Author: Nicole Kerwin

CHAMPAIGN, ILL. — Following the proposal of the new Pet Food Uniform Regulatory Reform Act of 2024 (PURR Act), the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) expressed their concerns with the new law, saying it would reduce state oversight and authority that review the marketing and labeling of pet foods. The legislation was introduced in the House on Feb. 15.The PURR Act, sponsored by the Pet Food Institute, seeks to modernize and streamline the current approach to how pet foods and foods are regulated. Under this new law, regulatory oversight will shift from a state-by-state basis to a federal…

WASHINGTON and BRUSSELS — With sustainable, alternative ingredients and proteins proliferating in many markets, including pet food, the Precision Fermentation Alliance (PFA) and Food Fermentation Europe (FFE) have announced a new definition for “precision fermentation.” According to the associations, the collaborative definition aims to provide clarity on the characteristics of precision fermentation and its difference from other alternative production methods.The final definition is, “Precision fermentation combines the traditional fermentation process with the latest developments in biotechnology to efficiently produce a compound of interest, such as a protein flavor molecule, vitamin, pigment or fat. “Diving deeper, PFA and FFE detail the…

PRAGUE — Bene Meat Technologies (BMT) recently wrote an open letter to the European commission on cell-cultured meat bans in Italy.In November 2023, the Italian Chamber of Deputies voted to pass a law banning the marketing and production of cell-cultured (cultivated) meat in the country. The ban also applies to food and feed and includes large fines for companies that work with cultured meat. The law was approved in December, and now a similar ban is reportedly on the way to France.Founded in 2020, BMT aims to assist pet food manufacturers in their sustainability goals through its cultivated products. The…

BOSTON — Animal Biosciences, a company that seeks to extend the lives of pets, shared the latest clinical research on their Leap Years dog supplement on Feb. 29, showing that Leap Years can help reverse age-related decline in dogs, as well as significantly improve cognitive function.Leap Years is a soft chew supplement that consists of an NAD+ Precursor and a senolytic, a small molecule used to kill senescent cells that cause aging. The supplement specifically targets aging, which can lead to the deterioration of tissues and organ function. According to Animal Biosciences, older dogs experience cognitive decline, increased frailty and…

SECAUCUS, NJ. — Hartz, a leading pet care manufacturer, announced the appointment of Tina Le Lay as president and chief operating officer, and Dai Kageyama as vice president of marketing. According to the company, the new leadership appointments come on the heels of Hartz’s shift to focus on cats and dogs.With its move, Hartz is no longer a one-stop shop for all pets; instead the company enhanced its focus on its signature dog and cat product portfolio. The move is backed by Hartz’s parent company Unicharm, a global CPG company based in Tokyo. Unicharm provided Hartz with innovation, technology and…

WATERTOWN, MASS. — ButcherBox, a direct-to-consumer meat and seafood brand, announced its entry into the pet industry with the launch of its new line — ButcherBox For Pets. The line includes complete-and-balanced dry food, treats, and hip and joint supplements for dogs.ButcherBox For Pets is developed with expertise from clinical veterinarians and adheres to the same high quality standards as ButcherBox. The brand only uses humanely raised and sustainable proteins directly from partners with third-party animal welfare certifications. ButcherBox is B Corp certified.The brand will now use its expertise to provide quality products for pets.”Nearly 60% of ButcherBox customers have…

ORRVILLE, OHIO — The JM Smucker Company shared its financial results for the third quarter of its 2024 fiscal year ended Jan. 31, detailing a significant decline in sales for its pet food division. However, the company’s Meow Mix and Milk-Bone brands both witnessed double-digit growth in the quarter, reflecting Smucker’s success in reshaping its pet food portfolio.For its US Retail Pet Foods segment, Q3 2024 net sales fell significantly by 39% to $465.20 million. Comparable net sales, which exclude Smucker’s divestment of certain pet food brands, increased $79.10 million (20%). The company attributed this to increased volume/mix driven by…

SAN FRANCISCO — On Feb. 29, plant-based pet nutrition brand PawCo Foods announced the closing of its seed funding round, raising $2 million in investments. The round was led by Elevate Ventures and received participation from PawCo Foods’ angel investors, including Arash Ferdowsi, co-founder of Dropbox.Founded and led by former Impossible Foods scientist Mahsa Vazin, Ph.D., PawCo Foods launched in August 2022, aiming to bring high-quality, sustainable and scientifically formulated nutrition to dog bowls. Since its launch, the brand has expanded by introducing new plant-based products. Additionally, the brand uses artificial intelligence (AI) — making it the first plant-based dog…

GREENFIELD, MASS. — Australis Aquaculture LLC, a producer of Ocean-farmed Barramundi, has made its first foray into the pet food and treat industry with the launch of Barra Barrk®, a new human-grade dog treat. Barra Barrk is a single-ingredient treat made from hand-rolled Barramundi fish skin.Barra Barrk is under the The Better Fish® brand of Australis Aquaculture. The Better Fish’s Barramundi is the only ingredient in Barra Bark. The pet treats use hand-rolled and air-dried skin from the fish, offering dogs a healthy snack with several nutritional benefits, according to Australis Aquaculture.As the pet treat market continues to evolve, Barra…

LONDON — Leap Venture Studio & Academy has announced the eighth cohort of its accelerator program, which includes Omni, a sustainable dog nutrition company. The accelerator aims to support early-stage pet startups and their founders by providing resources and $200,000 in funding.Other startups selected include veterinary diagnostic tool GeekoVet, pet wellness company Innovative Pet Lab, pet health subscription Scooch, vaccination record platform VetVerifi, and pet orthopedics company WIMBA.Founded in 2020 by veterinarian Guy Sandelowsky, DVM, and Shiv Sivakumar, Omni’s goal is to create healthier and more sustainable dog nutrition. The company’s current offerings include complete and balanced plant-based wet and…