Nestle Purina sues Blue Buffalo for false advertising

[Deborah Brown]

http://dogingtonpost.com/blue-buffalo-under-fire-for-alleged-false-...

What next?  <big sigh>

Blue Buffalo’s promotion, advertising and packaging repeatedly and unequivocally state that its pet food products contain “NO Chicken/Poultry By-Product Meals.” In its complaint, Purina alleges that testing conducted by an independent laboratory revealed that several of Blue Buffalo’s top-selling “Life Protection” pet food products contained significant percentages of poultry by-product meal. 

[Tracey & Spike]

I hope so too. They would be fools to tamper with their reputation. Mind you there have been more than one set of fools in the pet food industry. I have to have faith that they will maintain their high standards. Now if only I could get Spike off of his fromm/acana puppy mix I'll be all set. arg.

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

From a link Karen posted about big company sales from last October__

There are a number of potential acquirers for a growing business in a growing sector. Nestle SA has likely taken a look at Blue Buffalo, a source said, and Mars Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Co., Procter & Gamble Co., in addition to private equity-backed Del Monte Foods Co., could be potential bidders.

Colgate owns Science Diet, while Mars owns Royal Canine in addition to Nutro, and Procter & Gamble's pet food businesses include Iams and Eukanuba. Nestle is parent to pet food giant Purina, which includes the Pro Plan brand.

International and financial bidders might also take a gander at the business.

There could be antitrust issues, however, depending on how the pet category is defined, an industry source said. If a deal is looked at through the lens of the category as a whole, then a sale to Nestle would run into regulatory hurdles. If the focus is narrowed to the premium pet food category, then Nestle might succeed with an offer, while an entity such as Del Monte might not.

Del Monte acquired Natural Balance Pet Foods Inc., a competitor to Blue Buffalo with $300 million in sales in late May. That purchase from private equity firm VMG Partners was for $500 million, a source said.

Read more: Blue Buffalo could see IPO, sale in 2014 - The Deal Pipeline (SAMPL... http://www.thedeal.com/content/consumer-retail/blue-buffalo-could-s...

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Since this article was published, P & G has sold most of its pet food brands (Natura, Iams, and Eukanuba) to Mars, Inc. http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/04/09/mars-to-buy-pet-food-brands-...

[Deborah Brown]

So I wonder... was there a whistle blower that alerted Purina?  Or did they decide to analyze all the competitors' products?  If it's the second, then maybe we can take that as reassurance that the others are packaging what they say?  Just a thought because no one is really policing the pet food industry.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Oh, I think it's been sticking in Purina's craw for a long time that BB has taken such a huge chunk of their market share, and they decided to try to dig up some dirt. A few of the other "big dog food" companies reference BB's one voluntary recall on their websites in an effort to regain some of that business they've lost. 

[Deborah Brown]

Well, it will be interesting to see how it turns out although Purina and already convicted BB in social media.

[Tracey & Spike]

Purina has defiantly done damage to the bb brand. However I find it funny that they are working so hard to tarnish bb when their own reputation has been so wretched since the recalls. Maybe taking down a competitor is their way of building themselves back up? I just hope people keep remembering what happened. Purina should never ever be seen as the "Heroes". I am glad I went the Acana/Fromm route for Spike. BB was my original first choice. Until I learned better.