Answers Pet Food recently (10/29/21) sent a concerning email/letter to distributors and retailers. Excerpts from the letter from President and CEO Keith Hill are quoted below.
“We are reaching out to you with a brief communication about information regarding the legal dispute between our Company and the owners and consultants of Kure Pet Food. Specifically, a lawsuit was filed against us on July 21, 2021 by the consultants of Kure. Approximately one month later, we defended ourselves in that suit against us and filed a claim against Kure and its consultants.”
As background, the “owners and consultants of Kure Pet Food” mentioned in the above letter are the former ingredient suppliers of Answers Pet Food (owners of Kure Pet Food), and the “consultants” are the former founding partners of Answers Pet Food, the ex-wife of Answers Pet Food President Keith Hill – Jacqueline Hill, and the former sister-in-law of Answers President Keith Hill – Roxanne Stone.
The letter to distributors and retailers from Answers Keith Hill goes on to say that the lawsuit resulted in an injunction against Kure Pet Food, prohibiting them from making or selling pet food. But, an appeal was filed and the higher court (temporarily) overturned the injunction (Kure Pet Food is allowed to manufacture and sell pet food). Keith Hill’s letter stated Answers Pet Food hopes “justice will prevail” – indicating Hill/Answers believes it is ‘just’ if his former wife and sister in-law along with the company they work for are prevented from making pet food.
Below the surface…here’s what Keith Hill of Answers Pet Food letter didn’t tell retailers and distributors:
The lawsuit filed against Answers Pet Food by Jacqueline Hill and Roxanne Stone – the lawsuit Answers claimed they had to defend themselves against – was to ask the court to facilitate the agreed upon buyout of Hill and Stone from Answers. According to the lawsuit, Answers pet food was required to buyout the shares of Answers from Hill and Stone “promptly” after receipt of a “Transfer Notice” delivered to Answers on February 12, 2021 (five months prior to the lawsuit). Jacqueline Hill and Roxanne Stone waited for five months for Answers to abide by the “Operating Agreement“. But that didn’t happen. Per the lawsuit, Keith Hill and Answers Pet Food ignored the Operating Agreement contract, ignored their obligation to buyout the ownership of Jacqueline Hill and Roxanne Stone’s shares of Answers pet food.
In other words, what the Answers Pet Food letter to distributors and retailers neglected to tell was Answers Pet Food has not abided by their own legal contract requiring them to buyout their former partners. Why haven’t they? Is the new Answers acting in anger? Why is Answers Keith Hill trying to imply the company is a victim when per the initial lawsuit Answers has failed to abide by their own contract?
Kure Pet Food has responded to the Answers letter to distributors/retailers. In part stating “Answers is in violation of its own longstanding company LLC agreement, which required Answers to buy out Jacqueline and Roxanne upon their resignation. Answers’ continuing refusal to adhere to this legal agreement appears to be an effort to keep the sisters trapped, in violation of their rights and their free will.”
My own experiences with Answers Pet Food.
I had been a customer of Answers Pet Food for many years. That ended in July 2021 when I purchased a bulk box of Answers that was so sloppily prepared, large portions of pet food were stuck to the outside of the chubs.
This was not pet food that had oozed out of a damaged chub, all the chubs in the case were fully intact. This was large chunks of pet food that was sloppily dropped onto the chubs within the box and ignored. In years of purchasing pet food from Answers, this had NEVER happened before. That was the last Answers pet food I purchased, I don’t trust my pet’s lives with sloppily manufactured pet foods.
Answers Pet Food has been a brand included in my annual List since the document began in 2012. The brand was removed from the 2021 List when two of the founding partners left the company. In late August 2021, Jesse Lee of (the new) Answers Pet Food contacted me via email regarding the 2022 List. When I was alerted to the lawsuit Answers filed against Kure, it was clear to me that this was never again a pet food I would consider to give my own pets – thus they would not be considered for the 2022 List. I also don’t trust my pet’s lives with a pet food manufactured by a company whose morals don’t align with my own.
When I informed Jesse Lee of Answers Pet Food to this decision, he responded with anger. Quotes from emails with Jesse Lee of Answers Pet Food:
“The legal actions you are speaking of were implemented by Kure first, they filed suit against Answers before anything else happened. As such, I do not expect to see a company like them anywhere near your list next year as well. By not giving Answers the opportunity to be considered for it is only proof that your List is not 100% accurate, and maybe even a little biased.”
Personal opinion: the new Answers Pet Food is a company very different from the old Answers Pet Food. And that is such a shame. Pet owners need more brands made by a company with an attitude focusing on making quality products instead of companies that feel the need to be angry and nasty.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
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chris
October 31, 2021 at 12:37 pm
Thank you for standing up for what you believe in . If there is anger in the humans who run the company like the email stated, then it is hard to believe that they are in the best interest of the dogs.
Paula H
October 31, 2021 at 12:41 pm
Despicable behavior on the part of Answers. I can’t wait for Kure to be up and running with a complete product line. Kure will certainly be getting all of my business and the sooner the better.
Susan Mazzotti
October 31, 2021 at 12:48 pm
Thanks for the insight. I knew changes were happening with Answers. Now, I know why. Too bad.
Suzanne
October 31, 2021 at 1:19 pm
I don’t feed my dog Answers but I appreciate the information. Thank you for sharing this message for people that do.
Vicki aka Shedd Rescue
October 31, 2021 at 2:03 pm
Thank you Susan for breaking down the legal jargon of the lawsuit. Losing Answer’s as the main food for my pack of 7 earlier this year was challenging. Am thrilled and supportive of Roxanne and Jacqueline’s courage to continue. Billy too.
alexa rabini
October 31, 2021 at 5:27 pm
Thank you for sharing the TRUTH! When management changed, I continued to feed Answers and I could tell the product had changed when it stopped working for my dog. I’ve since moved on and now she’s thriving on a local brand! If your food is great, focus on the community not the competition. Sounds like Jesse cares more about competition than the quality of his food.
Sharon Lamparella
October 31, 2021 at 6:52 pm
I’ve also been an Answers customer. I’ve noticed real decline in quality. I’ve actually had to dispose, more than once,of goat milk that was curdled with black pieces in it and the detailed, it’s consistency, look and smell was wrong. I’ll pay for excellent but Answers doesn’t fit that description anymore. I’m anxious for Kure to be available.
Susan H.
November 1, 2021 at 2:21 am
Thank you for all your truth seeking, persistence, efforts, and explanations, Susan! So many of us would be in the dark without them.
Diane Timmons
November 1, 2021 at 5:51 am
Thanks Susan for all your hard work. I don’t fed my dog Answers but, it’s always good to have this information for future reference. Answers is one I will definitely avoid. I’m sorry you were treated so poorly. Keep up the good work – I so appreciate you and the work you do.
Jill
November 1, 2021 at 8:29 am
You have every right to be biased in making a list of pet foods that in your opinion are good (or not). To get angry when you share your opinion is a sign of a closed and possibly feeble mind and not someone I would trust either to make my beloved dog’s food.
Claire
November 2, 2021 at 11:15 am
Keith Hill even admitted in a letter sent to retailers and distributors that contractual obligations were “triggered” when Roxanne and Jacqueline requested to leave. He said this May 3, 2021. I am glad to know more specifics. It’s clear he as the “CEO” didn’t abide by his own contractual obligations. Nothing worse than an overweight white man crying like a three year old, blaming his own ineptitude on others! I am rooting for the women! These women have shown themselves to be incredibly brave and bold, taking on FDA, AAFCO, and other types of corruption over the years. The pet food industry needs more brave souls like them, and less selfish misleading people like Keith!
Jay
November 5, 2021 at 8:46 am
The company was great under the women because they essentially were the company. Now a CEO who was only there because he was on his then wife’s coat tails, is going to run the company? I’ve never seen him speak publicly about topics such as food quality, food science, formulating, sourcing, etc. like the women did, and he’s running it all now? YIKES! There’s been manufacturing issues since the women stepped away. As more and more comes out regarding him, he seems to be nasty, vindictive and manipulative (or attempts to be manipulative and fails). I understand why someone would divorce him, and why people wouldn’t want to work for such a mental case.
Wes
April 18, 2022 at 11:54 am
Is there any update to this situation? I’ve scoured the Internet and cannot seem to find anything. Any info would be greatly appreciated. The world needs its Kure back!
Susan Thixton
April 18, 2022 at 7:52 pm
To my understanding they are waiting to go to an appeal. I’m not sure when that will happen.
Julie
May 10, 2022 at 6:07 pm
After feeding my dogs (3) Answers for 5 years, for some reason they stopped eating it. My older 2 would gobble it down and the last couple of times I tried to feed it to them they wouldn’t eat it. I asked them, they wouldn’t answer. I researched what happened and read a blog that it did the same to his dogs and caused diarrhea (mine too). We don’t buy it anymore. I’d be interested in Kure too.
Christine
March 28, 2023 at 8:06 pm
100% Agree! Thank you for sharing your insights and both sides of the story. I dropped the Answers brand as soon as all the drama began and will not ever offer or recommend them to my customers. I hope that Kure is able to finally bring their products to market soon, because I will make them available immediately.