Wegmans Chooses Safer Pet Food Supplier

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Dad’s Pet Care has been chosen by Wegmans Food Markets here to supply its line of Wegmans brand dry dog and cat foods.

The retailer chose Dad’s since it demonstrates higher standards for food safety than its previous supplier, Wegmans said.

“This new supplier for Bruiser dry dog food and Buju and Ziggie dry cat food was necessary because of a disappointing relationship with the previous supplier, including recalled products a year ago due to a strain of salmonella found in their facility,” said Mary Ellen Burris, Wegmans’ senior vice president of consumer affairs, in a recent column.

Wegmans’ pet food is held to the same food safety standards as its human foods.

As such, a Wegmans food safety auditor visited and approved the Dad’s plant in Meadville, Pa. The supplier complies with Safe Quality Foods 2000, level two standards; one of the five global food safety standards endorsed, and now required by Wegmans, according to Burris.

Dad’s sources main ingredients like wheat, alfalfa, beef and chicken from locations near its facility, while vitamin ingredients are imported to the U.S. “as is common in the pet industry,” Burris said.

Bruiser items will be priced 20% below the leading national brand, while cat foods Buju and Ziggie will cost less than 25%.

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