Bina Thompson, vice president of Colgate-Palmolive investor relations, recently commented on the state of its subsidiary company, Hill's Pet Nutrition Inc. in the company's fourth quarter year-end 2009 earnings conference call .

She acknowledged the effects felt by the recessionary economies in the USA, Europe and Japan with total sales at US$2.132 million compared with US$2.148 million in the previous year. The company has reacted by implementing a permanent price reduction on puppy/kitten petfood and offering a bonus bag promoting the brand's nutritional superiority.

Thompson also announced two new products Hill's will launch this year: a dry wellness food for small and toy breed dogs under the Science Diet brand and a therapeutic cat food in the Prescription Diet line.

She predicted Hill's volume to decline modestly in the first quarter but increase modestly for the full year.