RECENT POSTS

Price Increase – a necessary evil!

January 29th, 2008

We have received several inquiries regarding the recent price increase reflected on our website and I wanted to take a moment to explain. As a web store, there are fixed costs associated with providing super-premium dog food,

rapid order fulfillment, and convenient delivery to our customers. In January, two major components of our operation experienced substantial price increases.

Increased Commodity / Raw Material Food Costs
Commodities and raw material food costs have soared 50-80% in the last year. As a result all premium/super-premium pet foods have increased prices by 10-18%.

We all know from visiting grocery stores that higher quality cuts of meat/fish and fresh vegetables are far more costly than purchasing processed foods and foods high in fillers. This same principle applies when shopping for pet foods. Manufacturers and distributors of highly nutritious pet food formulas operate at much higher raw material food costs and much lower profit margins, than those who distribute lower quality foods.

Most “big box” stores will not provide shelf space for super-premium foods like Orijen dog food, Burns Pet Health, Honest Kitchen, Eagle Holistic Select dog food, etc. If they were to add on the profit margins that Petland and Petco demand, on top of the substantial cost of quality nutrition, these foods would be too expensive for even the most discerning buyer. Thus, suppliers like K9Cuisine bring these super-premium foods to the marketplace at much lower profit margins. These low margins provide little cushion for market fluctuations.

Increased Shipping / Delivery Costs
Fed Ex, UPS, and all other carriers recently raised their prices 6-8% to accommodate rising fuel prices. As a warehouse and web store we realize this price increase on both incoming freight and each outgoing customer order. Most pet food web stores charge an additional $15-$25 per bag for “shipping charges”. This enables them to make considerable profit on freight, while appearing to remain price competitive on actual goods sold.

At K9cuisine we prefer a more straight forward approach. The price listed for each item reflects the true cost of that item. In addition, we provide free delivery on all orders over $50. K9cuisine strives to maintain the highest quality customer service of all web stores. We believe providing the convenience of free shipping to our customers is key to that level of customer service.

The bottom line ….
Due to surging costs of food commodities and fuel, manufacturers and transportation companies have raised their prices substantially. In the premium/ super-premium pet food industry, there is not enough profit margin in the distribution process to absorb or offset these increases. We were forced to adjust our pricing accordingly. K9Cuisine continues to monitor and adjust staffing levels, maximize purchasing power, and improve warehouse efficiencies to try to minimize the overall impact this may place on our customers.

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“Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval” Bought & Paid For???

January 23rd, 2008

Consumer Beware! Last week’s press release as seen on The Petsit USA.com Blog which details Good Housekeeping Magazine’s awarding of their “seal of approval” to Iams and Eukanuba pet foods was certainly interesting. What would possess a magazine founded in 1885 with current circulation at 4.6 million to place the weight of their solid reputation behind a pet food brand that has recently been plagued by recalls?

Do you think that when making this endorsement they had your pet’s best interest at heart? Would Good Housekeeping overlook the obvious safety and quality issues with Iams and Eukanuba as a favor to the struggling pet food division of Proctor & Gamble?

In a quick consumer poll – leafing through the Good Housekeeping February 2008 Issue – it appears Proctor & Gamble (maker of Iams & Eukanuba) was responsible for more than 25% of all full page (non-prescription) consumer product ads! While I understand Good Housekeeping has a certain amount of loyalty to the big corporations who subsidize their operations, should it be at the expense of your pet’s health or their overall reputation?

There are a number of quality pet foods on the market today with ingredients which far surpass the formulas in Iams & Eukanuba who truly deserve consideration for the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval – Orijen, Eagle Holistic, Burns Pet Health, Nature’s Variety, California Natural, Evo, Pinnacle, Avoderm, Canidae,… These brands do not allocate hefty budgets for marketing like Proctor & Gamble. Fortunately for our pets, these companies invest their money in quality ingredients. You won’t see flashy full page magazine ads or the little “Good Housekeeping Promises” icon – but these will certainly receive your pet’s “seal of approval”.

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