Formula; Dry CORE Turkey, Turkey Meal & Duck Formula; Dry CORE Indoor Formula; Canned CORE Kitten Formula; Canned CORE Beef, Venison & Lamb Formula; Canned CORE Turkey & Duck Formula; and Canned CORE Indoor Formula.
New Wellness Simple: Limited Ingredient Diet dry and canned canine formulas include: Simple Duck & Oatmeal Formula; Simple Turkey & Potato Formula; Simple Salmon & Potato Formula; and Simple Lamb & Oatmeal Formula. 
Additionally, the Wellness Cubed, Sliced and Minced Canned Cat Cuts line was expanded with a new 5.5-ounce can size in the flavors of chicken, turkey, salmon and tuna, in cubed, sliced and minced textures. The line also includes chicken-free and fish-free varieties in every form. 
New Wellness recipes are available at pet specialty retailers in the US and Canada. 

Instinct raw dog food sponsors roast of Betty White

White and Uggie, her dog, attended the roast, sponsored by Instinct petfood brand.

Nature's Variety pet food brand, Instinct, sponsored a recent roast of comedic actress Betty White on May 16, hosted by The Friars Club, in New York City, USA.  
Uggie, White's dog, eats Instinct Raw diet everyday, according to Omar Von Muller, his trainer. “It’s great that Instinct provided us food while we were attending the Betty White Friars Club Roast in New York City because that’s what he eats when he’s at home,” said von Muller. 
“Instinct is a proud sponsor of the Betty White Friars Club Roast,” said Robert Bennett, chief marketing officer at Nature's Variety. “Betty White is an icon across the world and is well-known for her animal advocacy. When we found out from Uggie’s trainer, Omar von Muller, that Uggie eats Instinct Raw and would be alongside Betty White at her roast, we knew it was a natural fit for us to be part of.” 

Chinese pet owners import American-made pet food for safety

Amid calls by American pet owners for the US Food and Drug Administration to recall chicken jerky treats from China, Chinese pet owners are importing "made in America" petfood in an effort to prevent their own pets from becoming sick by eating pet foods made in China.
A number of US pet food companies currently export pet food to Hong Kong,  according to a recent article, which says that petfood manufacturers Innova, Solid Gold, Pinnacle, Canidae/Felidae, Nature’s Variety, Oma’s Pride, Wellness, Castor & Pollux Pet Works, Holistic Select and Best Breed all export to distributors in Hong Kong.
"The more well-to-do pet owners in China want the best,” said a US dog food manufacturer in the article. “That means food that is made and sourced in the United States. We have just sent off our first shipment to Hong Kong because we have to keep up with our competitors. 
“The purchasers don’t even want the ingredients translated to Mandarin, because it would appear suspicious to Chinese customers,” the pet food manufacturer said.

My Perfect Pet releases lower-calorie grain-free dog food

My Perfect Pet, a frozen fresh pet food company, released a lower-calorie, single protein source food for dogs called Knight’s Blend.
Knight’s Blend is grain-free, formulated with fresh lean beef and vegetables like broccoli, green beans, zucchini and spinach, and is 100 percent complete and balanced based on Association of American Feed Control Officials' nutrient profiles to provide nutritious energy for adult dogs, the company says. Knight’s Blend can be purchased in the standard quantity of a 4-pound retail bag with eight food bars or in a 24-pound case with 48 bars total.
My Perfect Pet says it plans to release Ultra-Low Glycemic Chicken and Ultra-Low Glycemic Beef blends in select markets in the next month.

Royal Canin expands petfood offerings with X-SMALL dog food line

Pet food company Royal Canin is launching a new Royal Canin X-SMALL canine nutrition line, formulated for the needs of very small dogs.
The new line, introduced at the recently held Global Pet Expo, includes four formulas: Puppy, Adult, Mature +8 and Aging +12. To celebrate the new line's launch, the company is kicking off "The Royal Canin Treatment" sweepstakes, which runs through June 1. Royal Canin says the sweepstakes will award a winning pet parent with free dog food and grooming for life, along with an accessory shopping spree. Pet owners can also participate in "The Royal Canin Treatment Instant Win Game" for a chance to win one of more than 500 other prizes.
Royal Canin is expanding the formulas in its MINI dog food line, for dog weighing 9 to 22 pounds, with the new MINI +8 and MINI Aging +12, MINI Indoor formulas and MINI Spayed/Neutered formula.

Evermore Pet Food earns top dog food review, expands retail network

Evermore Pet Food announced that since partnering with Rhode Island, USA-based distributor Pet Food Experts in May 2011, the pet food company has quadrupled its accounts.
Evermore says its network now includes retailers in Maine, USA, and Pet Sage in Virginia, USA. Following being granted the Animal Wellness Magazine seal of approval in August 2011, the pet food company also says it earned its first five-star review on dog food review website Dog Food Advisor in December 2011.

China petfood may contain dangerous preservative levels, consumer group finds

In a sampling of pet food, the Consumers' Foundation found some dog food sold in China may contain preservatives that could affect the health of dogs if too much is consumed, according to The China Post.
The foundation found that eight out 20 dry dog food and canned dog food products purchased from retailers in September 2010 were found to contain sorbic acid. The Consumers' Foundation said the report findings are for consumer reference only, because China does not currently have laws in place that limit the amount of preservatives allowed in pet food.
One of two companies whose petfood the foundation found to contain too many preservatives claimed it is difficult to avoid having a certain level of preservatives in its products because there are no standards to follow, while the other claimed its products are safe because it follows European standards.

Paw4mance Pet Products offers new holistic dog, cat food line

Paw4mance Pet Products International Inc. added the new MOJO brand of pet food to its line of Paw4mance natural and holistic dog food, cat food and treats.
MOJO is specially formulated to meet Association of American Feed Control Officials guidelines for the United States and international markets, the company says. The line is available in three recipes: Original Dog recipe, chicken and rice formula; Platinum recipe, lamb and rice formula; and Elite recipe, fish and rice formula. The company says all of its formulas are free of wheat, wheat gluten and corn, and contain no artificial flavors, colors or chemical preservatives.

Bravo! adds new proteins to raw pet food diet offerings

Bravo! added duck and lamb blends to its line of raw petfood burgers.

Bravo!, a maker of raw pet food diets added two new proteins to its product portfolio. Beginning in February 2012, both USA-made duck and New Zealand-made lamb blends will be available in the burger petfood format.

The petfood company says its duck and lamb formulations contain a blend of meat, organs, bones and vegetables, and contain no grains, fillers or preservatives. Each package contains 10 8-oz. burgers, which are individually-wrapped and packaged in a freezer-ready bag.
“The burger format has really caught on with consumers, especially those who are new to feeding raw and are coming into the category in droves,” said David Bogner, Bravo! co-founder. “Based on the success of our recently-released duck feet treats, and our New Zealand lamb products, the logical next step was to offer these proteins in a burger format.”
Bravo! will support the launch of the new offerings by including a free 8-oz. sample burger of either the duck or lamb in all of its current burger blend products, including chicken, turkey and beef, being distributed throughout February 2012 and March 2012. In addition to the free sample, each bag will include a US$5 off coupon good on the purchase of a full-sized package of either duck or lamb burgers. 

Banfield Pet Hospitals host pet food drive in December

Veterinary professionals from across the United States are taking part in a national pet food drive, Season of Suppers, to help pet owners feed their hungry pets.

During November and December, Banfield Charitable Trust hopes to collect more than 70,000 pounds of petfood to provide 140,000 meals to the pets of homebound seniors, the unemployed and the disabled in 2012. Through December 31, pet owners may donate bags and cans of cat and dog food to any Banfield Pet Hospital, most of which are located inside PetSmart stores. Banfield Charitable Trust also hopes to raise more than US$100,000 in monetary donations on its website and at the pet hospitals in order to fund grants for more than 100 local Meals on Wheels pet food distribution programs after the food donations are depleted. 

Pet Food Manufacturers' Association executive recommends breed-specific dog food

Pet Food Manufacturers' Association (UK) chief executive, Michael Bellingham, recently recommended that dogs should be provided with the correct food formulated specifically for their breed.

Certain breeds of dogs are prone to specific health problems, making it important they receive the proper diet, Bellingham said. Additionally, he said, size, energy requirements and health issues should all be considered in selecting a pet's food. According to PFMA, all dogs must have 37 "essential" nutrients in their food.
"We see variation in the nutritional needs of dogs depending on their characteristics," said Bellingham.
Petfood manufacturers offer a range of breed-specific dog foods, including Royal Canin Yorkshire Terrier dog food and Eukanuba German Shepherd dog food.

Wellness ranked top cat, dog food brand among Pet Sitters International members

Pet Sitters International’s recent State of the Industry Survey polled more than 7,000 member businesses on several of the professional pet care industry’s product preferences, including cat and dog foods.

The top-ranking dog food brand among PSI’s professional pet sitter members was Wellness. Purina ProPlan placed second and Science Diet ranked third. The preferred dog chew among PSI pet sitters was Nylabone, followed by Greenies and rawhide chews, of no particular brand. For cat foods, PSI members also preferred Wellness brand. Science Diet ranked second and Purina ranked third. 
The majority of professional pet sitters said they shop for their pet products at a retail store, though online shopping continues to gain ground.

AdWeek looks at evolution of dog food advertising in America

Speak! dog food's advertisement set trends for petfood advertisers today.

A recent article from AdWeek takes a look into how advertising for brands in the dog food industry has changed over the course of US history.
In 1908, one of the few choices for Americans looking to feed their pets was Milk-Bone dog biscuits. In 1922, Ken-L Ration's introduced the world’s first canned dog food, which captured 90% of market share by 1941. After World War II, General Foods unsuccessfully launched the Gravy Train, but consumers had to add water to the dry kibble, making it messy, the article says.
However, a dog food revolution took place in 1961 when Gaines-Burgers introduced a petfood patty cross between wet and dry dog foods. By 1962, Gaines-Burgers had competition in the dog food market with Speak!, bite-size treats that could be used both as petfood and a pet treat. Speak!, though, had an advertising scheme that was ahead of its time, according to Packaged Facts senior pet market analyst, David Lummis.
“It picks up on the same marketing theme we see today: user convenience. Speak! comes in its own bowl. You can serve half and put the other half in the refrigerator. This ad is very smart,” Lummis said.
Despite the fact that Speak! dog food went out of business shortly after its ad debuted, the company's petfood advertisement represents the evolution of dog food over time, Lummis said. The 1962 ad places the dog sitting on floor, while the 2010 Purina ad puts the dog looking at eye-level with its human companion.
“There’s been a societal shift in the past decade—the anthropomorphization of pets,” Lummis said. “Today, the market is all about dogs as members of the family. In fact, what’s so audacious about the 2010 ad is that Purina doesn’t even show the food.”

Cesar Canine Cuisine hosts contest to create new dog food flavors

Cesar Canine Cuisine is hosting a contest for consumers to create and choose the next flavors of its Sunrise breakfast and Original Pate dog foods.
Consumers can go to Cesar's website and enter the virtual kitchen, where they can mix ingredients for their petfood recipe. Pet care experts will sample the trial recipes to determine the top four submissions. Among these finalists, consumers will vote on two winning final dishes to be manufactured and distributed for sale on store shelves.  
"As the makers of Cesar Canine Cuisine, we know dog lovers want to provide the very best for their canine companions," said Tierney Monaco, brand director for Cesar Canine Cuisine. "So, it seems only natural to ask pet owners what flavor combinations they think their dogs would absolutely love."

Procter & Gamble to air 'Extraordinary Dogs' television series in US

Procter & Gamble will air a 13-episode series called “Eukanuba Extraordinary Dogs," scheduled to premier in the first quarter of 2011.
The series of 30-minute episodes aims to show what extraordinary and challenging creatures dogs are, according to the company. The series is also intended to offer media support for the relaunch of P&G's Eukanuba  petfood brand. "Eukanuba Extraordinary Dogs" will air in the US on the Documentary Channel.

BarkingDeals.com offers group pet product discounts to consumers

BarkingDeals.com was recently launched to provide pet industry companies an outlet for social media marketing and consumer product discounts, functioning like the popular site, Groupon.
BarkingDeals.com offers products from pet manufacturers and distributors at discounts of 50% to 90% for members, including free shipping. Members can share the site's daily deals with friends via Facebook, Twitter and email.
“When we noticed the popularity of economical, group-buying sites increase, we wanted to offer the same type of service to the pet owner community,” said Steve Watters, chief executive of BarkingDeals.com. “By offering new deals daily, members can try products that they might not have tried otherwise. It’s a great way for manufacturers to launch or expand their social media programs to committed buyers and a great way for consumers to see what else is out there for their furry friends. It’s a win-win for all!"

All American Pet Co. offers new products at convenience, drug stores

All American Pet Co. Inc. (AAPT) launched a new product strategy focused on the drug store and convenience store marketplace.
The company's Grrr-nola Dog Food Bar and Grrr-nola Natural dog food products are now available to consumers on the shelves of convenience and drug stores. This new product availability comes after a 67% increase in pet product sales over the previous year for 37,700 US drug stores.
"We are very excited about the opportunity to focus on this very large and un-tapped distribution channel for our new product forms. In addition to the health advantages, our convenient packaging now allows us to achieve a much broader product placement footprint, thereby touching many more customers," said Lisa Bershan, president of AAPT.