SASKATOON, Saskatchewan, July 31, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spring Meadows Natural Pet Food (‘Spring Meadows’) is pleased to announce it has received its food safety certification through HACCP Canada making it the second HACCP certified raw pet food manufacturer in the country. 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. Consumer awareness around food safety and demand for transparency in the pet food industry has been increasing in recent years as pet owners become more educated about their feeding options.
To maintain its HACCP certification, all ingredients must be sourced from CFIA certified and inspected facilities. All production floor staff must have food safety training and a dedicated quality assurance professional must also be kept on staff. The program includes 3rd party laboratory testing for ingredients and finished product, onsite environment and equipment testing, and a strict cleaning regime including the complete disassembly and disinfecting of all machinery on a daily basis. Spring Meadows’ manufacturing facility is subject to quarterly records audits and an unscheduled onsite review by a HACCP Canada auditor every two years to maintain its status.
"I am very happy to be making this announcement," said founder and President, Brett Flahr. "We’ve always been committed to the highest standards of food quality and safety, dedicating resources to building trust with our suppliers, retail partners, and pet parents over the years. This certification is the culmination of that effort and I am proud of our staff and facility for this achievement."
Spring Meadows is a wholly owned subsidiary of United Raw Pet Foods Inc. which in turn is a majority owned subsidiary of Dane Creek Capital Corp. ('DCCC'), Canada’s pet industry merchant bank. Spring Meadows was DCCC’s fourth acquisition of a Canadian raw pet food manufacturer in less than a year. Other investments to date include Mountain Dog Enterprises Inc., the Edmonton-based manufacturer of frozen raw Mountain Dog Food; Pets4Life, a manufacturer of gourmet frozen raw medallions for dogs, cats and ferrets; and, Naturawls Pet Products, the manufacturer of Nothing Added dehydrated treats and NatuRAWls, one of the fastest growing brands of raw pet food in Ontario, both based in St. Thomas.
“We are proud of this achievement by our portfolio company,” said Glen Tennison, President and CFO of DCCC. “We recognize that pets are family and today’s pet owners are looking for brands they can trust. We believe taking steps to achieve third party validation through programs such as HACCP helps build that trust and are committed to continuing our efforts to bring greater transparency to the industry as a whole.”
Spring Meadows premium frozen raw pet food patties for dogs and cats are manufactured in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, featuring a range of pure meat meals including beef, chicken, fish, turkey, lamb, rabbit, and bison as well as mixed meals with added fruits and vegetables. They are sold mainly through pet specialty retail stores in western Canada. Spring Meadows is also a featured brand in Pet Planet stores. For more information or to place an order please contact: springmeadows@sasktel.net or 1.306.291.5660.
Contacts
Brett Flahr, Founder & President
Spring Meadows Natural Pet Food
1 (306) 291.5660
springmeadows@sasktel.net
Amanda Zaharchuk, VP Marketing & Communications
Dane Creek Capital Corp.
1 (289) 814.2495
az@danecreekcap.com