News & Newsletters: Page 764

Canadian petfood producer works to lower production facility smell

Canadian petfood manufacturer Champion Petfoods is working to reduce the smell from its plant in Morinville, Alberta, after local residents complained about the odors from the plant, the St. Albert Gazette reported. According to president, Frank Burdzy, the company’s October air quality tests suggested the plant was operating at 50 odor units per cubic meter, a 15% to 20% reduction from the level in April.

Online petfood industry revenue of US$595.8 million by 2016, report projects

IBISworld released a new report on the online petfood and pet supply sales industry, which expects rising pet ownership to drive demand and boost petfood sales to 2016. The report estimates that slowly improving economic conditions will boost consumer spending, which will drive online petfood industry revenue to a projected US$595.8 million by 2016.

US FDA issues two more aflatoxin-related dog food recalls

The US Food and Drug Administration posted an "updated" recall notice on its website, dated December 14, with two additional petfood recalls and corrected petfood product lot numbers, all related to dog food with elevated aflatoxin levels. These most recent recalls, for O'Neal's Feeders Supply's Arrow Brand dog food and dog food from Petrus Feed and Seed Stores Inc., come in addition to December recalls by Cargill, Proctor and Gamble's Iams, and Advanced Animal Nutrition dog food also for high aflatoxin levels.

Recent aflatoxin petfood recalls may increase safety regulations

A series of recent recalls in the US for high aflatoxin levels in petfood is increasing the pressure to tighten government food safety rules in proposals that are currently under review by the Food and Drug Administration, according to a report from Reuters. The act, signed into law this year, focuses on preventing petfood contamination, starting with petfood ingredients, rather than just responding to contamination.

Free 'Pets and Vets' report reviews 2011 retail pet sector

The Wall Street Transcript published a free report, "Pets and Vets," offering a review of the 2011 retail pet sector and an analysis of successful pet retailers like PetSmart. This pet market report contains expert industry commentary and in-depth interviews with public company CEOs, equity analysts and money managers about petfood trends, growth in pet retail, veterinary care and more.

Petfood sales expected to remain strong, analyst says

Pet product retail is expected to maintain its sales volumes during this time of slow economic growth, with petfood and pet treats resilient to trade-downs because of the pet owner's attachment to their animal companions, Daniel Hofkin, an analyst at William Blair & Company LLC, told TWST.com. “People tend to spoil and dote on their pets. They will sometimes sacrifice their own eating or spending, but especially among older families or empty nesters, pets are often considered children.

FDA forms Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance

The US Food and Drug Administration and the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Institute for Food Safety and Health created the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance to develop training courses and materials on preventing contamination for both human and animal food, including petfood, during production. The materials to be developed by the alliance will help industry members, particularly small- and medium-size manufacturers, comply with new preventive control rules of the FSMA.

D.D. Williamson launches Expert Answers for petfood manufacturers

D.D. Williamson launched a new online series to help food scientists, petfood manufacturers, chemists, professors, managers and others in the food and beverage industry to grow their business and expand into new markets. The Expert Answers series answers questions and provides relevant regulatory and market information via video interviews, articles and transcripts from food and beverage industry experts both inside and outside DDW.

New petcast offers petfood advice, money saving tips for pet owners

An on-demand petcast, Radio Beastro, was recently launched on WebTalkRadio.net, to provide pet owners with information and ways to save money. The broadcasts feature pet expert guests and cover topics ranging from smart petfood product choices to winter preparation tips to environmental safety.

Trouw Nutrition donates to Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation

Ingredient supplier Trouw Nutrition is donating up to US$10,000 to Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation, an organization that saves dogs and cats that have run out of time at public shelters. The donations are being made in the name of some of Trouw's petfood manufacturing clients. The company is also sending a gift bag of goodies to ARF for the pets to enjoy.

Market Trends and Reports

Halo petfood, Freekibble.com donate meals to homeless dogs, cats

Halo, the petfood company co-owned by Ellen Degeneres, is teaming up with Freekibble.com for the Holiday Koast-to-Koast Kibble Drop to provide 400,000 nutritious petfood meals to homeless dogs and cats for the holidays. Two trucks are delivering the company's petfood to more than 40 shelters and rescue centers across the US.

Petfood manufacturer Spring Naturals awarded for dog food

Petfood manufacturer Spring Naturals was named the 2011 winner in the dog food category of the Pet Business' Industry Recognition Award. Now in its 10th year, the awards program highlights the specialty pet industry's most innovative and functional products across a variety of pet care categories.

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