PET Food Processing - September 2018 - 42

"The more niche the product, the more important
it is to have not only a deep understanding of the
product but also multiple procurement sources

TAGLINE

Mark Obrist, The Redwood Group

The function of each
ingredient and how
Blue Buffalo products deliver nutrients
is a large part of the
brand's story that
the company shares
with consumers.
Blue Buffalo

instances, these furry beings are people's children." Pet
owners recognize that animals do have different nutritional needs, hence the reason they buy pet food instead
of serving table scraps. But, they have become more critical of what goes into the food. Many want to know the
purpose of the ingredient and will no longer settle for
inexpensive fillers or anything artificial.
"If a pet food does not appear to have a clean label,
such as if it contains additives or preservatives, then
the manufacturer should explain why those ingredients were added and how they benefit the product," says
Moira Watson, vice-president of marketing and communications, Watson Inc., West Haven, Connecticut.
"Even vitamins and minerals can have long, complicated
names. But they provide important health benefits and
contribute to a higher quality product. Educating pet
owners through transparent labeling and science is key
to building trust."
More than half (56%) of pet parents surveyed by
Packaged Facts in January and February 2018 said they
strongly agree or somewhat agree that they trust pet
food formulations backed by scientific research. That
figure jumps to 62% when the scientific basis of dietary
components is communicated from a veterinarian.
The survey showed that, in general, pet owners have
about the same amount of trust in all types of pet food
manufacturers, whether they are small regional companies, natural and organic marketers, or mass market
brands. It's less about the brand
and company and more about the
communication of what's inside.

Family meal time
"Love them like family. Feed
them like family." That's the tagline for Blue Buffalo Co., Wilton,
Connecticut, an all-natural pet
food company founded by pet parents for pet parents. Minneapolisbased General Mills is set to close
on the purchase of the company
by the end of 2018.
Blue Buffalo is all about wholesome ingredients and the benefits those ingredients provide.
The website contains a glossary of

PET FOOD PROCESSING | September 2018 | www.petfoodprocessing.net

every ingredient that can be found in any of its cat and
dog foods and explains its function. The brand prides
itself on using human-grade ingredients, and its customers are willing to pay a premium.
In addition, all of Blue Buffalo's foods include
LifeSource Bits, a proprietary precise blend of vitamins,
minerals and antioxidants selected by holistic veterinarians and animal nutritionists. These include ingredients
that help support a pet's immune system and specific
life stage requirement, as well as help maintain a healthy
oxidative balance.
"We 'cold form' our LifeSource Bits to minimize the
loss of potency that occurs in many vitamins and nutrients when exposed to extreme heat. This is an important
difference between Blue and other brands because other
brands process their food with high heat. Heat can destroy the potency of some nutrients, particularly antioxidants, by up to 75%," according to the company.
This transparency in ingredients and communication
of the process is the foundation of the clean-label movement in the pet food processing industry. It's all about
talking to pet owners and providing them assurance that
they are making the best choices.
In early 2017, Nutro Products Inc., Nashville, a subsidiary of Mars Inc., relaunched its brand with a new
feed clean pet food philosophy. The Nutro Feed Clean
brand of dog and cat food promises to make recipes
that are simple, purposeful and trustworthy, made with
real, recognizable, non-GMO ingredients and as close to
their native form as possible. The brand vowed to never
use ingredients such as chicken by-product meal, corn,
wheat or soy protein ever again.
As part of its clean-label efforts, many Nutro brands
now emphasize how the animal proteins were raised,
such as pasture-fed lamb or farm-raised chicken. Some
recipes include whole grains while others are grain free,
an option for dietary restrictions. Whole fruits and vegetables are key to many formulations, and the brand
never adds artificial preservatives, colors or flavors.
In line with the new philosophy, the brand also introduced a new Limited Ingredient Diet product line of
dry food for dogs. All of the offerings in the new line
contain 10 or fewer key ingredients, plus natural flavors,
vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. They are crafted
without ingredients such as chicken, beef or grains that
may cause food sensitivities in dogs. Protein sources are
duck, lamb, salmon and venison.

http://www.petfoodprocessing.net

PET Food Processing - September 2018

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