Recent Articles from Colleen Murphy
2018 Pet Age Distributor of the Year: Phillips Pet Food & Supplies
The year is 1938. Seabiscuit beats War Admiral in the “Race of the Century,” WWII is a year away from breaking out and H.G. Wells is causing mass panic in the U.S. with his “The War of the Worlds” radio broadcast. Of course, 1938 is also the year Phillips Pet Food & Supplies got its […]
What to Expect on Trade Show Day #1
More than 21,000 pet industry professionals will be making their way to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center sometime this week for SuperZoo 2018. Today marks day two of SuperZoo’s educational seminars, of which there are more than 70 seminars spanning four main content areas—retail, grooming, service industry and animal wellness. Today also kicks off the […]
Innovation Showdown Grants 3 Animal Welfare Organizations $350,000
A winner has been crowned in the 2018 Innovation Showdown. Originally created in 2017 by the Petco Foundation and The Jackson Galaxy Project, the competition is modeled after the ABC show “Shark Tank.” But instead of having a financial return on investment as the ultimate goal, The Innovation Showdown’s mission is to have a lifesaving […]
Eco-friendly Practices Boost the Pet Industry
Whether it be the materials used, the way the ingredients are sourced, the recyclability of the packaging or the way the manufacturing facility’s energy is harvested, the pet industry is quite friendly to the environment—and probably more so than other industries. Pet product companies across all segments are looking for ways to make their products […]
Darwin’s Responds to FDA Warning
After several recalls over E. Coli and salmonella, as well as multiple customer complaints the FDA says it received, the FDA has issued a Warning Letter to Arrow Reliance Inc., dba Darwin’s Natural Pet Products. The letter, sent on April 2, 2018, formally notifies the company of violations of the law and to request voluntary […]
Pet Zone is Building an Aquascaping Community
Aquascaping is growing in popularity, and Roger Ma, owner of Pet Zone Tropical Fish, caught on to that. In fact, he opened a second location dedicated to the hobby. After opening your first location in 2007, why did you choose to open a second store in 2016? San Diego County is vast, and we had […]
That’s Cat-ertainment: Interactive Cat Toys Can Stimulate Activity and the Mind
There are two types of cats: those that need to play and those that need to play. Whether a cat finds enjoyment in playing and stimulating their natural hunting skills or they need encouragement to play in order to shed a few pounds, all cats require interactive engagement in their lives. Of course, interactive play […]
Products Take Center Stage at GPE
With more than 343,000 net square feet of exhibit space, Global Pet Expo is massive. Included in that space is the 30,000-square-foot New Products Showcase, which looks to recognize the best new products and point-of-purchase displays. According to Sarah Bopp, manager of booth sales and operations for American Pet Products Association (APPA), exhibitors will display […]
Recall: Blue Ridge Beef, Raw Basics Issue Pet Food Recalls for Potential Contamination
Two more raw pet food companies have recalled certain products after a contaminant was found in its product. One lot of a Blue Ridge Beef product has been recalled for its potential to be contaminated with salmonella and listeria while one lot of a Raw Basics Tucker’s product has been recalled for its potential to […]
Attractive Pet Product Packaging Key to Increased Sales
It’s hard to say who enjoys treats more—the pet eating the treat or the owner who gets to give the pet the treat. Feeding pets treats is an owner’s way of rewarding, bonding with, and showing love to the pet. Pets, well, they simply love the taste. Because owners love giving treats and pets love […]
3 Recalls Over Listeria, Salmonella Concerns
TruPet, Northwest Naturals and Carnivore Meat Company have all issued voluntary recalls of certain products due to the potential of contaminants. TruPet, LLC is voluntarily recalling a limited amount of its Treat Me Crunchy Beef Delight treats and Carnivore Meat Company is voluntarily recalling a limited amount of its Vital Essentials Freeze-Dried Beef Nibblets Entrée […]
Pentobarbital Found in Smucker’s Food
The J.M. Smucker’s Company has withdrawn more than 30 UPC item codes across four brands from store shelves after they tested positive for pentobarbital, a euthanasia drug. Gravy Train, Kibbles ‘N Bits, Skippy and Ol’ Roy all had specific shipments recalled. Pet Age confirmed the withdraw with a Gravy Train customer relations representative, who also pointed […]