GUELPH, ONTARIO – April 16, 2018. The management team of Your True Companion Pet Products Inc. (“YTCPP”), manufacturers of True Raw Choice and Pawzzie pet treats and chews, two of the leading brands of natural treats for dogs and cats in Canada, is pleased to announce it has received HACCP certification for its manufacturing facility in Guelph, Ontario. HACCP or ‘Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points’ is an internationally recognized system for food safety and quality control and is required by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (‘CFIA’) in all federally registered establishments where food is manufactured for human consumption. HACCP certification is rare amongst manufacturers of pet treats as manufacturing standards in the industry are largely unregulated.
YTCPP’s HACCP certification comes on the heels of the relaunch of its True Raw Choice and Pawzzie treats and chews with new branding and packaging. The new look was unveiled at the Global Pet Expo conference in Orlando, Florida at the end of March and is currently on display at the Western Canadian Pet Industry Trade Show hosted by PIJAC in Richmond, BC. The newly branded True Raw Choice and Pawzzie lines are now available to distributors and retailers across Canada and the United States.
Traceability is a key feature of an established HACCP protocol and so administration of YTCPP’s HACCP system includes detailed record-keeping at every stage of the production process. Production floor staff are food safety trained and a quality assurance person is on site at all times during production hours. Ingredients are sourced from CFIA federally inspected facilities and inspected on arrival for temperature and any evidence of tampering or transport damage that may lead to a contamination event. There is also an onsite laboratory where products and ingredients are tested to ensure quality and safety. All manufacturing equipment is disassembled and cleaned daily using food safe enzymatic cleaning agents. YTCPP’s facility is subject to an annual unscheduled inspection from a HACCP quality assurance inspector to maintain its status.
“We are so thrilled to be making this announcement,”said founder and CEO, Paul Spindler. “Our HACCP certification puts us at the forefront of the pet industry in Canada and is the culmination of considerable hard work on behalf of all our staff. We truly believe our pets are family and they should have treats made to the same standards of quality and cleanliness as their pet parents and now they can.”
YTCPP is 74% owned by Mississauga-based Dane Creek Capital Corp. (‘DCCC’), Canada’s pet industry merchant bank. Investments to date include its acquisition of Mountain Dog Enterprises Inc. (‘Mountain Dog’), the Edmonton-based manufacturer of frozen raw Mountain Dog Food which recently received the renewal notice for its HACCP Canada certification for the 9th straight quarter. Mountain Dog is the only HACCP certified raw pet food manufacturer in Canada. DCCC also wholly owns Baie Run Pet Products Inc. (‘Baie Run’), a leading brand of pet supplements which also launched its complete line of 18 unique products this past month. Baie Run pet supplements for dogs are cats are also manufactured in HACCP certified facilities, including YTCPP.
“We congratulate Paul and his team for all of their hard work”said Glen Tennison, President and CFO of DCCC. “We believe strongly that all of our portfolio companies manufacturing pet food and treats should obtain HACCP certification which is consistent with our commitment to maintaining the trust of pet owners who purchase products made by our growing network of industry leading entrepreneurs. As we add to our portfolio we expect each manufacturer to obtain or maintain HACCP certification and are prepared to supply the resources and expertise to facilitate that process.”
True Raw Choice treats and chews feature a range of single ingredient proteins from Canadian sources with no added growth hormones or antibiotics including traditional proteins like chicken and beef as well as novel proteins like duck and lamb. YTCPP’s Pawzzie pet treats and chews are an imported line featuring wild Australian kangaroo. In addition to its popularity as a tasty protein for both dogs and cats, treats featuring kangaroo meat are gaining wider acceptance because of its reported benefits for pets suffering from food sensitivities and allergies.
True Raw Choice and Pawzzie pet treats and chews are available in pet specialty retail chains including Pet Valu, Global Pet Foods, and Tail Blazers, independents, and online at www.truerawchoice.ca. For more information or to place an order please contact: info@companionpetproducts.ca or 1.855.260.5024.
Contacts
Amanda Zaharchuk, VP Marketing & Communications
Dane Creek Capital Corp.
1 (289) 814.2495
az@danecreekcap.com
Paul Spindler, Founder & CEO
Your True Companion Pet Products Inc.
1 (226) 203.0809
paul@companionpetproducts.ca