The FINANCIAL — Nestlé Purina PetCare is celebrating ten years of being passionate about pets.
The company has built a reputation for improving pets’ lives thanks to its expert ability to identify and meet the needs of dogs and cats, and their owners. Nestlé Purina was formed when Nestlé acquired the Ralston Purina pet care company in December 2001. It is the largest acquisition in Nestlé’s history.
Ralston Purina was founded in the United States in 1894. The name ‘Purina’ was based on the word ‘purity’ to reflect the company’s dedication to creating quality products.
Nestlé Purina is now one of the world’s largest pet food companies, with global sales of more than CHF 13 billion in 2010. Nestlé Purina manufactures, markets and distributes food and treats for dogs and cats, as well as cat litter, for sale in more than 100 countries worldwide.
A total of five Nestlé Purina dog and cat food brands have become ‘billionaire’ brands in the last decade with annual sales of more than CHF 1 billion. Nestlé Purina invests heavily in science to develop innovations that help dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives.
Its scientists made a nutritional breakthrough that can help improve brain function in ageing dogs.
This neuron-targeted nutrition helps to sustain the cognitive ability of older dogs, improving quality of life for them and their owners. It is used in Nestlé Purina product formulations for ageing dogs in the US and Europe.
The company’s specially formulated Purina Veterinary Diets range helps veterinarians manage the diet of dogs and cats with certain health problems.Nestlé Purina’s strong understanding of how people relate to their pets has enabled it to creatively connect with consumers using technology.
It has produced a European TV commercial using high-pitched sounds to capture dogs’ attention, as well as a series of iPad games for cats.
The company has also developed a range of mobile applications for pet owners.
These include ‘Petcentric’, which locates ‘pet-friendly’ places in the US, and ‘Petometer’, which helps owners to maintain their dogs’ fitness.Nestlé Purina’s efforts to develop smaller, denser kibbles for its premium dry cat food products in Europe have resulted in a considerable reduction in packaging.
In the United Kingdom, the company reduced cardboard packaging across the Go-Cat range by 10%, saving 195 tonnes of packaging per year.
The recycling initiative ‘Together We Can’ has encouraged consumers in the US and in the UK to recycle millions of empty dog and cat food cans.
Purina One Beyond, a recently launched dog and cat food range in the US, uses packaging made from at least 92% renewable materials.
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