# Del Monte to enter pet market



## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

First news story 

Del Monte to Buy Meow Mix for $705 Million 

With brands 9 Lives and Kibbles ‘n Bits already in its stable of pet foods, Del Monte Foods Co. has signed a deal to buy privately held Meow Mix Holdings Inc. for $705 million, San Francisco-based Del Monte announced March 2.

“Meow Mix is one of the most powerful brands in the pet food industry,” Richard Wolford, Del Monte chief executive officer, said in a statement announcing the transaction. “We see great opportunities to continue to expand the Meow Mix brand equity to the premium wet cat and cat snack segments. Also, with its leading dry cat products, Meow Mix is complementary to our existing 9 Lives business, which has a stronger wet cat food presence.”

The Meow Mix Co., of Secaucus, N.J., which is majority owned by The Cypress Group, a New York-based private equity firm, also makes Alley Cat brand dry cat food. In recent years, Meow Mix has introduced new products, such as Indoor, Kitten and Hairball Control Formula, premium pouch and Meow Mix cat treats.

Del Monte said the purchase price includes $23 million in tax benefits, which it expects to achieve as a result of the acquisition. Del Monte said Meow Mix, with 2005 revenues of $205 million, has the No. 2 market share in the $2.5 billion dry cat food category



second news story:
Del Monte Buys Milk-Bone 

Two weeks after it said it would gobble up cat food maker Meow Mix, Del Monte Foods Co. has agreed to buy Milk-Bone dog treats from Kraft Foods for about $580 million.
“Milk-Bone, with its strong brand position in the fast-growing and dynamic pet snacks category, will significantly strengthen our overall competitiveness in the pet business,” said Richard Wolford, Del Monte’s chairman. “This transaction will meaningfully improve the overall margin and growth potential of the entire company.” 
Milk-Bone dog snacks sales were about $180 million in 2005. The acquisition complements Del Monte’s portfolio of pet products in dog snacks, a segment which has grown at an average annual rate of approximately 10 percent since fiscal 2001, Del Monte reported. Other Del Monte pet treat brands include Snausages, Pounce and Pup-Peroni.
The deal includes Milk-Bone's manufacturing plant in Buffalo, N.Y., and the Sherburne Pet Food Testing Center in Sherburne, N.Y. As part of the deal, about 230 Kraft employees, including the East Hanover, N.J.-based business team, the operations team in Buffalo and technicians in Sherburne will join Del Monte.
“Milk-Bone's iconic brand equity and focus on oral care complements the positioning of our current snack portfolio equitites, and we see great opportunities to utilize our innovation capabilities and capitalize on key pet trends, including health and wellness of pets,” Wohlford said. 
He added that the company plans to increase investment in the brand and expand its presence in channels other than the grocery and mass merchandiser channels, where Milk-Bone's greatest distribution has been. 
Northfield, Ill.-based Kraft Foods Global said that selling Milk-Bone allows it to focus on its core human food businesses. 
San Francisco-based Del Monte announced March 2 that it was buying Meow Mix Holdings for $705 million. The company said at the time that it was its effort to focus on having the strongest brands in pet food. It’s also working to increase focus on branded, higher-margin products. To that end, Del Monte recently divested its private-label soup and baby food business.
Del Monte expects to achieve tax benefits of about $125 million as a result of the deal.


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

Now they have dogs and cats covered. What other animals do you think they will branch into.

Seeing how its del monte I dont see it being a far strech for them to go into dried foods for birds and other small critters. Do you think they will attempt fish?


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

It would be great IMO if they attempted fish, but I dont think that it would happen anytime soon


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## msdolittle (Mar 4, 2006)

Blech. I won't feed that garbage to my dogs.....and didn't feed it to my cats. Its all the same fillers and trash from rendering plants just with a different label. So, I don't care one way or another about DelMonte buying them out.... I'd think maybe its not a good idea to buy out the fish/bird/etc industry either....unless they're just going to buy the junk food and mass produce it too. 

Have you ever read the ingredients of MeowMix and all the other grocery store brands? Scary.. if you know how to interpret the ingredients.


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## Lydia (Feb 6, 2005)

Pineapple cat food?


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

I think that is where the bird and small food industry would benefit. Right now is is mostly seed mixes. Del Monte would have the resources to add more fruits and vegges to the mix. A bit more of a natural diet for birds and other small critters.


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## msdolittle (Mar 4, 2006)

There are several bird food companies that make quality foods! Zupreem, Lafebers, Harrisons (the best imo)...... I think Delmonte will just junk it all down......but again, thats just my opinion.


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

Wow I just looked at other companies they own.

Snausages
Pounce
9 lives
Kibbles & Bits
Nautre's Recipe
Gravy Train
Cycle
Meaty Bone
Reward
Skippy dog good
Jerky Treats
wagwells
cannine carry outs
pup-peroni

So I guess my first statement about them just entering the pet market was wrong
It looks like they have been in it awhile.


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## msdolittle (Mar 4, 2006)

ALL JUNK foods!!! GOOD LORD!


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

So what brands of food and treats do you feed your pets?


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## msdolittle (Mar 4, 2006)

I feed Solid Gold (to my pekingese) and Cannidae (to my mastiff) to my dogs.... I did a ton of research on pet foods when I was working at a RVT (stay at home mom now). I still try to keep current on nutrition though. 

I never owned a bird but I think I'm up to date on their nutrition as well, I worked for an exotic animal practice (and we did alternative medicine as well). I still try to advise people on their pet foods though......even though I'm not in practice anymore.

Whole foods are key. And you have to know how to decipher the ingredients.....


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## msdolittle (Mar 4, 2006)

Oh, as far as treats go, again.......same brands or I'll buy dried chicken breast jerky or raw beef bones. My mastiff gets raw organ meats too.....


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

What would you suggest for Rats and Gunnie Pigs? 
I know for sure it is two totally different diets. Around where I live it is mainly the Kay-tee brand in all the stores.


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

I have read that alot of dog foods actually contain rubber as a perservative. Sounds tasty dosent it.


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## msdolittle (Mar 4, 2006)

Well........I don't know any brands off hand that I'd recommend but I'm sure you know they need balance just like everyone else.....and then the whole vitamin c thing with the Gpigs. Scurvy is nearly impossible to treat in gpigs. 

My main area is dogs/cats, birds, reptiles (especially iguanas and other vegetarian lizards). 

Rats are omnivores though........so any variety of healthy foods, along their usual pellets, is ideal!


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## msdolittle (Mar 4, 2006)

fish_doc said:


> I have read that alot of dog foods actually contain rubber as a perservative. Sounds tasty dosent it.



There's also a common preservative (one reason I hate Iams) called Ethoxyquin..........its been linked to cancer. Yet, as I know of now, Iams still uses it!

If you read your pets food label, you shouldn't have anything containing "meal" or "biproduct"........those are the nasty parts left over at the rendering plant.............yep, that includes tumors, euthanized animal parts, diseased animals..........all that crap.


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## msdolittle (Mar 4, 2006)

There's a super good book called "The Nature of Animal Healing"...by Dr Martin Goldstein. It has a terrific section on pet food.


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

Yea, most rat foods are basically seed mixes. we always throw various things in there with with them. The most common is the little carrots.


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## msdolittle (Mar 4, 2006)

My rats LOVED to chew on chicken bones.....little carnivores they were!!


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