A world brand in additives
Back in 1991, Dr Robert Rae and Dr Graham Yeo wished to create a world brand that was the best in the additives sector.
Benefits of dry complete food
In the early 1990s, it was clear that major market forces were at work in the European pet food industry. The industry then had a wet section dominated by worldwide brands and a dry section that would probably expand as extruded complete foods.
The UK dry food market was split between farm-feed manufacturers making muesli mixes and mixer biscuits that were usually fed with moist foods. The benefit of extruded dry complete food was not lost on consumers who were increasingly visiting ‘one-stop’ supermarkets for feeding their families and pets.
Dry extruded food was sterile and hence microbiologically safe with excellent keeping properties and was convenient to transport, store and put on shelf by weighing a fifth of conventional wet food and with a lower risk of moulding or insect infestations compared to the muesli mixes.
Expertise in pet food formulation
The key triggers of the dry pet food expansion in Europe came with BSE legislation banning meat meals from farm-feeds plus the immediate ban on the export from the UK of ruminant-derived animal by-products. The investment in extruders on separate sites by farm-feed companies and the cheaper sources of animal co-products led to many of today’s well recognized brands and manufacturers therefore becoming de facto pet food companies.
Premier Nutrition’s expertise in pet
food formulation and supplementation was crucial in this period because the vitamin cartel of the 1990s meant that it had to out-perform in areas beyond simple price. The recognized specialization in pet food was well placed to help companies with the big food issues of the late 1990s and 2000s, which were, as now safety, quality, and traceability.
The unique manufacturing process using state-of-the-art pharmaceutical mixers meant that the company reduced the risk of cross-contamination in the pet-only factory to beyond that expected in conventional premixes. Today Premier Nutrition still ticks all these boxes and is recognized as being the best in the field.