Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada-based pet food company Petcurean Pet Nutrition has been awarded the Stewardship Award from Food in Canada magazine, a Canadian publication that provides industry updates and trends and highlights top equipment and ingredient suppliers. Sponsored by Grant Thornton LLP, Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada-based company Petcurean Pet Nutrition has been awarded the Stewardship Award from Food in Canada magazine in growth, innovation, stewardship, community and industry leadership, and health and wellness.

Sustainable new product development

Petcurean was recognized with the Stewardship Award for the company’s dedication to creating high-efficiency, high-performance pet foods that use the planet’s food resources as responsibly as possible, according to a press release. Most recently, Petcurean developed GATHER, a pet food crafted from certified, organic, non-GMO and sustainably produced ingredients.

“The program we developed for GATHER included researching and partnering with a handful of farmers, growers and fishers of the highest integrity, who were practicing the responsible, sustainable production of extraordinary quality ingredients,” said Walter Cosman, general manager at Petcurean, in a press release. “We wanted to be able to trace each ingredient back to its source, with absolute confidence.”

Petcurean’s newest sustainability focused product

GATHER’s packaging also demonstrates Petcurean’s commitment to sustainability. The pet food bag uses bio-based plastic, which is produced from sugarcane – a renewable raw material. Using bio-based plastic allows Petcurean to reduce its use of petroleum-based resources by 30 percent. For every 16 pound bag made, the company saves the equivalent of a 4 pound bag of petroleum-based material.

“We know our pet owners are passionate about the footprint (or paw prints in our case) they make on the environment and want the same sustainable, transparent, and organic choices for their pets as they have for their foods,” Cosman said.

Food in Canada Leadership Award criteria

Companies recognized with a Food in Canada Leadership Award must demonstrate a broad range of successes across their business, including: continual product innovation and design; expansion into new domestic or international markets; development of people and culture; production efficiency; financial growth; community involvement and support; a focus on healthy product development; responsible stewardship of resources; and strong progressive leadership within both the company and the food industry.