USA Today: Rice Protein Sold to 4 Others
Supplier was identified as San Francisco-based Wilbur-Ellis. CEO John Thacher said “his company sold the concentrate to five pet-food makers, but that most of it went to two firms.” USA Today says of those five, only Diamond Pet Foods is named. The other major manufacturer tested for melamine and it did not test positive. Diamond Pet Food says they do not use rice protein in their foods.
According to Thacher, the melamine contamination was reported to the FDA a week ago on Sunday.
The rice protein concentrate was imported from China from Binzhou Futian Biology Technology. Their Web site lists three different types of feed grade rice protein.
Also of note, as you may have read in our comments, Natural Balance has updated their list of ingredients to include rice protein in recent days — raising questions about when the substance was actually added to the product. Howl911 has a side by side ingredient comparison.
April 18th, 2007 at 11:46 am
4lgdfriend, the problem is the list you posted is just Diamond’s in house brands. They also OEM for a number of companies. So far, the only ones I’ve seen named are Natural Balance & Solid Gold.
OEM means “Original Equipment Manufacturer”. What that means (taken fronm the electronics industry) is that Diamond makes food for many companies who rebrand it.
April 18th, 2007 at 11:59 am
http://www.hillspet.com/zSkin_.....SNCnz3Pvcw!-1537894699!167846923!7005!8005&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441760715&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302037389&bmUID=1176906907477
Hill’s Prescription Diet Z/D Feline Dry:
Ingredients
Rice Protein Concentrate, Brewers Rice, Hydrolyzed Chicken Liver, Soybean Oil (preserved with BHA, propyl gallate and citric acid), Powdered Cellulose, Hydrolyzed Chicken, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Glyceryl Monostearate, Choline Chloride, Dicalcium Phosphate, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement,) Iodized Salt, Calcium Sulfate, Taurine, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Ethoxyquin (a preservative), Beta-Carotene.
http://www.hillspet.com/zSkin_.....SNCnz3Pvcw!-1537894699!167846923!7005!8005&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441760658&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302037389&bmUID=1176905634290
Hill’s Prescription Diet H/D Canine Dry:
Ingredients
Ground Whole Grain Corn, Rice Protein Concentrate, Pork Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Chicken By-Product Meal, Chicken Liver Flavor, Casein, Dried Egg Product, Soybean Oil, Dicalcium Phosphate, Powdered Cellulose, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Citrate, Natural Flavor, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, L-Lysine, vitamins (L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Vitamin E Supplement, Taurine, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Magnesium Oxide, preserved with BHT and BHA, L-Carnitine, L-Tryptophan, Beta-Carotene.
http://www.hillspet.com/zSkin_.....SNCnz3Pvcw!-1537894699!167846923!7005!8005&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441760535&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302037389&bmUID=1176905450493
Hill’s Prescription Diet K/D Canine Canned:
Ingredients
Water, Corn Starch, Pork Liver, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, and citric acid), Sucrose, Rice Protein Concentrate, Flaxseed, Calcium Carbonate, Chicken Liver Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Potassium Citrate, Caramel Color, Iodized Salt, Choline Chloride, L-Lysine, Vitamin E Supplement, Magnesium Oxide, Taurine, DL-Methionine, Ascorbic Acid (source of vitamin C), Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Beta-Carotene, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Riboflavin, Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite.
April 18th, 2007 at 12:08 pm
Does anyone have information on Evangers brand cat food? I have been feeding my cats Evangers, they love it and my sick kitty who was fed Science Diet w/d and Purina d/m had returned to 90% good health. How-ever, I started giving her Natural Balance once in awhile for variety, as she seemed to like the venison and green pea flavor, I bought a bag of dry food to re-introduce her to dry foods. She had about 1/4 cup before the re-call. Now she is sick again. I want to continue on only Evangers as they did so well with it, but am fearful of rice gluten. Again, does anyone have any info on Evangers?
April 18th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
Just got off the phone with a NB representative. He told me that to the best of their knowledge the rice protein concentrate was first added to the foods on March 28th. He did say emphatically that NB was NOT going to be using rice protein concentrate anymore and would be changing back to the old formula. (Hindsight is 20/20; now they are paying the price.)
I told him there were a lot of angry people out there…..
April 18th, 2007 at 12:18 pm
http://www.evangersdogfood.com/
Here is the website. They have th ingred. listed.
April 18th, 2007 at 12:22 pm
Responding to earlier post asking what else Diamond made, but Geff is right. NEvertheless, the quote is somewhat misleading “Diamond-made”??? : “Wilbur-Ellis CEO John Thacher said his company sold the concentrate to five pet-food makers, but that most of it went to two firms. One of the primary companies was Diamond Pet Foods, which packs some of the Natural Balance product but doesn’t use the concentrate in any Diamond-made foods, says Diamond spokesman Jim Fallon”
Personally I’d rather be safe than sorry so I’m ruling out anything made by Diamond. Others may feel the same. I don’t care what OEM means and I know that Diamond makes food for other mfrs. So does everybody else, I presume, since Menu was exposed. But still, safe rather than sorry if you ask me.
April 18th, 2007 at 12:46 pm
I just sent the following email to the managing editor of my city’s newspaper. I had originally emailed him on March 26th. He responded the next day that he would have a story editor contact me, which never happened.
4/18/07:
Hi Dave - I wanted to let you know that no one ever got back to me on this. This is still a major underreported story & is getting worse. I
strongly believe there is a major cover-up going on by almost everyone in the industry & that likely almost the entire pet food chain has been tainted. At this time, sadly almost all useful information is coming from internet blogs & forums. Here are a few links if anyone is interested in pursuing this & hopefully helping to save some lives. If nothing else, I believe getting the word out on how serious this is is essential.
http://www.itchmo.com/
http://www.thepetfoodlist.com/
http://www.howl911.com/
http://www.thepetfoodlist.com/forums/
Thank You,
April 18th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
I just called Wilbur-Ellis and asked who the other four companies are that they sold the rice protein concentrate to. The woman on the phone took my name, phone number and email addy and told me someone would contact me. If I do hear from them and get any worthwhile info I will let you know.
April 18th, 2007 at 12:49 pm
I just checked the ingredients in my Daimond Foods “Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover’s Soul” and it does not list rice protein. It has “white rice” as the ingredient.
Does this make me feel safe? NO!
I am sick of this…every day it is something else that is tainted. When is our government going to wake up and quit outsourcing? What a bunch of crap! I guess we need an actual human to die before they wake up!
Sue #*#@*%$#@*** (complying with the “no foul language” policy)
April 18th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
Oh, I forgot to add to my above post…so far my Wysong “Vitality” is still okay (I guess). They don’t have any white rice at all in this feline food. And…my Sammy and Shadow seem to love it.
Again…does this make me feel safe? Again….NO!
Sue
April 18th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
I still believe we need to flood the emails of CNN, FOX and all the rest to start reporting on this. Our pets are depending on us to get the word out and if there is some cover up we need to make ALOT of noise!!!! Not everyone is on-line and we need the media to do what they are there to do… this is big news….People need to know rice protein is added to this list!
April 18th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
Why are 4 companies being given benefit of the doubt vs the lives at stake from a proven fatal kidney toxin?
LIVES are more important than their gd profit. Not to mention if any of this crap went into human food - which looks quite likely.
Again: The 4 companies are known and should be named. If they can PROVE w verifiable independent testing that their products containing the IDENTIFIED tainted ingredient are somehow safer than other products that killed animals, we will be happy to give them benefit of doubt.
Until then, the FDA has failed in its responsibility TO PROTECT LIVES, NOT PROFITS.
Senators Durbin, Kucinich - called into action again?
April 18th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
let the FDA name the companies on a hold list. During the next 3 weeks or so, while they fart around releasing conflicting analyses from separate labs, along with more bs cya on behalf of industry and lobbyists, at least lives that would have been lost may be saved.
FDA IS NOTHING BUT AN INDUSTRY SUBSIDIARY.
CONSUMERS HAVE TO TELL INDUSTRY PAPS WHO MURDER FOR PROFIT THEY WON’T PAY FOR THIS DISHONESTY WITH LIVES OR WITH DOLLARS.
April 18th, 2007 at 1:57 pm
teric i appreciate your reply thank you had previosly checked evangers website and am very happy with what i read on it. need to know if all is as it states or if anyone has experienced any problems with their food have researched and find very little about them all comments are good wondering if its too good to be true! i’m continuing with evangers and praying avoiding their foods with rice flour until? have emailed them and waiting for a reply.
April 18th, 2007 at 2:08 pm
I called Hill’s Pet Foods and was told by a customer service rep that 4 of their foods contain rice protein concentrate. It comes from a US supplier he said but would not divulge their name. I inplored him to post this information on their website but he could not confirm that this would ever hit their website. Of the 4 foods, Large Breed Puppy lamb and rice and HD adult dog food was mentioned. I wasn’t happy with the lack of concern I received. Maybe someone else can get somewhere with them.
April 18th, 2007 at 2:11 pm
I do not know how to actually send email to someone who will answer me. I hope I have not done something incorrectly in sendingi my email replies here. I see the notice that my mail will not be published, and that is fine. However, my friend just told me, (as she was preparing to buy some Fancy Feast) that she just read that a womans cat died after eating a canned Fancy Feast food with wheat gluten in it!!
We are alarmed, since that is about all we are feeding our many cats now. I am feeding that and EVO with no grain, and I do not feed them any Fancy Feast that DOES contain wheat gluten, however, many people do because up till now we have not been warned against Purina’s Fancy Feast with wheat gluten.
I hope someone will look into this claim and say something about it on your Itchmo site. I rescue and have many cats and don’t know how I could cook for all of them with human food, but may have to try.
Thank you for your help.
April 18th, 2007 at 2:34 pm
http://www.vin.com/VIN.plx?P=ContactUs
VIN contact info. Please email and call demanding they release the names of the other foods in question.
April 18th, 2007 at 2:34 pm
Hills Products Containing Rice Protein Concentrate:
Non-Prescription:
Hill’s Science Diet Lamb Meal & Rice Recipe Puppy Large Breed Dry:
Ingredients
Lamb Meal, Ground Whole Grain Wheat, Corn Gluten Meal, Brewers Rice, Rice Flour, Cracked Pearled Barley, Dried Egg Product, Animal Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Chicken Liver Flavor, Dried Beet Pulp, Rice Protein Concentrate, Fish Oil, Flaxseed, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, L-Lysine, Iodized Salt, vitamins (L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Dicalcium Phosphate, Taurine, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid, L-Carnitine, Beta-Carotene, Rosemary Extract.
Prescription:
Prescription Diet:
Z/D Low Allergen Feline Dry:
Ingredients
Rice Protein Concentrate, Brewers Rice, Hydrolyzed Chicken Liver, Soybean Oil (preserved with BHA, propyl gallate and citric acid), Powdered Cellulose, Hydrolyzed Chicken, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Glyceryl Monostearate, Choline Chloride, Dicalcium Phosphate, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement,) Iodized Salt, Calcium Sulfate, Taurine, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Ethoxyquin (a preservative), Beta-Carotene.
H/D Canine Dry:
Ingredients
Ground Whole Grain Corn, Rice Protein Concentrate, Pork Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Chicken By-Product Meal, Chicken Liver Flavor, Casein, Dried Egg Product, Soybean Oil, Dicalcium Phosphate, Powdered Cellulose, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Citrate, Natural Flavor, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, L-Lysine, vitamins (L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Vitamin E Supplement, Taurine, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Magnesium Oxide, preserved with BHT and BHA, L-Carnitine, L-Tryptophan, Beta-Carotene.
K/D Canine Canned:
Ingredients
Water, Corn Starch, Pork Liver, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, and citric acid), Sucrose, Rice Protein Concentrate, Flaxseed, Calcium Carbonate, Chicken Liver Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Potassium Citrate, Caramel Color, Iodized Salt, Choline Chloride, L-Lysine, Vitamin E Supplement, Magnesium Oxide, Taurine, DL-Methionine, Ascorbic Acid (source of vitamin C), Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Beta-Carotene, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Riboflavin, Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite.
There is an H/D Canine canned Prescription Diet which does not contain rice protein concentrate. There is a K/D Canine dry Prescription Diet which does not contain rice protein concentrate. There is a Z/D Feline canned Prescription Diet which does not contain any rice protein concentrate.
There is a Science Diet Canine Dry Lamb Meal & Rice Recipe Puppy NON-LARGE BREED which does not contain rice protein concentrate.
Alternatives are available in the Hill’s lines, so if Hill’s is one of those who received the potentially contaminated rice protein concentrate, a website notice that they are issuing a voluntary recall and suggest people switch to their brands above is needed NOW!
Would believe those involved in the pet food industry would have learned something by the “antics” of Menu, who were STILL recalling products as of yesterday, and the mind and website games played by Natural Balance from Sunday-yesterday.
Those who may have pets affected by the possibly tainted rice protein concentrate need to get them treated immediately. Doing a voluntary recall would both save lives and your public image.
If Hill’s did NOT purchase any rice protein concentrate from that supplier, NOW is the time to say something about that also.
Either way, Hill’s needs to take a stand NOW.
April 18th, 2007 at 2:39 pm
Hill’s website claims they are not using the same supplier for their rice protein concentrate…look under April 18 under updates on the top right hand corner
http://www.hillspet.com/zSkin_.....6921101354
April 18th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
June,
I dont know anything about it. It sounds like good stuff but the so did NB along with all the rest. I think (and just think) that Canidae is made there. Canidae sounds like a good product as well but who know these days. Until we find out who the other 4 companies are, I’m going to be cooking for mine.
April 18th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
I spoke with my vet, there is a website u can use to cook your pet food. www.petdiets.com . you have they would prepare the recipe for you but you have to follow it strictly. You have to pay a certain amount to get the recipe that they will prpare for u tocook the ingredients. My vet also said it is not good to cook at home because they are sensitive. but the website she does rcomend, does it good. but you have to follow their recipe VERY strictly. I have Natural balance the ultra premium,. it does not have the rice protein concentrate.
Been feeding my cat for a couple weeks, i switched from purina dry and friskies wet food, cause of wheat gluten. I wanted him on wheat gluten free. He LOVES NB. I called NB and they said they wanted to try the rice protein. they got it from a US vendor. but they did not know that US vendor may have gotten it fom China. I told them I promise u they got it from china. If all their products are the real deal then Why go concentate on ur food? they said they never used it before they added it to make it better. But it is not working and they will NOT have that ever again. she ssaid from now on any dry and wet food will NEVER have the rice protein.
I trusted Dick van patten who was an actor 8 is enough. He loves animals and wants the best got the pets. They better change. I have no where else to go. The website I will think about going to it. But I am not sure. I will have to check itout. NB was supposed to be the Real deal. I go to a restaurant and do eat New Zealand lamb and it is Great. for my cat to eat it i feel like he is eating scraps. but by NB.
April 18th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
#1 - Diamond
#2 - Could possibly be Hills ?
#3 - ?
#4 - ?
#5 - ?
Together we will probably figure it out before they tell us.
April 18th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
June,
Following is a forum on EVANGERS. Hope it helps you a bit.
http://tinyurl.com/2bpfbc
I have purchased 3 cans of Evangers for my cats but haven’t yet
used them (i’m feeding Merrick after having fed them Natural Balance since
January 07). I have reservations because I need to research the addition of Vitamin K (menadione bisulfite something or other) and I thought I read somewhere that that is to be avoided. Does anyone know anything about the Vitamin K and cats?
April 18th, 2007 at 2:57 pm
Teric,
I’m wondering if we could add any of the companies I named a few emails
above to your list? Most aren’t Menu manufactured so it might be something to look into. I wonder if any of the brands I found are brands currently receiving complaints that the vets are testing on right now.
April 18th, 2007 at 3:11 pm
“#1 - Diamond
#2 - Could possibly be Hills ?”
I was looking at their Z/D allergy formula ingredients. “rice protein concentrate” was at the top.
http://www.hillspet.com/zSkin_.....6883006805
April 18th, 2007 at 3:16 pm
“There is an H/D Canine canned Prescription Diet which does not contain rice protein concentrate. There is a K/D Canine dry Prescription Diet which does not contain rice protein concentrate. There is a Z/D Feline canned Prescription Diet which does not contain any rice protein concentrate.”
That is good to know. I missed that on their website.
I suppose I should work down the latest posts than up. ;)
April 18th, 2007 at 3:44 pm
Monika,
I’ve been reading your posts. Thanks for all the research you are doing for all of us.
We can all add who we think may be added to the list with a ? mark. From your research it appears that Hills may be one of the companies they are protecting. I guess we will find out if/when they decide to let us in on it. It would be my guess, someone (media maybe) will spill the beans before they do.
April 18th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
I dont know if anyone has been searching for some safe treats. If so, I found the Wheat Free Boutique. I emailed her regarding their products (rice etc). My pups are missing their treats! I received the following email within 30 minutes.
Hi there!
That’s a great question. It’s crazy what’s been happening lately with the food supply. All our ingredients are human grade quality. We literally drive to the same super market we buy our own groceries at to purchase our supplies. We use oat flour and rice flour for most of our ingredients. Not the rice protein concentrate that has been found to be contaminated.
We would never put anything in our products that we were afraid to eat ourselves. We test our products on a weekly basis, and that means, yes, we do eat our own doggie treats!
If you are concerned about the rice products, we do offer our Mint Julep product, which contains no rice product. It’s made of oats and oat flour and is a low fat snack for your dog.
Thank you for your question! If you have any other questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Thank you!
Joan Giani
Customer Service
Wheat Free Boutique
www.WheatFreeBoutique.com
April 18th, 2007 at 4:22 pm
I wrote a letter to John Thacher who is the CEO of Wilber-Ellis, the company that sold the rice protein to five pet food companies and will not release the names.
To Anonymous: Good for you for writing to them. More people should.
Here’s a letter I just wrote to Wilbur Ellis on this topic, not that they’ll respond…
Why can’t you release the name of the companies who were sold the contaminated rice protein? Do you have pets, do your children have pets? Can you really stomach the responsibility of contributing to the long, excruciatingly painful deaths of healthy young dogs and cats? PLEASE put life over protecting corporations and saving face! PLEASE do not let any more people kill the pets they love by feeding them contaminated food. These will not be recalled until MORE die and MORE people who love them suffer, just to protect the pocketbooks and “good†(yeah right!) names of these companies. Do the right thing! Don’t be responsible for more pain and suffering. Every minute you wait to do this MORE living being will suffer and die.
Here’s a few pictures of the dogs and cats who were healthy a few months ago and are now GONE due to the delayed information in the menu foods fiasco. Be better than them, please!!!
http://www.flickr.com/groups/petfoodrecall/pool/
April 18th, 2007 at 4:28 pm
Please call and leave a message
415/772-4000 Wilbur Ellis - tell them that disclosing who the companies were that also received the rice protein concentrate HAVE to be disclosed, otherwise EVERYONE is going to face more liability in this abhorrent foot dragging cover-up!!
I just called and they’re trying to direct everyone to a toll-free number, which I won’t even give you. Call the above 415 number and you will get a person. REGISTER YOUR COMPLAINT.
April 18th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
I called them and spoke to a woman who took my name, phone number and email addy. She said someone would get back to me on this. That was around noonish EST…it’s now 4:30 and I’m still waiting.
I also called Purina earlier about the plant I’ve heard they opened in China. The woman there said there is no plant in China and that all their plants are in the US. The only site I’ve found mentioning it, was HOWL911 which offered some Chinese news tidbit. Then I was transfered to someone who could tell me about if they use the rice protein concentrate. I’m on a switchboard, was on hold that time for-ev-er and managed to disconnect myself. Wanted to scream. May try again tomorrow.
April 18th, 2007 at 4:41 pm
After many calls today, Science Diet has posted an entry about the Rice
Protein Concentrate in K/D and others that are made by their company.
They claim to have no connection with the one in question.
You’ll find the notice dated April 18 on their site.
I’m sorry but my faith in dogfood companies is a little weak at present.
April 18th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
Debbie,
Check this out…
Nestle bites into pet food market
By Jiang Wei (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-02-03 08:55
Nestle, one of the world’s largest food companies, opened its first pet food processing plant in China on Friday in a bid to cash in on the nation’s growing pet-related market.
Nestle said it invested an initial 80 million yuan in the Purina Petcare factory located in Tianjin Economic Technological Development Area.
Nestle chose Tianjin, a port city close to Beijing, to meet demand from the country’s two largest markets - Beijing and Shanghai, said Sim Joohua, business unit head of Nestle Purina Petcare China.
It is Nestle’s fifth plant in Tianjin and part of its network of 21 factories in China.
Experts predict that annual sales of pet food in China might top 6 billion yuan in 2008, while the country’s “pet-related economy” could reach 15 billion yuan in the next five to seven years.
Sim declined to disclose Nestle’s market share in China’s pet food market but expects that “the growth rate will keep pace with growth of the pet market in China.”
The Tianjin factory is expected to produce some 20,000 tons of pet food a year.
Before building its domestic plant, Nestle’s cat and dog food sold in the Chinese market was imported from the United States.
The Tianjin factory increases Nestle’s competitiveness with rival Mars, which set up a pet food factory in the Beijing about 10 years ago and owned international cat and dog food brands that tapped the Chinese market in the 1990s.
(China Daily 02/03/2007 page10)
http://www.chinadaily.net/bizc.....800413.htm
April 18th, 2007 at 4:44 pm
Nestle bites into pet food market
By Jiang Wei (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-02-03 08:55
Nestle, one of the world’s largest food companies, opened its first pet food processing plant in China on Friday in a bid to cash in on the nation’s growing pet-related market.
Nestle said it invested an initial 80 million yuan in the Purina Petcare factory located in Tianjin Economic Technological Development Area.
Nestle chose Tianjin, a port city close to Beijing, to meet demand from the country’s two largest markets - Beijing and Shanghai, said Sim Joohua, business unit head of Nestle Purina Petcare China.
It is Nestle’s fifth plant in Tianjin and part of its network of 21 factories in China.
Experts predict that annual sales of pet food in China might top 6 billion yuan in 2008, while the country’s “pet-related economy” could reach 15 billion yuan in the next five to seven years.
Sim declined to disclose Nestle’s market share in China’s pet food market but expects that “the growth rate will keep pace with growth of the pet market in China.”
The Tianjin factory is expected to produce some 20,000 tons of pet food a year.
Before building its domestic plant, Nestle’s cat and dog food sold in the Chinese market was imported from the United States.
The Tianjin factory increases Nestle’s competitiveness with rival Mars, which set up a pet food factory in the Beijing about 10 years ago and owned international cat and dog food brands that tapped the Chinese market in the 1990s.
(China Daily 02/03/2007 page10)
April 18th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
Debbie4747,
Purina told me the same thing - no plant in China. The people who answer the phones don’t seem to know what’s going on, they just read the script.
Doesn’t matter what your question is - the answer is the same. And then there’s the old fall back “it’s proprietary”.
If you call Purina back, tell them to google search “Purina China Plant”, here’s a link:
http://news.xinhuanet.com/engl.....688630.htm
April 18th, 2007 at 5:07 pm
Debbie4747,
Here’re some more articles on Purina, Hersey, et al.
Everything’s going to China. Believe I may join Rocky at his next Chinese class LOL.
http://www.supplychain.cn/en/a.....mit=Submit
April 18th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
No, we dont have any plants in China ….
Nestle bites into pet food market
By Jiang Wei (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-02-03 08:55
Nestle, one of the world’s largest food companies, opened its first pet food processing plant in China on Friday in a bid to cash in on the nation’s growing pet-related market.
Nestle said it invested an initial 80 million yuan in the Purina Petcare factory located in Tianjin Economic Technological Development Area.
Nestle chose Tianjin, a port city close to Beijing, to meet demand from the country’s two largest markets - Beijing and Shanghai, said Sim Joohua, business unit head of Nestle Purina Petcare China.
It is Nestle’s fifth plant in Tianjin and part of its network of 21 factories in China.
Experts predict that annual sales of pet food in China might top 6 billion yuan in 2008, while the country’s “pet-related economy” could reach 15 billion yuan in the next five to seven years.
Sim declined to disclose Nestle’s market share in China’s pet food market but expects that “the growth rate will keep pace with growth of the pet market in China.”
The Tianjin factory is expected to produce some 20,000 tons of pet food a year.
Before building its domestic plant, Nestle’s cat and dog food sold in the Chinese market was imported from the United States.
The Tianjin factory increases Nestle’s competitiveness with rival Mars, which set up a pet food factory in the Beijing about 10 years ago and owned international cat and dog food brands that tapped the Chinese market in the 1990s.
(China Daily 02/03/2007 page10)
April 18th, 2007 at 5:32 pm
Here’s the link.
http://www.chinadaily.net/bizc.....800413.htm
April 18th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
5CatMom and Teric….thanks for the links. I only had the one from howl911 to go on, but it sounded real to me. I’ve seen Purina with their pants down already. At one point they listed some FAQs. I’d think the #1 FAQ would be where they were getting their wheat gluten from. Not mentioned at all. A few days later they pulled their Alpo cuts. New batch of FAQs then included that they did get some from China after all, no, they are no longer using that supplier, and once again they’re good to go. Did they come clean about operating a new plant in China? No. They have the biggest market share with multi varieties of dog food and cat food in numerous degrees of health related formulas (at least in my area) that is still reasonably affordable, especially those like me that are feeding 5 cats inside and a bunch of ferals outside. I’d like to continue feeding their stuff to these guys, but do I trust them? No.
If the woman even said, yes there’s a plant in China geared just for them…there I may have bought it. But I don’t think I can trust them…or many others. Bad enough there are troubled products, but the way everyone is just covering their butts has to be illegal. Everytime I feed my cats I can’t help but think, “Is this the can?”
Thanks again for the links.
This gets scarier by the day.
April 18th, 2007 at 7:07 pm
Urgh, this is absurd! Does anyone know if Natural Balance is paying Vet bills for blood, fectal and urine test as a result of feeding my boy their made in the USA Human Grade quality food?
I know I could call the #800 number and find out, but right now I am so pissed I think I would actually find a way to reach through the phone and choke someone.
April 18th, 2007 at 8:14 pm
ChadJ,
Have been trying to call them all day - the phone is non-stop busy.
I want to know why their Nutritionist told me they test before, during and after production. I switched to NB based on her information. She even sent me an email!
There is some serious FRAUD going on here.
April 18th, 2007 at 8:30 pm
From what I’ve read, I believe NB is picking up all vet bills caused by their food.
April 18th, 2007 at 8:33 pm
Natura has a new post on their website stating that they are not using any of the poisoned Rice Protein & that they are not one of the 5 companies under suspicion.
I tried to paste their post in here, but some word they used set off something in Itchmo’s system & my post was blocked repeatedly. You can read Natura’s actual wording here:
http://www.naturapet.com/about......asp?id=20
April 18th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
Natura has a new post on their website stating that they are not using any of the poisoned Rice Protein & that they are not one of the 5 companies under suspicion.
I tried to paste their post in here, but some word they used set off something in Itchmo’s system & my post was blocked repeatedly. You can read Natura’s actual wording on their website.
April 18th, 2007 at 8:55 pm
Apparently, the problem of Chinese companies adding non-protein nitrogen sources to inflate protein content test results is not new. At least as long ago as 2005, one Chinese supplier warned its customers about doctored rice protein concentrate. A 2005 web page item on a Chinese food additives exporter’s web site warns: (click NEWS button at website)
Note: I have no reason to suspect this particular Chinese supplier of any wrongdoing and am pointing to its website merely to indicate that it was warning its customers of this problem in 2005.
April 18th, 2007 at 9:40 pm
Just noticed my LONG post got posted 3 times ???
Dont know why. Sorry about that all.
April 18th, 2007 at 10:07 pm
Debbie4747,
I’m concerned about Purina because of all the ancedotal evidence of problems with Beneful. My bag of dry Beneful contains corn gluten meal.
Don’t see any reason that corn gluten meal would have been spared from the debacle.
Seems to me it would be a great idea to ask Dr. Pion to test a sample of Beneful.
Other ingredients like soy protein or soy meal should also be tested. I’ve tried to contact FDA about this, but NO ONE is interested.
Does ITCHMO have any contact with Dr. P?
April 18th, 2007 at 10:38 pm
teric,
Purina???????????
April 18th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
teric,
Menu????????????????????
April 18th, 2007 at 10:51 pm
ChadJ and 5CatMom,
I have the info of a rep at Natural Balance.
I sent the company an email the morning of 4/16/07 to the general email address on their website. I received a reply right before the end of the day
at work today. It was a generic email and I knew all of the info it contained days ago. But I felt compelled to reply and share my grief about a co-worker who could not get through to NB for 2 days because it’s constantly busy. Surprisingly, I got an instant reply. I sent another reply and received another
quick response. He asked that my co-worker contact him directly about filing a case and seeking reimbursement for the vet (2 days on IV and fluids, the dog is now stable but with irreversible kidney damage) after eating the Venison Brown Rice for only a few days.
My point is, I feel compelled to help you. Not sure how I can share the info with you. I don’t think I should or could post my email address on here. I also cannot post his info on here (don’t want the guy to get overwhelmed with hate mail as he seems genuine about wanting to help). How should we do this?