Portland Pet Food Company Joins Health Food Trade Mission To Canada To Promote Human-Grade All-Natural Pet Food

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:

Claudia Johnson

Portland Pet Food Company
503-799-2220
info@portlandpetfoodcompany.com

Portland, Oregon (April 3 2017)—Portland Pet Food Company this week joins a western United States trade delegation to Canada to promote all natural products and health foods at the Canada Health Food Association Expo (CHFA) April 8 and 9 in Vancouver B.C. The growing Oregon pet food company joins the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the nonprofit Western United States Agricultural Trade Association (WUSATA) to connect agribusiness and natural products like Portland Pet Food to Canadian markets.

According to Erick Garman, trade development manager, Oregon Department of Agriculture, the Canadian market offers incredible new sales opportunities for U.S. specialty, natural and organic food companies. CHFA is Canada’s largest trade association dedicated to natural, health, and organic products targeting influencers from some of Canada’s largest natural health chains and independent retailers. WUSATA exists to help agribusinesses meet the rising global demand for US exports of high-quality food and agricultural products.

Garman says that while the natural food products trade show showcases mostly products for human consumption, the trend toward natural pet foods has generated more interest in these products at trade shows. Portland Pet Food Company, which applied to be awarded a spot on the trade mission, joins other natural Oregon products and those from the 13 western United States as part of the delegation.

The first to innovate all-natural human-grade pet food, Portland Pet Food Company recently launched new shelf-stable sustainable packaging for its popular dog meals—all with no preservatives or additives. The recyclable stand-up pouch is BPA-free and houses what some food science experts are calling a pet food industry ‘game-changer.’

Portland Pet Food Company products are now available in unique sustainable and portable packaging:

• BPA Free—canned Pet Food cannot claim same
• Microwavable, with cool grips on the sides for safe handling
• Shelf-stable with a shelf life of 2 years
• Smaller environmental footprint using less resources to manufacture
• Storage requires less shelf space (real estate) than cans.
• Less shipping weight to retailers offers less impact and less cost.

The company addresses the growing trend among pet parents to serve their pets what they themselves eat—all natural, locally-sourced whole foods.

According to Pet Food Industry magazine, top pet food trends are driven by health-conscious pet parents who feed their dogs like they feed themselves: high quality ingredients, whole foods, with no preservatives or fillers. Longtime industry experts agree:

“Portland Pet Food products are game changers—founder Kate McCarron has set the bar high in the industry for crafting shelf-stable homemade meals with simple Northwest ingredients and a limited ingredient label pet owners can understand,” said Albert Bolles, PhD and nationally-recognized award-winning innovator in food technology, packaging and product development. “While all Portland Pet Foods have been scientifically developed and tested, the essence of these foods did not come from a laboratory, it came from the heart and Kate’s love for her own dogs.”

An Integral Part of Portland’s Innovative Business Community

Portland Pet Food Company personifies Portland’s small-scale entrepreneurial success. Founder and innovator Kate McCarron was inspired to start making her own natural, healthy dog meals when Rosie, her 14-year-old standard poodle, no longer showed interest in kibble and began to lose weight. McCarron created fresh meals using seasonal produce to entice Rosie to eat more.

McCarron noticed her dogs had more energy, shinier coats and were more eager to eat after she started cooking home-style recipes. Most importantly, Rosie regained the weight she had lost. Portland Pet Food Company, with its full line of fresh dog meals and dog treats, was born.

Portland Pet Food Company handcrafts all dog food and treat recipes in small batches, then packages them in shelf-stable pouches, convenient for use in the home, outdoor activities and travel. All products are homemade in a quality-controlled, USDA-approved commercial facilities with a process that assures a commitment to nutritious and simple food.

Local vendors supply high-quality ingredients, including USDA-certified meat, fresh vegetables, and whole grains from the region’s diverse food supply. The company believes that simple is best—thus no more than 10 ingredients are ever combined in a recipe.

“Our handcrafted food is sustainable and even our biscuits use ingredients like high-protein spent grains from some of our award-winning Portland-area breweries,” says McCarron.  “We believe in rotational feeding without supplementing the natural ingredients in our diets. Simple is best! You wouldn't want to eat the same thing every day. Why should your dog?”

Portland Pet Food Company currently offers four varieties of shelf-stable precooked entrees intended for intermittent or supplemental feeding. Suggested uses include:

• As a dog meal, especially for those who are older, struggle to eat or take medication.
• As a delicious topper to add nutrition and flavor variety to kibble or wet meals.
• As a treat meal for an already balanced diet

“Consumers can rest assured that Kate is doing her best to provide the highest quality local ingredients for their pets,” said Sarah Masoni, product and process development manager at Oregon State University Food Innovation Center who helped guide meal development and food safety.  “We actually tasted everything we made and found the meals to be incredibly delicious and nutritious—just what we want for our pets.”

Handcrafted in small batches, PPFC’s meals and kibble toppers are sold in fresh/frozen 12 ounce containers and 9 once shelf stable pouches from $5.99-$8.00. PPFC dog treats range from $10-$11.00.

 About Portland Pet Food Company

Crafted by humans, loved by dogs. Started by Portlander Katie McCarron and son Matt, the business has grown into a family affair with her husband David and daughter Maggie lending their expertise. PPFC currently cooks its own dog food, kibble topper and treats with future plans to expand its offerings. Five percent of sales are donated to local animal-related nonprofits. PPFC is a licensed pet food manufacturer that follows the recommendations of the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). For more information about Portland Pet Food Company, visit portlandpetfoodcompany.com.

Please note: Portland Pet Food Company products are available in more than 1,000 stores nationwide. Our natural, healthy dog food toppings and natural, healthy dog treats are great for senior dogs and dogs who are picky eaters. We have gluten-free dog food toppings and treats in a variety of flavors. All of our dog food products are available as part of our flexible dog food toppers subscription.

UPDATE: In 2022, Portland Pet Food Company introduced human grade, healthy cat food, which is available in salmon and pumpkin flavor and chicken and pumpkin flavor.