Victoria Stilwell to keynote Petfood Forum 2016

Victoria Stilwell, star of It’s Me or the Dog on Animal Planet and judge on CBS’s Greatest American Dog, will deliver the opening keynote for Petfood Forum 2016, April 19 at the Kansas City Convention Center. The internationally known dog trainer, also CEO of the Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Training global network of positive reinforcement dog trainers, will provide a multimedia experience and behind-the-scenes look at her travels and work with some of the world’s most unruly and dangerous dogs.
Stilwell reaches audiences in over 100 countries with her philosophy of positive training methods. She is the editor-in-chief of Positively.com, which features leading veterinary behaviorists, dog trainers and behavioral scientists, and author of three books: It's Me or the Dog: How to Have the Perfect Pet, Fat Dog Slim: How to Have a Healthy, Happy Pet (both bestsellers) and Train Your Dog Positively. Besides starring in her TV shows, she produces a Positively Podcast series, available globally, and several shows for her own YouTube channel. She is a regular columnist for several magazines and has been featured in numerous journals, magazines and newspapers.
Stilwell is committed to helping the cause of animal rescue and rehabilitation and is heavily involved with organizations around the world to increase awareness of puppy mills, dogfighting, animal abuse, pet overpopulation, dog bite prevention and other animal-related causes. A co-founder of the national Dog Bite Prevention conference series, Stilwell also serves the American Humane Association in several roles and is on the advisory boards of Red Rover, Dog TV, Dognition and Canine Assistants.
A regular guest on talk shows, news broadcasts and radio programs throughout the US, Europe and Asia, Stilwell was named 2009’s Dog Trainer of the Year at the Purina ProPlan Dog awards and was the recipient of the 2011 Excellence in Journalism and Outstanding Contributions to the Pet Industry Award. She is a member of the US Association of Pet Dog Trainers and the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants.
Petfood Forum 2016 will take place April 18-20 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. Early bird registration is currently available at www.petfoodforumevents.com.

3 pet food updates for the week ending August 24

1. Petco files for initial public offering: Petco Holdings Inc. has filed for an initial public offering of stock. The company indicated it would seek to raise US$100 million, which is likely a placeholder amount that will change.
2. Flexible packaging companies Prolamina, Ampac merge: Wellspring Capital Management L.L.C., a New York-based private equity firm, has created a leading flexible packaging company through the merger of portfolio companies Prolamina Corp. and newly acquired Ampac Holdings L.L.C. Financial terms were not disclosed.
3. Charlee Bear to sponsor pet adoption tour: Charlee Bear Dog Products, maker of the original Charlee Bear Dog Treats and grain-free Bear Crunch Dog Treats, will sponsor FIDO Friendly magazine’s 7th annual Get Your Licks on Route 66 month-long pet adoption tour. The cross-country series of events begins September 11 at the Western Riverside County/City Animal Shelter in Riverside, California, USA. 

Central Garden & Pet third quarter sales up 4.9%

Central Garden & Pet Co. has announced its third quarter sales increased to US$459.4 million compared with US$438.0 million for the third quarter of 2014. Adjusted sales for the third quarter of 2014 were US$445.0 million.
Gross margin for the third quarter improved to 30.9% compared with 27.2% for the third quarter of 2014. Adjusted gross margin for the third quarter of 2014 was 30.6%.
Operating income for the period increased to US$39.0 million compared with US$18.4 million for the third quarter of 2014. Adjusted operating income for the third quarter of 2014 was US$33.3 million. Operating margin for the third quarter improved to 8.5% compared with 4.2% for the third quarter of 2014. Adjusted operating margin for the third quarter of 2014 was 7.5%.
Net income increased to US$18.8 million compared with US$4.7 million for the third quarter of 2014. Adjusted net income for the third quarter of 2014 was US$14.1 million. Earnings per fully diluted share for the third quarter increased to US$0.38 compared to US$0.09 for the third quarter of 2014. Adjusted earnings per fully diluted share for the third quarter of 2014 was US$0.28
On an adjusted basis, net sales improved 3 percent, gross margin improved by 30 basis points, and selling, general and administrative expenses (SG&A) as a percentage of sales improved by 70 basis points. The combination of these improvements generated an operating margin of 8.5%, a 100 basis point improvement over the prior year.
"The positive impact of the actions we have taken over the past two years to increase revenue, lower SG&A expenses and improve operating margins are clearly reflected in our third quarter financial results, which came in significantly above last year's reported and adjusted results, as well as above our earlier expectations," said John Ranelli, president & CEO of Central Garden & Pet. "The trend in Pet revenues continues to be on the upswing, and both our Garden and Pet segments showed solid gains in operating income. We are focused on continuing to drive earnings growth in the years ahead through our initiatives to increase revenues and lower costs."
While it is still early in the quarter, and there are a number of variables that could impact the company's fourth quarter results, an improvement in earnings is expected. The company expects fiscal 2015 earnings per share of US$0.63 or higher, well ahead of adjusted earnings per share of US$0.33 in the prior year.

Pet segment

Third quarter sales for the Pet segment increased US$11.0 million, or 4.8 percent, from the same period a year ago to US$238.1 million, due in large part to higher professional revenues and higher sales of other manufacturers' products. Professional sales benefitted from increased sales of the company's active ingredient products, including higher sales from its Envincio division, which was acquired last year. Sales of other manufacturers' products also increased, primarily due to higher sales in the e-commerce channel. Partially offsetting the revenue gains were lower revenues in the flea and tick and wild bird feed categories. The Pet segment's branded product sales were US$183.3 million in the third quarter of 2015, and sales of other manufacturers' products were US$54.8 million.
 The Pet segment's operating income was US$32.9 million compared to US$28.4 million in the third quarter of 2014. The increase in operating income was largely due to the increase in sales. The Pet segment's operating margin increased 130 basis points, benefitting from increased efficiencies due to higher volume in the company's professional business, a favorable mix shift inclusive of more professional sales, lower marketing expenditures in its flea and tick business, and a higher gross margin in its dog and cat business. The aquatics and equine businesses experienced lower operating margins during the quarter, partially offsetting the gains.

Altor, Goldman Sachs to acquire Hamlet Protein majority

Altor Fund IV and Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division have partnered to acquire the majority of Hamlet Protein from Polaris Private Equity and the founder of the company, Ole. K. Hansen.
Hamlet Protein is a global provider of soy-based protein solutions used in high value-add animal feed for young animals. The company services more than 50 countries from its two production facilities in Horsens, Denmark, and Findlay, Ohio, USA.
“This is another important milestone for Hamlet Protein and we are very excited about our new partnership with Altor and Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division,” said Søren Munch, CEO of Hamlet Protein. “With the strong support of Altor and Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division we are uniquely positioned to accelerate the development and growth of Hamlet Protein and better service our customers and partners globally.”
“We believe that Hamlet Protein is ideally positioned to become the global champion within high-value-add young animal feed,” said Søren Johansen, partner at Altor Equity Partners.
“We see significant growth potential globally and are excited about partnering with Altor and the management team to support the company’s impressive growth trajectory both organically and through acquisitions,” said Michael Specht Bruun, managing director in the Merchant Banking Division of Goldman Sachs.
Closing of the transaction is subject to customary regulatory requirements and approvals.
 William Blair acted as exclusive financial adviser to the selling shareholders. Nordea has provided debt financing for the transaction.

SafetyChain Software, Wenger partner on reseller agreement

SafetyChain Software has entered into a reseller partnership agreement with Wenger.
SafetyChain is a maker of food safety chain management systems that automate, streamline and improve food safety and quality assurance (FSQA) for the food and beverage industry. Wenger manufactures extrusion, drying and process control systems for the food, pet food and aquatic feed industries.
Under the agreement, Wenger will offer the entire SafetyChain for Food suite – including stand-alone or integrated modules for FSQA Supplier Compliance, Food Safety Management, Food Quality Management, Regulatory and GFSI Compliance/Audit Readiness and SafetyChain Mobile Apps – to current and planned Wenger customers. The two companies will also deliver pre-built integration points between the SafetyChain and Wenger systems for a seamless experience for Wenger customers – leveraging SafetyChain for Food’s ability to integrate data from production equipment to become part of the entire FSQA process and record.
“We are very excited about entering into this agreement with SafetyChain, furthering our commitment in helping our customers be best-in-class when it comes to food safety and quality,” said Lafe Bailey, co-CEO of Wenger. “Our customers will benefit by having a back-end solution that leverages data from Wenger process control systems to make that data actionable within the larger SafetyChain suite. Customers will gain additional value by working with two industry leaders to deploy a comprehensive suite of leading FSQA automation solutions to support all of their safety and quality goals.”
“Wenger continues to redefine the extrusion industry standard, not just with their benchmark equipment and services, but also because they provide food safety plans and services to help their customers achieve FSQA excellence. By now offering a full automation suite to execute on food safety and quality initiatives at all points in a company’s supply chain, Wenger will further differentiate itself as a trusted partner to its customers,” said Barbara Levin, SafetyChain senior vice president and co-founder. “Additionally, due to its global reputation and reach, we’re also very excited to work with Wenger as we continue to expand our global marketing and distribution outside of North America.”
 Wenger will market the full SafetyChain suite, preliminarily named the Wenger APM Food Safety Chain Management System, powered by SafetyChain. The partnership became effective on April 27, 2015.

Aller Petfood Danish division to become trader

Aller Petfood Group is converting its Danish division into a trading set-up, based on strategic partnerships with private label producers within the pet sector.
The decision of converting from own production in Denmark to becoming a trader is based on the high level of surplus dry pet food capacity in the Western European private label pet food market, as well as the lack of profitability of the Danish plant. As part of its strategy, Aller Petfood Group is going through a process of focusing its activities on the core business and “where they can make a difference.”
“The trading set-up allows us to work with strong production partners while offering our customers competitive conditions based on our collective purchasing power,” said CEO and owner Henriette Bylling. “Pet food is much more than just the food inside the bag. Based on our 36 years’ experience in pet food, we are able to work closely with our customers on developing full concepts, via for example matching or developing the food to obtain strong unique selling points, matching the market trends, and reaching the optimum shelf exposure via the packaging selection.”
The first strategic partner in Aller Petfood’s new trading set-up has already been found but its name cannot yet be published. Like Aller Petfood, it has many years of experience in the world of private label pet food production.
“We consider our new partner ideal for us as their mind-set is very similar to ours in relation to for example the high quality standard, flexibility and customer support,” Bylling said.
The new trading concept will run alongside Aller Petfood Group’s brand activities and the remaining production plants.

Passion for animals ties Jackson Galaxy to the pet food industry

Improving the lives of companion animals is common goal of celebrity animal trainer and the pet food industry.

The passion to improve the lives of companion animals is what drives many in the pet food industry. That same passion caused Jackson Galaxy to transform from a part-time musician and animal shelter employee to one of the country’s best known cat behaviorists. Galaxy, the host of “My Cat From Hell” on the Animal Planet network and author of several books on cat behavior, was the keynote speaker at Petfood Forum 2015 in Kansas City April 28.
“My passion for passion for animals is what ties me to you,” he told the audience. “We are all people that are not OK with the status quo. I wasn’t ok with cat euthanasia. I am not ok with the average life span of cat being 14 years. I have a 23-year-old cat at home. Part of the reason that cat is still here is the passion of people like you who were not satisfied with feeding them the same thing.”
Galaxy said he now teaches that one of the basic needs of cats is better nutrition, which allows them to live longer. He thanked the pet food industry for the improvements it’s made in cat food over the past 20 years.
He said food is one of the key drivers in keeping a cat happy. “Cats do one thing really well, and that’s hunting,” he said. “If you can let your cat hunt, eat, groom and sleep, they will be very happy.”
Galaxy was working at an animal shelter in Boulder, Colorado, USA, when he first started studying cat behavior. He saw the connection between training and socializing the cats in the shelter and raising the adoption rate. So he studied more on cat behavior. He says he learned dog training clicker reinforcement dog training tricks and adapted them to cats.
“At that point, my passion for animals took over,” he said. “I took over adoption and then became community outreach manager. Was able to convey passion for animals to other people.”
He was teaching basic cat behavior to people adopting cats, and return rates went down. When someone called to give up a cat, he went and talked to them, and could often solve the problem that was leading to the cat being given up for adoption. Within a short time the shelter was euthanizing fewer cats.
Galaxy says his methods are about teaching people how to empathize with the animal. “We don’t get cats, because they aren’t dogs,” he said. “It’s only a little over a 100 years ago we started bringing cats into the house.”
 Today, Galaxy works with shelters and organizations across the country to improve the lives of animals in shelters and reduce euthanasia rates.

Petfood community reacts to recent consumer-funded testing

Recent consumer-funded petfood testing coordinated by the Association for Truth in Pet Food has drawn responses from the petfood industry, which is questioning the methods used and the relevance of the results.

The Pet Food Institute (PFI) released a statement outlining the testing each product undergoes before it reaches the shelves, and said that simple test results don't provide the complete safety picture. "Petfood ingredients and products undergo rigorous testing by petfood companies, FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and state regulators to ensure safety, quality and appropriate levels of nutrition," said PFI. "The test results by themselves do not provide sufficient information to appropriately draw conclusions. Additional information is needed, such as the sampling method and laboratory materials used, measures taken to prevent contamination of samples, analytical methods employed, and test controls in place."
According to PFI, the testing results actually reaffirm the record of safety in petfood:

• Mycotoxins detected were well below the levels set by FDA and were essentially at background levels.
• Nutrient levels overall were consistent with the AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) nutrient profiles. Variation from the AAFCO nutrient profiles can be validated by conducting a feeding protocol using a particular cat or dog food product. Therapeutic products are fed under the direction and oversight of a veterinarian and may be designed to vary from the AAFCO nutrient profiles as part of the approach to addressing a particular health condition.
• The findings reported do not identify any bacterial species associated with foodborne illness or food spoilage.
• The most common foodborne pathogens were not detected in the test results, again validating the safety of the products tested.
Phyllis Entis, MSc., SM(NRCM), an author and food safety microbiologist, said the consumer-funded testing focused on all the wrong things. "What I find 'shocking and sad' is the waste of consumers' money in a wild goose chase after low-level pathogens of minimal risk to either humans or their pets," she said, in a post on FoodSafetyNews.com. Entis asked why the petfood samples weren't tested for known animal and human pathogens such as Salmonella and Campylobacter, and said that without providing species-level identification of bacteria, the results were useless.
"I acknowledge the good intentions of Susan Thixton and the Association for Truth in Pet Food, but I am appalled at the way in which this study was designed and carried out," said Entis. "The portions of the study relating to bacterial analysis and presentation of the mycotoxin results are the epitome of junk science. The pet-loving consumers who funded this study—and their dogs and cats—deserved far better."
In response, Thixton said the study is in no way "junk science," listing the scientists who oversaw the project and providing a bio of INTI Service Corp., the company the scientists work for. She also defended the pathogens tested and the information in the report. "The information provided in the full report was quoted from FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations," said Thixton. "I am by no means a scientist, so I relied on information from these well-known organizations to provide risk information to consumers."

Petfood Forum 2015 announces speakers, new schedule

Petfood Innovation Workshop: Next Generation Treats, which will take place April 27 in Kansas City, Kansas, USA, will include a field trip to a Food Innovation Accelerator Lab at nearby Kansas State University-Olathe. There, participants can practice product development of treats with several hands-on exercises using actual ingredients and processing techniques.

Sales of pet treats are growing 5% to 8% a year globally, with double-digit increases in some regions as pet owners around the world seek to pamper their pets yet still feed them wholesome, healthy snacks, including functional ingredients. Participants in the Petfood Innovation Workshop can learn about upcoming trends and new product ideas for this dynamic category, then engage in hands-on experimentation, making new types of treats at the Food Innovation Accelerator Lab.
Just about 30 minutes from the Kansas City Convention Center, this new Kansas State University (KSU) campus features a test kitchen where Greg Aldrich, PhD, Research Associate Professor at KSU and President of Pet Food Ingredients & Technology, will lead industry suppliers through helping petfood professionals create new bench-top, baked and molded treats.
Space for Petfood Innovation Workshop: Next Generation Treats is limited. Early bird registration savings are available through February 15, with additional savings for professionals also registering for Petfood Forum 2015.

Women in the Pet Industry Network accepting Women of the Year applications

Women in the Pet Industry Network (WIPIN), a pet industry organization focused on women who want to grow their businesses, is seeking nominations for the pet industry’s leading female professionals for their second annual Pet Industry Women of the Year Awards. The winners will be announced at WIPIN’s “All About Growth” Conference & Awards Show on August 15, 2014.

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“The Pet Industry Women of the Year Awards were designed to recognize the amazing females who dedicate their time and talents to improving the lives of all pets—dogs, cats, birds, fish, horses and exotics—and their parents,” said Shawna Schuh, president of WIPIN. “The awards are a celebration of women who have devoted their lives to the pet industry and shine as beacons of women helping women and pets with passion.”
Award categories include Solopreneur, Entrepreneur, Corporation, Advocate and Rising Star. Five finalists will be named in each category, and one overall Pet Industry Woman of The Year will be chosen from the 25 finalists. The Pet Industry Woman of the Year will receive an award package worth thousands of dollars in training and exposure.
Nominations will be accepted through June 27, 2014, and the entry fee is $45 for WIPIN members and $85 for non-members.

Del Monte Foods Pet Products relaunches as Big Heart Pet Brands

The former Del Monte Pet Products business has relaunched as Big Heart Pet Brands, the largest standalone pet products company in North America, according to the company. The launch follows on the heels of the company's sale of its consumer products division to Del Monte Pacific Ltd., which closed on February 18, 2014.

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The new name reflects the company's singular focus on the pet products market and underscores the company's purpose, according to Big Heart: nurturing the bond between pets and the people who love them-making every day special. Big Heart Pet Brands will continue to include Milk-Bone, Meow Mix, Natural Balance, Kibbles 'n Bits, 9Lives, Milo's Kitchen, Pup-Peroni, Nature's Recipe, Canine Carry Outs, Gravy Train and other brand names.
"As a standalone pet products company, Big Heart Pet Brands will be singularly focused on capturing growth opportunities in the expanding $21 billion pet products category," said Dave West, president and CEO. "We are uniquely positioned with a powerful and broad pet portfolio, strong position in key pet food categories, robust business fundamentals and a commitment to creating a better future for pets by nurturing the bond between pets and the people who love them."
Big Heart Pet Brands will remain headquartered in San Francisco, Calif., and continue to have office presences in Pittsburgh, Pa., and Burbank, Calif. The company will also maintain its existing petfood and snack manufacturing plants and distribution centers, and sales offices.

Pet Food Experts to build new distribution center in Pennsylvania, USA

Pet Food Experts, a distributor of petfood and suppies, announced plans to develop a 170,000-square-foot facility on 18.9 acres at 561 S. Muddy Creek Road in Denver, Pennsylvania, USA.
Glenn J. Frill, president of professional design and construction, said that while the building's footprint will be 170,000 square feet, a mezzanine would boost the total square footage to 197,000 square feet. The building is being designed so it could be expanded by an additional 58,000 square feet, said Frill.
All 30 of Pet Food Experts' current local workforce will be offered jobs at the new location, and once the new building is complete, at least 30 new jobs will be added, said Jim Alden, CFO.
The larger distribution center will accommodate Pet Food Experts' expanding portfolio of pet food brands.
Pet Food Experts hopes to settle on its purchase of the property and break ground on the project soon, with completion set for late 2014.

P&G may look to Del Monte to purchase Iams petfood division

Shareholder HighMark Capital Management Inc. said P&G, which is under pressure to revive itself, could improve sales and boost its share price by selling assets including the Iams petfood division. P&G shares are being discounted because the company is too diversified and too large, and selling assets like the pet-care business may be a "prudent move," Todd Lowenstein, a fund manager at HighMark Capital, said.
According to Exane BNP Paribas, Del Monte, a private-equity-owned company, is seeking to expand its pet products business after agreeing in October to sell its canned peaches and corn division for US$1.68 billion.
Selling the Iams division could result in as much as US$2.5 billion for P&G, said Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., while buying Iams would position Del Monte, with a 20 percent market share, ahead of Mars Inc. as the second largest to Nestle in the petfood and treats industry in North America. 
If P&G sold Iams, "the market would reward management with a higher multiple, a higher valuation because they are getting focused,"  said Lowenstein, whose firm oversees about US$19 billion including P&G shares. Iams is "non-core to their future strategic initiatives. They could probably exact a pretty decent price from someone who has a lot of synergy value in combining those businesses."
Ali Dibadj, a New York, USA-based analyst at Bernstein, said the Iams division could be worth about US$2.5 billion in a sale, while Ferry of Exane BNP Paribas estimated it could be valued closer to US$3 billion.
Paul Fox, a spokesman for P&G, said the company "will continue to focus our portfolio, allocating resources to businesses where we can create value and continuing to exit those where we cannot." He said the company does not comment on speculation when asked whether it would be open to selling the pet-care unit. 
Chrissy Trampedach, a spokeswoman for Del Monte Foods, said the company does not comment on specific merger and acquisition plans. 

Registration opens for Petfood Forum and Petfood Workshop 2014

Registration is open for Petfood Forum 2014, scheduled for March 31-April 2, and Petfood Workshop: Marketing to Today’s Consumers, April 2-3. Participants who register by January 27 can save 15% on registration and even more on Petfood Workshop if they register for both events.
The conference portion of Petfood Forum 2014 will start on April 1 with an opening keynote by Steve Dale, a leading pet journalist, on how he embarked on his career and what he has learned throughout it from pet owners, including their perceptions (and misperceptions) about petfood and pet nutrition.
Further conference sessions will cover the latest research on pet nutrition and petfood ingredients, marketing, processing and safety. On April 2, new discussion sessions will focus on nutritional sustainability of petfoods, how distributor consolidation is affecting petfood retailing and new petfood guidelines from the Food and Drug Administration. Petfood Forum concludes with a closing keynote by America’s VetDogs, an organization that provides guide and service dogs to US veterans.
Immediately following Petfood Forum, Petfood Workshop will feature industry experts delivering information and insights on how pet owners shop, their perspectives on petfood, how to build trust and credibility with them, connecting with them through social media, balancing marketing with science and regulatory requirement and much more.
Both conferences take place at the Renaissance Schaumburg new Chicago, Illinois, USA, and offer numerous opportunities to network with other petfood professionals. Petfood Forum also includes a large exhibit hall featuring top industry suppliers.
To register for Petfood Forum and Petfood Workshop, click here.

Top pet food companies profiled in exclusive database

Petfood Industry has collected data on more than 115 pet food manufacturers and marketers from around the world. This data includes company headquarters, types of products produced, main brands, annual revenue and volume, number of employees, plants and facilities and other information about each company.

• The information, gathered by Petfood Industry and WATT Research, is more complete for some companies than others. If you have corrections, information or companies to add to this database, or any comments, please contact us at toppetfoodco@wattnet.net.
• The database is searchable by specific company name, geographic markets served or key product categories. Currently most of the data is from 2011, the most recent year for which we could find full, complete data. For the 10 largest companies by annual revenue, data is also available for 2010. We will add data for 2012, as well as other updates, on an ongoing basis.
• Registration is required to access the database. If you are having problems registering or logging in, give us your contact information on this form and we will contact you as soon as possible.

Silliker offers 2013 pet food safety training programs

Silliker Inc. offers a new 2013 Food Safety Training program, which includes a range of educational offerings for the food and pet food industries.
Online curriculum courses are offered via SISTEM Express Powered by Silliker, in partnership with Alchemy Systems, designed to help processors meet Global Food Safety Initiative and other industry-specific compliance requirements. Training modules include: Food Safety for Food Manufacturers, Life Skills, Restaurants, Food Service and Restaurants, and Animal Welfare. Multimedia training is also offered via downloadable training programs on Good Manufacturing Practices and HACCP.
Additionally, a range of public short courses are offered, including: Practical HACCP for Food Processors, Internal Auditing in a Food Plant, Crisis Management and Food Defense, Effective Environmental Monitoring and Aseptic Techniques, Sensory and Laboratory Shelf-life Studies for Food Products, and more. Silliker specialists can also customize programs for specific food safety needs and provide on-site training.
A pdf training catalog may be requested online. 

Zuke's reveals sustainable trade show booth at SuperZoo

Zuke's booth at SuperZoo is made of fir plywood and cedar materials that reflect the company's commitment to sustainability.

At SuperZoo 2012, Zuke's unveiled a line of cat treats from its new eco-friendly trade show booth #2147.
Zuke's worked with Greenspace, a design and fabrication company, to develop the sustainable booth, which is made of fir plywood and cedar materials. The booth depicted bright green details and outdoor lifestyle images that go along with the company's rebranding effort and encourage pet owners to be more active with their pets.
“As a company that has been headquartered in Durango, Colorado, since the beginning, we decided to redesign our booth to best express what Zuke’s is all about,” said Zuke’s marketing manager, Grant Berry. “Furthermore, we wanted to create a welcoming space that exudes the essence of the company and optimize customer interaction.”
Additionally, the company launched the G-Zees line of grain-free cat treats, which are formulated with glucosamine and cranberry to support mobility and urinary tract health. The treats are available in both salmon and turkey flavors. The company also introduced a new tuna flavor in its Natural Purrz treats line at SuperZoo. 

Nielsen to host new product webinar on July 31

Nielsen will host a webinar at 12 p.m. ET on July 31 for industry professionals, entitled, "Breakthrough Innovation: Creating - and Sustaining - a Leader."
In this free webinar, Nielsen experts will discuss new product innovation, sharing the results of its Breakthrough Innovation Report, a study of more than 11,000 new product introductions over a three-year period. Experts will also discuss the report's research on the characteristics of successful Breakthrough Innovation Leaders, evaluating their success factors and measuring sales performance over a two-year period. Areas of inquiry include:


• What four key principles do Breakthrough Innovation leaders employ?
• How do Breakthrough Innovation leaders turn demand insights into successful new products?
• How can the 'Factors for Success' model be used for increasing the probability of in-market success?
• How do 'marathon' and 'sprinter' products differ in market activation?

Speakers include: Chris Casey, senior vice president, Consumer Strategy and Global Innovation Practice Leader, Nielsen, and Vicki Gardner, senior vice president, Product Innovation, North America, Nielsen. 

Pet food industry members discuss cat and dog food production, safety

A recent roundtable discussion by Natural Pet Product Merchandiser brought together a petfood retailer, two petfood manufacturers and a pet food industry representative to discuss the petfood production and safety, including the impact of a petfood recall and controls to prevent one.
Although the US Food and Drug Administration’s website shows more than 1,000 petfood and treat recalls since March 2007, Nancy K. Cook, vice president of Pet Food Institute, says this should not be a cause for concern to consumers. She says that the large number is due to the fact that the administration lists every pet food recall since it first began posting them, whereas human food recalls are not reported as frequently.
Ron Jackson, assistant to the president of Hi-Tek Rations, says he feels that smaller companies, especially those with their own manufacturing facility, pay greater attention to detail in the manufacturing process, therefore reducing the potential for safety or quality issues. Cook says this is also true of large manufacturers that must ensure the products they sell globally are also safe.
“I am convinced that big and small companies can have high food-safety standards if the company’s leadership is committed to a culture and expectation of clean and safe food,” said Jerel Kwek, co-founder and CEO of Addiction Pet Foods. 
From a retailer perspective, Lorin Grow, president and owner of Furry Face, says her company thoroughly researches both the petfood and the manufacturer to ensure the food being sold is safe to eat, as well as continuously reviews ingredient panels to ensure nothing in the petfood formulas has changed. 
“We research a food and the manufacturer at length. We want to know the company’s history, how long they’ve been making their foods, where they source their ingredients, who they use to manufacture and package their foods, whether they’ve had any recalls and why, and what steps they take to ensure every ingredient and every process utilized along the way is safe,” Grow says. “When we finally do decide to carry a brand, we never take for granted that things will remain status quo.”
Cook says her organization, Pet Food Institute, assists manufacturers of all sizes in ensuring their products are safe and produced according to all applicable regulations, as well as advises companies on outbreaks of microtoxins to help the companies avoid purchasing ingredients or products from those areas.
At Hi-Tek, Jackson says his company worked with a consultant to improve safety at its plant. 
“When you enter our campus, which is about 68 acres, you are surrounded by traps every 10 feet to get any field mice, rodents or anything that might be attracted to the building. When you enter any door, you go through scrubbers to clean your feet, and you get into a uniform and put a hairnet on,” Jackson says. “The founder of our company, Leonard Powell, is fond of saying that the hairnet probably doesn’t save us from very many stray hairs, but it puts every employee in the mindset that we’re making food.”
Hi-Tek also ensures safety in its products through its method of containerization, which allows incoming ingredients to be separated by truckload and batch. An in-house laboratory tests all incoming products prior to unloading from the truck.
Kwek says Addiction’s approach also aims to prevent food safety issues by implementing strict controls in the manufacturing process. He says a quality-assurance team and an in-house laboratory actively identify potential issues prior to the food being shipped.
In addition to these safety measures, many companies also hire a third-party auditor to supplement audits by the Food and Drug Administration and certifying bodies such as the American Institute of Baking. Cook says that under the Food Safety Modernization Act, the frequency of required audits will vary depending on whether a plant is deemed low risk or high risk. 
"This industry has safety as its [number] one priority. When you compare human food to petfood, it’s obvious that our products fail much less often than human products do," says Cook. "We’re really lucky that our companion animals are living longer, healthier lives than ever before. An awful lot of that is based on the terrific nutrition that they’re receiving from petfoods that meet the requirements set by AAFCO, and now upcoming by FDA, and through the care of well-trained veterinarians."

New Zealand eel exported to US for novel pet food protein

Researchers in New Zealand are calling for pet food companies to stop exporting eel to the United States to be used as a novel protein source in pet foods. 
One local petfood company, Addiction Foods, exports a range of gourmet pet foods to the US and other markets, marketing them as hypoallergenic or "earth-friendly." However, Massey University freshwater scientist Mike Joy is among a number of researchers calling for an end to harvesting long fin, New Zealand's only endemic eel. According to Manaaki Tuna group, the number of long-fin eels has been declining for decades, meaning the species may be approaching extinction.
Addiction Foods says it relies on advice from the New Zealand government to ensure that the eels are harvested sustainably.
''The eels used in our products are managed under [New Zealand]’s internationally respected Ministry of Fisheries Quota Management System,'' Addiction Foods said. ''This reassures us as we know that the numbers of eel are carefully monitored and sustainably harvested."
New Zealand's Ministry of Fisheries says long finned eels are a commercial species that is sustainably harvested under a quota system, and so, may be used in pet food.
As a result, Manaaki Tuna says the group will now focus on reaching overseas buyers of petfood containing New Zealand eel to inform them that the petfood products contain what the Department of Conservation classifies as a "species in decline."