Great China International Inc. (Corona, Calif.) recently entered a joint venture with Weifang Heiwa-En Pet Food Co. Ltd., the largest chicken treat processing facility in China, to form a new treat company.

The charter, called ChiAm Pets Direct, is packaging and distributing premium 100 percent chicken breast fillet treat for private-label markets in North America and Europe. Handling all orders and transactions from its service center in Corona, the new company offers door-to-door container programs on a factory-direct basis, full-service custom printing and packaging facilities and the shortest lead time in the industry, according to Jim Harper, vice president of sales and marketing for ChiAm.

Established in 1998, Weifang Heiwa-En opened a 100,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art processing facility in 2004. Employing more than 280 full-time personnel, the company has the capacity to produce more than 300 tons of chicken treats per month. [March 2005 PET AGE]