Remember Innova Pet Food?

I bought Innova, California Natural, and EVO for my dogs and cats before they were sold to P&G. My guys also ate homemade diets, but my dogs were elderly and especially liked the Innova senior kibble a lot and it helped them eat enough. When the brands were discontinued I assumed it had to be because the big corps ran it all into the ground or they weren’t considered to be profitable enough anymore. So, not surprising…

Surprised you don’t discuss the original Natura owners new company.

I used to use that brand too! They really did betrayed the consumer, and pets. It’s a real shame when smaller companies sell to the conglomerates. It all seems to go down hill quickly from there! I wonder if the original owners have regrets about that?

The one thing that Really drives me crazy, (as I’m sure it does most people) is how Ignorant Vets are about pet food. I often find myself having to bite my tongue the things that come out of their mouths! It’s honestly really difficult to try to educate them when you have only minutes of their time, plus, most probably wouldn’t even be open to hearing the information from a “lay person.” I have on occasion, mentioned about how Truth About Pet Food website has Really helped open my eyes to what’s REALLY going on behind closed doors in the Big Petfood Industry. I hoped that Maybe it would spark some interest, but honestly, I don’t think it even registered in their brains.

That’s why I’m Really hoping Susan, that soon enough, you will have that “pamphlet” or (whatever format it may be called) that would be some condensed concise information that we could all have to be able to purchase, to be able
to give to our Vets, as well as anyone else who will potentially read it. I had commented to you a while back asking for something like this, and you had responded that you would work on that. Of course, I know you’re very busy doing So Much…but I’m still hoping for this content, & I’m sure so many other’s who frequent this site would be too!

The people that frequent this site, are obviously the type that “dig in” & really are committed to investing time & energy into wanting to educate themselves on as much as possible on the subject of pet food. Unfortunately, “the average” person might not be so invested, and that’s exactly why a condensed concise “Pet Food 101”
Crash course is Really Needed.

Lastly, Susan…if you had a very short amount of time with someone that you wanted to make an impactful statement on this issue, in order to pique their interest to hopefully want to learn more on the topic, what would be your go-to “Elevator Pitch?” Thanking you in advance, for any Information that you can give me.

Sincerely,
Cheryl

And one more thing. A big venture backed company bought my husband and I out of our six stores, after telling us they would just put us out of business if we didn’t sell. We agonized and they really had to convince us they would keep our mission, treat our employees right and yes, they did a number on us. We finally agreed. These stores were our babies, that we built up with our blood sweat and tears. Now the BIG company, who bought up all the independents like us seems to have lost their way. Let’s hear it for the little guy. What goes around, comes around.

I was on the West Coast and owner of a holistic pet supply in 2010. Innova & Cal Nat were my best selling foods. I had an excellent relationship with the company rep and stood solidly behind their business model.

A friend living on the East Coast (where the news broke first), woke me up at zero dark-thirty to tell me Natura had been sold to P&G. Since this friend was a known practical joker, I said a few choice words and hung up the phone. He called right back and said, “no, really!”. All of us were stunned by the news. I didn’t know a single person who even had an inkling that the company was for sale.

I don’t see it as a betrayal on the part of Natura though. The company had reached a point that required hard decisions. Natura needed financing to keep up with demand – production facilities, marketing, QC are all costly. Mortgages on existing facilities were coming due. The owner was getting older and had health issues; his kids/grandkids weren’t interested in taking over the company. The employees tried to purchase the company but couldn’t come up with the financing. If my aging memory serves, it was a choice between P&G or Mars and the high bid won.

The betrayal is squarely on the shoulders of the corporations who search for smaller profitable companies, purchase them by making promises to continue in the spirit of the bought out company and then make a beeline for highest profitability instead. Sadly, many of these small companies were built on the faith and hard work of small independent stores. There is the mantra that if you don’t continue to grow, you will not survive. I heard this time and again from reps as one after another “we’re going to stay small and only ever sell to independents” companies sold out to larger corporations or holding companies.

But look at what the small companies have to deal with. How much money do they have to spend to defend themselves against regulatory bias? You know the authorities go after the little guys. Only P&Gs legal department and the clout they have in the industry could have gotten the company off with such a small settlement. What’s a couple million to P&G? Natura wouldn’t have gotten off so easily.

Natura was an outstanding, innovative company – they created the first grain-free kibble when everyone in the PFI said it was impossible – but sometimes you have to swallow a bitter pill to pay the bills. I think John was fully aware that the agreement to manufacture to Natura standards was temporary and then the brand was done. It must have been hard to know that.

Actually, Innova had its first hiccup in the industry when pet food consumers found hard, non-soluble black and cream colored chunks of unknown origin in 2007. My dogs had been getting sick after they would eat, or they would refuse the food completely. The 2007 massive pet food recalls were just starting around March/April across the country. But I was feeding “the healthiest pet food in the world” (their ad). This food was $50 for a 30 lb. bag. My dogs started getting sick sporadically in February and it increased through May. I began looking at the kibble and noticed these strange chunks in the kibble. I had no idea what it was. I called Natura’s customer service and heard what would become the all too familiar line ‘you are the only complaint we have received.’ I was asked to send samples to Natura’s production facility in Nebraska. I did. I kept detailed records of everything. I also decided to send samples to a private laboratory. I paid for the testing myself. I even went to a boutique store and found several bags of Innova with the same production date and sent an unopened bag to the laboratory to meet the qualifier of chain of command.

I will never forget the day when the owner of the laboratory called me (June 1) and said “Are your dogs sick?” I responded they were still having problems. Then my heart almost stopped when the laboratory owner said “Stop feeding this food NOW, it is contaminated.” I got copies of the reports and contacted the President of the pet food company. I shared that report with him. He asked for samples. I told him his Nebraska facility had received the samples three weeks earlier. He called them and told me they didn’t have anything. I gave him the signature name who received the shipment. He then told me my samples were sitting on that manager’s desk. Four hours later he called me and said the FDA had discounted the reports of contamination. That night at 9:10pm I received a call from the pet food company’s attorney bullying me on the phone, asking what I wanted, what was my motive. I told her my dogs were sick. Then the President of the pet food company went to the forum where pet owners were gathering to share information and trying to find help for their pets. The pet food President tried to disparage me and basically call me a liar – said I would not share samples, nor the test results. I responded to his allegations with the facts and evidence that they did, in fact, have everything they had asked for.

Every person that posted to the forum with photos showing foreign substance in the kibble along with reports of sick dogs got the same response from the pet food company’s customer service – ‘you are the only complaint.’ There were many stories and that was Spring/Summer of 2007. That was the beginning of their downfall because they were not honest with customers and not willing to work with us to make sure our beloved pets did not get sick or sicker. I began researching with several other very committed pet owners. What I learned about the pet food industry turned my stomach. What they have gotten away with makes me angry. I will never trust this industry again. And don’t get me started on the FDA’s involvement in that debacle.

it was the BEST food ever for my cat..Esp the California natural dry..What a shame they are no more… so much fillers now in cat food.Chick peas, peas potatoes etc almost at Top of list on foods..Cmom pet food companies Make Good cat food!!!

EVO was the only food my fussy cat would eat. Finally I could stop changing foods every six months! She ate that for ten years until she got old and sickly and would only eat cat treats. I was still feeding it to her after it was sold to P&G because it was still all she would eat. But I would not feed it to my other cats. It’s difficult finding healthy, reasonable quality, affordable food, especially if your cats have any kind of dietary restrictions.

Looked up the Square Pet line. Most of what I saw was very close to what California Natural was in the later years, still owned by the family. But not as good as the formulas were when I first started selling the line, over 20 years ago. If they come up with formulas like the old Innova (pre P&G), I might try the turkey & chicken. That appears to be the only one remotely good in my opinion. Not fond of seeing sunflower oil as a fat source (believe chicken fat is best), nor tapioca (a filler in my opinion), plus believe the low fat formula at 6% fat isn’t sufficient for a healthy coat. Had heard years ago that no less than 10% was optimum. I do like the non-meat (egg) protein formula idea. Am no longer a retailer but am always interested in quality food for my 3 dogs. Unfortunately, the really good ones (raw, dehydrated, etc) are being forced out by fraudulent claims, with support from our disgusting FDA so am glad there is a new kid on the block. Nothing commercially available in a dry formula is appropriate for my cats (or any cat in my opinion) so am currently feeding Stella & Chewy’s and occasionally Big Bear, augmented by additional meat. Will keep this company on my watch list to see if they come out with an Innova like product.