Unique Ingredients in Pet Foods

Comment

Comment by Cleo Parker on October 22, 2009 at 1:52pm

IMO this is driven by consumer belief that their dogs have allergies and that novel ingredients will be somehow hypo-allergenic. As the owner of a dog that has been tested and is allergic to many common dog food ingredients (oatmeal, chicken, lamb, rice) I really read labels closely - I wouldn't use the "wild" ingredients because they weren't in the allergy test. But I do find they are often combined with more common ingredients so the idea that consumers would be avoiding ingredients their dogs were exposed and developed allergies to is not the reality. The "exotic" my dog would enjoy is SQUIRREL - she's only been able to harvest a couple herself, of course that protein source wasn't in the test either . . .

Comment by Zachary Heskett on October 2, 2009 at 8:07am

The goal of business is to find a new or improved approach to help and improve upon what is already present in the marketplace. Would everyone be fine if we all ate the same whole wheat bread day in and day out? Of course... so why offer 7-grain, 12-grain, oat-nut, etc? Businesses offer new and varied products to not only increase their annual revenues, but to give the daily consumer choices. The same goes for the pet industry. There are hundreds of dog and cat products that contain the "standard" formulas of chicken, beef, grain products, etc. There is nothing wrong with giving the consumer new and innovative choices for foods with "exotic" ingredients as long as the proper research is done that proves the safety and nutritional benefits of the product. Does the dog or cat NEED "wild boar" in their diet... probably not, but who cares as longs as it provides the proper nutritional benefits and the dog/cat parent decides that it is in the best interest of their pet. In the end, the consumer will be the one that decides whether the product succeeds or fails.

Comment by Melody McKinnon on September 30, 2009 at 9:05pm

It may not be your intent to talk down to people, but you're exceedingly good at it just the same... Virginia indeed...lol..honestly Tom, you think that tone doesn't put people off? There's no way I'd hire or buy from someone who spoke to me or my customers that way. You don't have to belittle people to make yourself feel better, you're among friends here. Get your nose down here and discuss something with an open mind.

But onto the topic at hand, that's just exactly my point - it isn't consumers as much as it is company gimmick. They tell consumers it's better - it's pure marketing. Some customers buy it, some former customers don't. The marketers are on the right track, consumers are focusing on wild diets, but they have to back it up with something real, like low-heat processing. They have to stop telling consumers their dogs and cats need wheat and carb's when they don't need anything of the sort, the industry needs those ingredients, dogs & cats don't. Consumers know that. When we try to tell them differently, we lose their trust.

It seems that you're thinking from the wrong perspective. People don't want to be told what they want or what their pets need and if you are doing it with the aforementioned tone, I can see why you haven't progressed with them in 35 years. Pet owners want to learn so they can decide for themselves and they've done a fine job of it.

For example, more and more consumers are becoming aware of processing methods and nobody wants the over-processed fortified dust that they've been sold as pet food. Those ingredients may be nutritious when they are mixed up, but once they're processed at screaming high temperatures for long periods of time, there's nothing left of that naturally sourced nutrition. Proteins are changed, minerals are changed, vitamins are obliviated. That's reality and consumers are aware of it these days.

If a business continues to think like a superior "we'll tell you what's good for your animal because you don't know any better" business, it will be history in short order. To think otherwise is to be the ostrich you speak of - burying your head in the sand. Whether we like it or not, a new age of consumer awareness is here and we have got to work with it. Pretending it doesn't exist or dismissing it won't make it go away, it will make the business go away. It's time to demonstrate some creativity and ingenuity and find a way to meet that consumer half way.

So let's say consumers are asking for wild duck. We can say "That's ridiculous. You don't want wild duck and your pet doesn't need wild duck." There goes that customer. Instead, we have to say "What appeals to you about wild duck?" in a respectful, non-confrontational manner and with a sincere desire to learn from what they have to say. Then we have to think, research, plan, hold brainstorm sessions... whatever it takes, we have to find a way to give the consumers of the 2000's what they want because that's the very essence of success in this business.

You're making assumptions left, right and center about how people are thinking and in the same breath, pronouncing it to be idiotic. If they want duck, then they should get their duck. Who are we to decide what buyers want and don't want? It's supposed to be the other way around. They don't have to justify what they want to us, we have to justify why they're not getting what they want. If there's a very good reason why they shouldn't have duck, we can give them easily verifiable facts and encourage them to take the information and research it more. It's not us against them, we're supposed to be on the same side.

As for human grade - if there was no difference between human grade and pet grade, they wouldn't be graded. ;-)

Regardless, I'll let others weigh in now. I hope everyone gains some insight.

Comment by Tommy R. Willard on September 30, 2009 at 12:33pm

Melody, you need to look at the pet food shelves more closely or at least go on the internet and see what is offered for sale to consumers. I dare say that not all consumers want or demand foods with "wild" or exotic ingredients but there are a plethora of products with these exact ingredients. In less than 5 minutes of searching the web, I found 9 products with "wild" or non-traditional ingredients.
For Example:
Fling River Trout & Potato (Fish & Chips) Nuiggets Canned and Waffer Treats
Natures Logic Natural Duck & Salmon Dinner (both dog and cat canned foods)
Natures Logic Natural Rabbit canned cat food
Tiki Cat Premium Wild Caught Seafood Dinner (human grade seafood)
Companion Natural - chunked Salmon (. . . chunked Alaskan wild caught salmon . . .)
Wild Side Salmon Cat Treats (. . . cats love salmon. 100% natural wlld Salmon. . . )
Pinnacle Trout & Sweet Potaton canned and dry dog food
EVO 95% Venison canned dor good
Fromm Salomo A La Veg (. . . fresh wild salmon. . .),

Yes, Virgina, there are many foods containing "wild" caught, or exotic and human grade ingredients on the market. Someone must be demanding and buying them, don't you think.

It has never been my intent to talk down to anyone especially the consumers. God bless them, as they are who we in the pet food industry are in business to SERVE. I do chastise those who cater to the whims of a few and misinform consumers that there are foods "out there" that are "better" for their pets because they have "Wild - Exotic - Natural - Human Grade" ingredients. I detest the misinformation that gets passed along on the Internet without review or care as to the accuracy or audacity of some of the statements or claims.

For over 35 years I have tried to inform customers of the truth as it pertains to the science of nutrition and to the science of pet food manufacturing and I will continue as long as my computer - the physical one as well as the mental one- holds out. The simple truth is that chicken by products meal and fresh, fish, and fish by products, eggs, plasma, whole grains such as corn, flours such as rice, wheat, barley, etc., and fats from poultry, fish, pork, when blended and balanced with high quality vitamins and minerals are all that is needed to make a super nutritional dog, cat or ferret food. The science and quality behind the formulation along with quality manufacturing and packaging by reputable caring manufacturers is all that is needed. Pretty much everything else is marketing.

Comment by Tommy R. Willard on September 30, 2009 at 12:08pm

Melody, you need to look at the pet food shelves more closely or at least go on the internet and see what is offered for sale to consumers. I dare say that not all consumers want or demand foods with "wild" or exotic ingredients but there are a plethra of products with these exact ingredients. In less than 5 minutes of searching the web, I found 9 products with "wild" or non-traditional ingredients.
Fling River

Comment by Melody McKinnon on September 29, 2009 at 8:05pm

Well look at it this way Tom, at least there was a post that wasn't advertising, which was refreshing...lol.

I like to move directly in the consumer circles to get a true feel for what they/we want and I've yet to see a demand for beaver. What they want is naturally sourced nutrition, quality and safety.

There's nothing exotic about fish, it's a very nutritious ingredient. Pet lovers are very aware of the perils in harvesting wild creatures so I don't think you'll find them encouraging the practice anytime soon. Exotic ingredients would simply be a marketing gimmick coming from the other direction. Nobody wants or needs more gimmicks from the petfood industry.

I don't understand why you think consumers want this? One person's post is one person's post. Talking down to consumers is a fatal marketing error, however. Nobody is going to share information with you if they're spoken to in that manner... except me, because I find it entertaining ;-). It doesn't matter if you think they're idiots for wanting these ingredients, they are our bread and butter... and kangaroo as the case may be, and must be treated with the utmost respect.