Debbie Phillips-DonaldsonDebbie Phillips-Donaldson is editor-in-chief of Petfood Industry magazine and Petfood Forum.From the Author - Page 68Pet Food MarketNatural petfood label claims here to stay as market continues to grow"Natural: present in or produced by nature; of, relating to or concerning nature; not altered, treated or disguised." Those are just some of the definitions for the word that is showing up more and more on all types of consumer products, including petfood.Pet Food MarketPetfood producers should brace for higher meat prices in 2013No surprise, but financial analysts focused on the agricultural sector are starting to predict lower suppliers -- and thus, higher prices -- for meat to hit in 2013, especially for beef, according to Reuters. That will likely push more consumers to buy chicken and pork, making those meat sources also in shorter supply for petfood producers.Pet Food MarketPetfood and food labeling initiative on California ballot defeatedProposition 37, an initiative on the California election ballot that would have required manufacturers and retailers to label any products made with genetically modified ingredients and prohibited use of the label claim "natural" for any processed food products (including petfoods), has been defeated. As of the latest election results on Wednesday, November 7, the ballot measure trailed 53% to 47%, with 98% of the vote counted, according to Silicon Valley MercuryNews.com.HomePetfood sales reports show market’s resilienceNew reports released as 2012 wraps up indicate the continuing resilience of the pet market, including petfood, despite prolonged turbulence and uncertainty in the global economy.Pet Food MarketUS election outcomes could affect petfood safety, labelingWhen I was in Shanghai, China, a few weeks ago for Petfood Forum China and Pet Fair Asia, I was somewhat surprised by the number of people who asked about the US presidential election on November 6. I suppose I underestimated how integrated China is becoming into the global economy and political scene, and how much news from outside the country reaches its citizens despite government censorship and blocking of certain media.Pet Food MarketGlobal pet care market, including petfood, continues to growThe global pet care market will reach US$94 billion in sales by the end of this year and continue to grow through at least 2017. That's according to Euromonitor International's latest report, "Pet Care Forecast Revisit 2012: How Resilient is the Global Market?"Pet Food MarketPetfood in China poised to explodeIn 2010, the Chinese pet products market reached 40 billion yuan (US$6.4 billion) in sales, according to Jia Tong, vice president of Goumin.com, which bills itself as the largest social network for pet owners in China. She was one of the featured speakers during Petfood Forum China on October 12 in Shanghai, which drew more than 170 petfood professionals from China as well as Japan, Thailand, the US and Europe.Pet Food MarketIngredient scarcity calls for innovative solutionsAfter one of the worst droughts in US history this past summer, along with hot, dry weather in other parts of the world, it's no surprise that projections for crop supplies are continuing to decline. According to BloombergBusinessweek, a new report from the International Grains Council projects global corn production for the 2012-2013 harvest year to come in at 833 million metric tons, down from August's prediction of 838 million metric tons and 2011-2012's actual crop of 875 million metric tons.Pet Food IngredientsThe promise of science for petfoodI confess, I don’t have a strong background in science, but I definitely have immense appreciation and respect for scientific research and breakthroughs, along with the people behind them. So I can’t help but be blown away by some cutting-edge science that’s starting to enter the world of petfood.Pet Food MarketSuperZoo sets record, organizer saysIn another sign of the seemingly ever-resilient pet industry, last week's SuperZoo pet trade show in Las, Vegas, Nevada, USA, drew a record number of participants, according to the World Pet Association, the show's organizer. Those numbers included a 12% increase in attendees from 53 countries, 871 exhibiting companies and 160,000 square feet of (sold-out) exhibit space.Pet Food MarketForcing FDA's hand on new food safety regulationsIt's not just people in the petfood industry who are getting antsy about when the US Food and Drug Administration will finally issue pending regulations in accordance with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The human food industry has definitely noticed the delay, and now two organizations are trying to force FDA's hand.Pet Food MarketPackaging: what consumers (say they) wantConsumer surveys routinely show the same wants and needs for packaging of consumer goods products: convenience, ease of opening and closing (and, increasingly, ease of resealing the package), product freshness and sustainability -- though the majority of consumers surveyed don't seem willing to pay more for eco-friendly packaging. These all hold true in a survey conducted by Packaged Facts earlier this year and reported by Marketing Daily.Previous PagePage 68 of 81Next Page
