TV personality and pet lover Rachael Ray is thanking consumers who purchased her Nutrish, Just 6 and Healthy Weight pet food and treats. Ray's “thank you” personal video message is delivered via a QR code that appears on more than 4.5 million packages of the pet food brands.
Ray developed the Nutrish pet food and treat line in 2008 with Ainsworth Pet Nutrition because she “wanted to be able generate a constant stream of revenue to feed and fund the needs of our shelter animals all across the country," Ray says in the video recording. Ray donates 100% of her proceeds from the sales of Nutrish pet food to organizations that help homeless animals.
“Research has found that 14 million mobile users in the US scanned a QR or bar code on their mobile device in June alone,” says Steve Joyce, director of marketing at Ainsworth Pet Nutrition. “We feel the QR code on the Rachael Ray Nutrish packages is a great way for consumers to hear directly from Rachael about her passion for helping animals and see how their purchase is really making a difference.”
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Petfood manufacturer donates cat food to clients who spay, neuter cats through SNAP clinics
Texas, USA-based pet food manufacturer Nulo has joined with the Spay Neuter Assistance Program to help encourage Houston and San Antonio, Texas, USA, residents to spay and neuter their feline companions.
Each client that brings their cat into SNAP for a spay or neuter procedure will receive a free bag of Nulo’s chicken and brown rice cat food while supplies last. Through its pet food donations to SNAP, the company aims to help control the problem of pet overpopulation.
"Spaying and neutering companion cats is especially important for Texans. Intact male cats are at a greater risk of injury and infectious disease. Instinct causes the unaltered male cat to stray in search of females, fight with other male cats, and spray urine to mark territory," said Dr. Jim Weedon, executive director of SNAP. "Additionally, the warm temperatures in Texas, cause cats to have a longer mating season than other areas of the country. Ultimately, this results in the birth of countless homeless kittens and puts a great strain on the resources of animal shelters and communities."
Each client that brings their cat into SNAP for a spay or neuter procedure will receive a free bag of Nulo’s chicken and brown rice cat food while supplies last. Through its pet food donations to SNAP, the company aims to help control the problem of pet overpopulation.
"Spaying and neutering companion cats is especially important for Texans. Intact male cats are at a greater risk of injury and infectious disease. Instinct causes the unaltered male cat to stray in search of females, fight with other male cats, and spray urine to mark territory," said Dr. Jim Weedon, executive director of SNAP. "Additionally, the warm temperatures in Texas, cause cats to have a longer mating season than other areas of the country. Ultimately, this results in the birth of countless homeless kittens and puts a great strain on the resources of animal shelters and communities."
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Nestle plans US$48 million wet pet food production investment in Russia
Nestle Purina PetCare annnounced plans to invest more than US$48 million to double the production of wet pet food at its manufacturing site in Russia.
The money will be used to add production lines at Nestle's pet food manufacturing facility in Vorsino, Russia. Company officials say the investment will double wet pet food manufacturing capacities within the next three years, as well as to produce the entire Purina range of pet food products sold in Russia and exported to other Commonwealth of Independent States countries.
The money will be used to add production lines at Nestle's pet food manufacturing facility in Vorsino, Russia. Company officials say the investment will double wet pet food manufacturing capacities within the next three years, as well as to produce the entire Purina range of pet food products sold in Russia and exported to other Commonwealth of Independent States countries.
AAFCO unveils pet food regulation website
The Association of American Feed Control Officials unveiled its new website, “The Business of Pet Food," which was developed to address frequently asked questions about US pet food regulatory requirements.
The site, www.petfood.aafco.org, includes explanations and links to resources from the states and US government with information about registration and licensing, ingredient listing, labeling requirements and laboratories and analyses.
The site, www.petfood.aafco.org, includes explanations and links to resources from the states and US government with information about registration and licensing, ingredient listing, labeling requirements and laboratories and analyses.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Freshpet offers new pet food, treats at pet specialty stores
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| Freshpet now offers five more refrigerated petfood options for dogs and cats. |
Freshpet says its latest offerings include grain-free Vital Complete Meals for Dogs, grain-free Vital Complete Meals for Cats, Dognation Sweet Potato Chews, Dognation Fresh Bones and Dognation Free-Range Fillets.
“We’ve created our new meals with pet owners in mind – people who want their pets to live a healthy lifestyle just like they do,” CEO Richard Thompson said. “Now, pets can gain the same nutritional benefits you and I get from eating fresh foods.”
HSUS says vegan diets can make cats sick
The animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is urging cat owners to feed their pets a vegan pet food diet, which is free of any animal products, the Toronto Sun reported.
PETA says felines do not need meat in their diets, but rather should be fed an all-vegetable diet without artificial supplements.
"The nutritional needs of dogs and cats can be met with a balanced vegan diet," says Ashley Byrne, a PETA spokeswoman. "We see a lot of cats who are vegan and they are thriving, so, they don't need meat."
The Humane Society of the United States disagrees with PETA's recommendations.
"I hope this is not a trend, or we will be seeing a lot of sick cats. It is not appropriate to feed cats a vegan diet," says HSUS spokeswoman, Nancy Peterson.
Experts say felines are obligate carnivores and will suffer organ failure and shortened lifespans when deprived of a meat diet.
"To force cats to eat a vegetarian diet is both unethical and irresponsible," says Dr. Michael W. Fox, veterinarian and author. "To impose some vegetarian or vegan ideology on one's cat is to go against the nature of cats and their right to be fed a biologically-appropriate diet."
PETA says felines do not need meat in their diets, but rather should be fed an all-vegetable diet without artificial supplements.
"The nutritional needs of dogs and cats can be met with a balanced vegan diet," says Ashley Byrne, a PETA spokeswoman. "We see a lot of cats who are vegan and they are thriving, so, they don't need meat."
The Humane Society of the United States disagrees with PETA's recommendations.
"I hope this is not a trend, or we will be seeing a lot of sick cats. It is not appropriate to feed cats a vegan diet," says HSUS spokeswoman, Nancy Peterson.
Experts say felines are obligate carnivores and will suffer organ failure and shortened lifespans when deprived of a meat diet.
"To force cats to eat a vegetarian diet is both unethical and irresponsible," says Dr. Michael W. Fox, veterinarian and author. "To impose some vegetarian or vegan ideology on one's cat is to go against the nature of cats and their right to be fed a biologically-appropriate diet."
Friday, August 26, 2011
Expanding pet industry gives entrepreneurs a chance for success
The American Pet Products Association estimates that consumers are spending more than US$50 billion on petfood and supplies, a 5% increase over the previous year. At a time when other industries are shrinking or at a standstill, the growing pet industry gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to start their own business selling popular pet products like organic pet food and treats.
"You don't have to go out and invent some patentable, new concept that's technologically innovative," says Bob Vetere, executive director of APPA. "If you have a pretty sweater that you can knit for a dog-that's got a niche too. You can cater to both ends."
The pet market is relatively easy to enter, according to entrepreneur.com, because there are not only many opportunities for product innovation, but also many businesses can be started from home. Vetere says the pet industry adds about 200 to 250 serious businesses each year, though many of these small businesses do not make it past the first year.
Entrepreneurs must understand the market they are targeting as well as the business logistics of the product or service they are offering, experts say. John Nolan, president of Core Marketing and adjunct professor at Pepperdine University's Graziadio School of Business and Management, says pet market entrepreneurs should conduct feasibility studies on their product or service before investing much money and time into it.
"The feasibility study should entail a comprehensive competitive analysis of all existing competitors," Nolan says. "You must know their products, features, benefits, pricing and marketing. In a nutshell-everything about them."
"You don't have to go out and invent some patentable, new concept that's technologically innovative," says Bob Vetere, executive director of APPA. "If you have a pretty sweater that you can knit for a dog-that's got a niche too. You can cater to both ends."
The pet market is relatively easy to enter, according to entrepreneur.com, because there are not only many opportunities for product innovation, but also many businesses can be started from home. Vetere says the pet industry adds about 200 to 250 serious businesses each year, though many of these small businesses do not make it past the first year.
Entrepreneurs must understand the market they are targeting as well as the business logistics of the product or service they are offering, experts say. John Nolan, president of Core Marketing and adjunct professor at Pepperdine University's Graziadio School of Business and Management, says pet market entrepreneurs should conduct feasibility studies on their product or service before investing much money and time into it.
"The feasibility study should entail a comprehensive competitive analysis of all existing competitors," Nolan says. "You must know their products, features, benefits, pricing and marketing. In a nutshell-everything about them."
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