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Pet| Because
you have a choice! An Insider's Guide
to Choosing the Right Food for Your Pet |
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Major UK Pet Food Brands - Who owns which?
The list below may not be 100% accurate as takeovers are as much a part of the pet food industry as anywhere else. It is also not a comprehensive guide to all the brands available, but does cover between 70-80% of all the pet food sold in the UK, showing the power of the major brand owners!
There's a trend toward premium foods, as these are more profitable. To quote research company Mintel 'For cat foods growth has been constant ...with growth due in part to the development of single-serve formats, and of multipacks. It is also the case that, despite no increase in cat ownership, the market has continued to grow as consumers opt for premium and super-premium foods tailored more closely to their cat’s lifestage or lifestyle.
Nestlé Purina has been particularly active in the last few years via a series of acquisitions, and as such Masterfoods and Nestlé Purina command around two thirds of the dog food market by value and nearer to 80% of the cat food market. If anything, the market has become more concentrated into the hands of the two leading players in the last few years. At the same time, however, the willingness of consumers to spend more on their pets has also allowed smaller brands to establish niche positioning in the market place. UK Pet Food CompaniesA brief description of some of the main UK pt food companies and their contact details, along with snippets from their websites to hint at what they are about: Affinity Petcare UK Arden Grange Pet Foods 'All the products in our range contain
either fresh chicken, grade 'A' chicken meal, fresh salmon or lamb
meal as the primary protein source. All Arden Grange diets are free
from wheat, beef, soya and dairy products. They also contain added
prebiotics MOS and FOS, which promote the growth of friendly gut
bacteria that in turn reduce the build up of harmful bowel flora.
All Arden Grange products are free from artificial colourings, flavourings
and preservatives and are naturally preserved using mixed tocopherols
and rosemary extract. Our “Not Tested on Animals Guarantee”
logo demonstrates our commitment to the welfare of animals. We have
not and never will fund any invasive research projects conducted
in relation to pet foods.' Burns Pet Nutrition UK 'The Burns natural holistic dog food
and cat food recipes, developed by John Burns BVMS MRCVS were developed
based on John's veterinary experience of pets with diet related
health problems, and concerns about the ingredients used in many
commercial pet foods.' Butcher’s Pet Care Ltd 'The Butcher's brand is celebrating its 20th birthday in 2007, showing the heritage Butcher's has developed over the years, as well as the strength of the core natural nutrition values that lie at the heart of the brand. Butcher's' sub-brand, Butcher's Choice, specially formulated for small dogs and continuing Butcher's heritage and expertise, continues to go from strength to strength since its launch in 2003. This reflects the Butcher's tradition of following the consumer trends in the market. Along with Butcher's and Butcher's Choice, Butcher's Pet Care also make the Olli and Classic brands of cat food, fulfilling our role as the provider of top quality pet food for all Britain's favourite pets. Olli is our newest brand, which continues the company belief of natural nutrition. As with our dog food, Olli contains no artificial colourings, flavourings or preservatives - providing natural goodness for Britain's cats. Olli has also been innovative in the market, with its peel, feed and dispose' pot providing the most convenient way to feed your cat. '
Denes Natural Pet Care Ltd 'We offer a wide range of wet, dry and complementary foods, which are produced using high high quality natural ingredients with the benefit of added herbs. In addition we provide a range of herbal products including licensed veterinary herbal medicines and veterinary herbal supplements. For external use we provide a range of aromatherapy products based on essential oils.'
Hill’s Pet Nutrition Ltd 'Hill's corporate mission is to help enrich and lengthen the special relationship between you and your pets by providing the best pet nutrition in the world. Our staff of veterinarians and nutritionists work every day around the world to create new products and improve existing ones that will help your pet live a longer, healthier and fuller life. Hill's scientists author more than 50 research papers and textbook chapters each year and teach at leading schools of veterinary medicine all over the world so we can put our knowledge and expertise into every Hill's product for you. Our foods for dogs and cats are formulated for the optimal balance of nutrients and best taste. We know that the best nutrition for your pet not only meets nutritional needs, but also avoids excess nutrients, such as fat and salt, that can be harmful over time.'
Masterfoods, part of Mars UK Ltd (itself a subsidiary
of Mars Inc of the US), was formed in January 2002 by the merger
of Mars Confectionery and Pedigree Masterfoods. It is a major supplier
of petcare products with brands such as Whiskas, Pedigree, Kitekat,
Pal, Cesar, Katkins, Chappie and Sheba, which are produced at the
company’s manufacturing plants in Melton Mowbray and Peterborough
and researched at its Waltham pet food and nutrition centre which
was opened 40 years ago. 'We live, love and celebrate all things canine. From the time and care we put into understanding dogs at the Pedigree Centre in Waltham, England to the design of the products we develop around the world, to the wagging tails that greet us when we get home at night. Keeping our focus firmly on what’s best for dogs helps us create the right foods, snacks and treats, and makes a strong connection with the dog lovers who purchase them.' Head Office Dundee Road, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 4JX Nestlé Purina is one of the world’s largest producers of dry dog and moist cat foods and is one of the two largest suppliers to the UK market with well-known brands such as Winalot, Felix, Friskies and Go-Cat. The company was founded in the US in 1893 as a breakfast cereal business, became known as Ralston Purina in 1902 and introduced dog food to its range in 1959. In 1997, Ralston Purina acquired the UK company Edward Baker Petfoods, giving it a strong foothold in the complete dry dog food through its Bakers Complete brand.In 2001. in 2001, the company merged with a Nestlé subsidiary to create the NestléPurina Petcare Company. NestléPurina closed its only Scottish canning plant in March 2004, in response to the trend awayfrom tinned wet food to dry variants. The company also expanded substantially in 1998 with the acquisition of Spillers Pet Foods from Dalgety, thus taking over brands such as Felix, Winalot and Arthurs. In 2001, Nestlé SA acquired Ralson Purina. 'At Nestle Purina PetCare, we're passionately committed to making pets' lives better. As the pace of change in pet care accelerates, our challenge is to lead with fresh, innovative approaches to making the lives of dogs and cats better. We are proud of our heritage, and we are constantly exploring new trends and ideas that define the future of pet care and of Nestle Purina.' Head Office Checkerboard Square, St. Louis, MO 63164 Iams/ Eucanuba was founded in the US in 1946 and
was acquired by the consumer, household and pharmaceutical goods
giant Procter & Gamble in 1999. 'Like you, we adore dogs and cats, and have a very particular passion for their nutrition. We know that good nutrition can help make a difference to your pets' health and happiness. '
Nutro 'For over 80 years, Nutro has created,
tested, and produced the finest pet foods on the market. Our philosophy
is simple: we constantly strive to provide better ingredients and
better nutrition for better health, no matter what the cost.' Pascoe’s Ltd ' Top quality raw materials from accredited
farmers and growers are blended together to produce pure, highly
palatable, nutritionally balanced foods containing the optimum level
of proteins, fats, carbohydrates and minerals to help maintain your
pet in peak condition.' Town and Country Petfoods Ltd ' Essentials from HiLife for Larger Dogs
is pat of a range of high quality recipes that not only taste great
but also provide all the nutrition your dog needs to live a full
and satisfying life. Chicken & Turkey Dinner is made using high
quality real meat ingredients cooked in their own pouch to ensure
they're as fresh and delicious as possible. ' Vitalin Pet Food 'Quality, Palatability and Nutrition
have always been to the forefront of our business, that's why Vitalin
is continuously researching, developing and producing new and innovative
varieties of pet food in conjunction with vets, nutritionists and
breeders. ' Wagg Foods 'At Wagg, we care passionately about the health of your pets so we only produce the highest quality complete dry dog food and other pet foods, using the finest ingredients at the best possible value. Our complete dry dog food, complete puppy food and small animal foods are packed full of vitamins, minerals and nutrients to keep your pets feeling fit as a fiddle.'
source: Mintel and pet company websites
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Essentials
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There
are many brands on the pet food shelves, but which companies own
them? This might not matter to you, but some folk are fussy about
who they buy from, particularly where they are against animal experimentation.
The
total cat and dog food market grew by 6% at current prices between
2000 and 2005 to reach £1.62 billion! The major brands share
around 80% of a dog food market worth around £900m/yr and
a cat food market worth over £700m/yr. Is that any wonder
when Masterfoods spent £11,000,000 and Nestlé Purina
over £6m just advertising cat food in 2005.
Most
cat food suppliers now offer premium varieties with examples including
HiLife Petit Pâté, Felix As Good As It looks, Whiskas
Oh So Meaty/Fishy and Nature’s Menu 70% Meat. The super-premium
or complementary cat foods include HiLife 70% Real Fish, Gourmet
Pearl Mini Fillets, Gourmet Solitaire 85g tins, Sheba Dome Prime
Cuts, and Iams Select Bites pouches in gravy.'
©2008Pet Food Choice - All information on this website is given in good faith, but decisions about the feeding requirements of your pets are entirely up to you, or if necessary should be taken with the help and advice of your veterinary surgeon... Site map