Thanks to Irene for giving me a heads-up on this news. Fans of premium natural foods have been rocked and shocked by the news last week that the mighty giant, Proctor & Gamble is purchasing Natura Pet Products, Inc. Natura produces respected cat food brands, including Innova, EVO, and California Natural, which are sold online and in both chain and independent pet supply stores nationwide. These brands appear on my own lists of preferred premium cat foods.
P&G, besides manufacturing hundreds of consumer products, produces the Iams/Eukanuba brands of cat and dog foods, which may also be found in retail stores as well as in veterinary clinics. Proctor and Gamble has long been targeted by animal activists for its animal testing practices.
Susan Thixton, expert advocate for pet food consumers on TheTruthAboutPetFood.com, wrote:
Big Industry dangles a multi-million dollar carrot in the face of Natura Pet Products, and they bite. With that carrot, Natura not only further destroys the battered faith and confidence of pet owners, they as well have put a huge hurt on many trusted independent pet stores.Read her full article for more information. Thixton also posted a follow-up article on May 7th, with interesting information.
Natura management indicates that no changes will be made in the Natura formula in the foreseeable future, and that the company will continue to be operated as an independent division of P&G, as Iams/Eukanuba currently does. Meanwhile, consumers wait and worry.
Comments
What to do, what to do. Ever since the pet food recall I have not been using any food from a company that was involved. I finally settled on food from Natura Pet for both the cats and the dog. Now I am thinking that I will have to change. Perhaps Fromm. The problem is that I only know one store that carries it anywhere in my area and that is 13 miles away. Sooooo. a 26 mile ride for pet food. The winters here can get bad. Will have to continue to contemplate.
Oh, here we go again. I dumped Nutro when Mars bought them, Eagle Pack when I found out they’d been purchased by a holding company (and the cats started throwing it up), and now I’m going to have to find something else, and the poor things will have to change both canned and dry food right after moving. It’s not easy to find new food when you have several cats in the first place. Thanks for the heads-up, Franny! At least we have a month to research.
“Natura management indicates that no changes will be made in the Natura formula in the foreseeable future” Well, sure, it takes time to find the cheaper ingredients, and get the formula changed.
Good point, E. Maybe I should start stocking up now, before the sale goes through.
That is how a good pet food company is ruined.. I will never purchase Natura foods again after it is sold to P&G. They will make it a cheap food just like all their other products. Then run needless tests on animals. I haven’t purchased Iams since it was sold to P&G and that will be the same with these foods. It disgusts me that so many small companies are selling out to bigger corps. It ruins the product and its image!
Our local retailer said the sale is already final. That they have been receiving letters from P&G.
I can’t totally blame the people who owned Natura; according to Franny’s links, they are in their 70s and are looking to retire. Perhaps no indie companies or individual owners could or would purchase Natura, so it was either sell to a large company or close out altogether. I won’t judge them for which choice they picked, since the result is essentially the same either way: We have to switch food.
Another point: Eagle Pack had not changed their formula when my cats started throwing it up, but you can change your ingredient sources and quality without changing the formula, i.e., recipe. So what P&G says about keeping the formula the same really means nothing.
If anyone has recommendations for a new food to try, please post! Especially if the fiber content is below 3% – Abby has some weird sensitivity to high-fiber foods and ends up constipated.
What sad sad sad news. There’s NO POSSIBLE WAY I don’t care WHAT P&G says that they will keep the same quality. They will cheapen it and pass it off to unsuspecting consumers as Healthy. This is just their way to weasle into the High End Healthfood Market!! Luckily those of us currently purchasing product are smart enough to know their just going to jack it up.
I don’t know if anyone is keeping up with this thread but just a heads up… if you’re wanting to switch foods look into Acana and Orijen. Acana is similar to Innova… Orijen is similar to Evo. Both high quality foods made here in Canada. Also, check out the line from Grandma Lucy (Artisan). All great foods. Fromm is another excellent choice but hard to find. Good luck all. I just made the switch from Innova to Acana and my dog is doing great!
I also recommend Orijen. My dog has been on it for a year now and he loves it. Very high quality food. He’s big and strong and healthy, and has a beautiful coat. Big thumbs down to P&G and all their products! I too was very disappointed when I heard about their purchase of Natura.
Maybe ingredients of the food will not change for a while . So no need to panic , there will be new store who will provide quality food for our pets . Just need time ti see what it will be .