News & Newsletters: Page 787

Pet industry grows with human trends in petfood, pet products

Despite a recession, the pet industry has seen continued growth in recent years as the trend of pet humanization has more pet owners purchasing human-grade, premium petfoods, luxury products and human-like medical care for their pets, according to a recent New York Times article. Americans spent a record US$55 billion on their pets in 2010, driven by a 7% increase in veterinary services, according to Packaged Facts.

Call for papers for 2012 Petfood Forum events announced

A call for papers for Petfood Forum 2012 and Petfood Forum Asia 2012 has been announced by the editors of Petfood Industry, organizer of the events.

TV's 'The Apprentice' contestants create new petfood at Mars Petcare

Mars Petcare’s Waltham, UK, and Melton, UK, petfood manufacturing facilities were the focus of the TV series "The Apprentice," as the show's contestants designed, prepared and marketed new petfood brands as part of their weekly challenge. Participants in the current season of "The Apprentice" visited the Mars Petcare sites to learn about the pet care market from nutrition experts at Mars.

Proposed budget cuts may hinder FDA's food-safety regulation

Budget cuts proposed by US House Republicans to the US Food and Drug Administration would undermine the agency’s ability to carry out the food-safety legislation passed by Congress in December 2010, according to an article from the Washington Post. President Obama is seeking US$955 million for food safety at FDA in the fiscal year that starts October 1.

Freshpet launches TV ad campaign for dog food

Freshpet launched an advertising campaign for its dog food that includes television commercials airing during programming on ABC, NBC and CBS, as well as on more than 20 cable networks, like Animal Planet and Food Network. The TV ad campaign, which includes one 30-second ad and two 15-second ads, was created for the company by Darling Agency.

FDA seeks public comment on Food Safety Modernization Act

The US Food and Drug Administration is seeking public comments and recommendations on measures relating to the Food Safety Modernization Act, which requires manufacturers of food and animal feed to implement measures for safe production and mitigation of risks. The deadline for comment is August 22, and FDA said it expects the proposed rule to be published in fall 2011.

Study links pet obesity and new parents

Flexcin International, makers of joint supplements for pets, released data from its study on a possible link between pet obesity and new parents. Flexcin analyzed demographic data from its team of customer advisor specialists to determine the largest percentage of pet obesity-related inquiries.

Wall Street Transcript releases pet retail report with expert analysis

The Wall Street Transcript released a report on the pet retail sector, with expert commentary as well as an analysis of competition and trends in the petfood and products marketplace. The 14-page "Pets & Vets Report" focuses on pet retailers such as PetMed, PetSmart and Costco and brands such as Hill's Science Diet.

Bravo! recalls pig ear chew pet treats for Salmonella contamination

Bravo! issued a voluntary recall for select boxes of Bravo! pig ears chews because of the potential for Salmonella contamination. The recalled Bravo! pig ears were distributed to retailers on the East and West Coasts of the US between January 1 and February 28.

GA Pet Food Partners moves into new UK petfood distribution facility

GA Pet Food Partners will move into a new 200,000-square-foot petfood distribution center near Chorley, Lancashire, UK, in June 2011. The distribution facility has a capacity for 32,000 pallet spaces, which the company says means that all of its finished petfood will now be at the same facility.

GA's 200,000-square-foot UK facililty will expand its office and distribution space.

California, USA, petfood company recalls raw cat food for Salmonella

A California, USA, petfood company issued a voluntary recall of its raw cat food because the food may be contaminated with Salmonella. Primal Pet Foods of San Mateo, California, USA recalled its Feline Chicken & Salmon Formula, 4-pound chicken and salmon nuggets (UPC# 8 95135 00025 0) with a "best by" date code of 043112-17.

BarkNetwork.com to stream live coverage of Purina Incredible Dog Challenge

Petfood brand Purina has teamed up with BarkNetwork.com, making it the exclusive online home of the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge athletic dog competition. BarkNetwork.com will provide live competition coverage, informative blogs, radio broadcasts, event results and canine athlete news from the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge.

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