PET Food Processing - December 2018 - 8

OFF THE LEASH

Center of
attention
All businesses must keep a finger on the pulse of the
consumer they serve. Pet food and treat processors have
the added challenge of providing products pet owners want
while making sure the products meet the needs and tastes
of the pet. For large pet food companies, where employees
can be quite a few steps removed from the four-legged
consumer, some effort may be needed to keep pets the
central focus. I recently had the opportunity to experience a
corporate culture that does a good job of this.
I was fortunate to be included in a group of industry
media and influencers invited to Purina's Behind the Bowl
Symposium at the company's Clinton, Iowa manufacturing
facility. The small group of guests were joined by nearly
twice as many Purina vice presidents, directors, managers
and employees. We spent a day and a half together touring
the plant, learning about Purina and experiencing the
culture. Presentations were unscripted, we met and talked
with production employees in all areas of the plant and no
questions were off limits.
The first information we learned from each speaker was not
about their professional area of expertise, we learned about
their human family and their pet family. Each guest also
shared information about our families including our pets.
Additionally, all employees in the Clinton plant were met
when they came into work with images of the pets of each
invited guest. It's entirely possible a friendly game of match
the pet owner to the pet may have occurred in the employee
breakrooms that week.
Seeing pictures of someone's pets and learning how
those pets enrich a person's life brought pets to the center
of the conversation and helped us identify what we had in
common. In this circumstance, it was a good reminder that
we all were there for the same reason: to
learn and share how pet food and treats
contribute to healthy, happy pets.
It also created a more relaxed and
collaborative atmosphere.
It seems simple, but in busy and
sometimes stressful lives, it's easy to be
removed from the customers we serve
and to forget the common goals we share. Creating a culture
that reinforces a company's core purpose keeps the consumer
- or in this industry, the pet - in focus.
Jennifer Semple | Editor, jsemple@sosland.com

8

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

EDITORIAL
Pet Food Processing Editor
Jennifer Semple
Pet Food Processing Digital Associate Editor
Jordan Tyler
Baking & Snack Editor
Joanie Spencer
MEAT+POULTRY Editor
Joel Crews
Contributing Editors:
Donna Berry
Lynn Petrak
Steve Krut
Chris Crawford
Jennifer Barnett Fox
Keith Loria

PUBLISHING STAFF
Publisher
Publisher MEAT+POULTRY
Publisher Baking & Snack
Publisher World Grain
Publisher Food Business News and
Milling & Baking News
Publisher Bake/InStore
Associate Publisher
Associate Publisher
Associate Publisher
Sales Manager World Grain
Sales Associate
Director of Audience Development
Audience Development Manager
Audience Development Coordinator
Director of Digital Media
Digital Advertising Manager
Advertising Manager
Advertising Assistant Manager
Advertising Coordinator
Design Services Manager
Design Services Assistant Manager
Production Specialist
Senior Design Consultant
Graphic Designer
Promotions Manager
Promotions Media Designer
Sales Coordinator

Steve Berne
Dave Crost
Paul Lattan
Dan Flavin
Mike Gude
Troy Ashby
David DePaul
Matt O'Shea
Bruce Webster
Adam Ungashick
James Boddicker
Michael Barbee
Kay Hudspeth
Amy Moser
Jon Hall
Carrie Fluegge
Nora Wages
Erica Reyes
Brittany Crisp
Sadowna Conarroe
Ryan Alcantara
Marj Potts
Becky White
Brian Peterman
Jim White
Abby Chronister
Whitney Hartman

CORPORATE
Chairman and CEO
President
Chief Financial and
Administrative Officer
Director of Operations

Charles S. Sosland
L. Joshua Sosland
Staci Greco
Meyer Sosland

Corporate Headquarters
4801 Main St., Suite 650, Kansas City, MO 64112
Phone: (816) 756-1000; Fax: (816) 756-0494
E-mail: PetFoodProcessing@sosland.com
Internet: www.petfoodprocessing.net
http://www.petfoodprocessing.net http://www.petfoodprocessing.net
PET Food Processing - December 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of PET Food Processing - December 2018
