Chewy & Fromm customers

[Judith and Addie]

All,

Just sharing a letter I received from Chewy today, although I am certain others here have received something similar. In short, it says Chewy will no longer carry Fromm products, per Fromm instructions.

I’m sorry to let you know that Fromm Family Foods will no longer be available at Chewy and will only be available while supplies last. Fromm has decided to limit their distribution and will no longer service Chewy customers.

I am very disappointed by Fromm's decision to end their retail partnership with us because it greatly impacts you, our customer. Their business decision to limit distribution was clearly not in the best interest of customers like you, who have come to rely on Chewy to feed your furry family.

When I founded our company my mission was simple, deliver the highest quality products at the best prices and provide an unmatched customer experience. We have always put our customers and their pets at the center of everything we do. That’s why we have the most knowledgeable customer service representatives in the industry dedicated to providing best-in-class customer service and adding personal touches to online shopping with handwritten cards and hand-painted portraits of your pets.

It’s particularly upsetting that despite all of my company’s efforts and personal relationships throughout the years, Fromm has decided that they will no longer service our customers.

I urge all customers who are affected by this to personally contact Fromm directly to let them know you rely on the convenience of delivery and value the personalized service you receive from Chewy. Unfortunately, for many of you this decision will result in your inability to get these products in a convenient way. Please encourage Fromm not to put their corporate interests above the interests of their customers and their pets.

Call 800-325-6331

Email [e-mail]

Post https://www.facebook.com/frommfamily/

I know how important it is to choose the right food for your pet and our Customer Service Team is available 24/7/365 to answer any of your questions or to help you select from over 500 brands of top-rated natural, high-protein and grain-free foods.

Sincerely,

Ryan Cohen Founder & CEO

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'd open a rescue shelter and facility. :) 

[Stacy]

I love that idea! My only problem is that I would have an impossible time leaving them there at night. I would worry that they were sad and I would want to take everyone home to sleep in bed with me. It might get a little crowded.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Oh, this facility will have residences for me and my volunteers, lol. A compound. :)

[Stacy]

Perfect! I'm in. Now just find 3.4 billion dollars. Easy peasy.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

We can probably do it for one billion. Maybe only 500 million. :) 

[Stella]

I think that if you truly believe in the food you are feeding, people will travel to buy it. My guys are on Acana and when I moved to where I live now, nowhere near me sold it. I had to drive an hour and a half to the nearest retailer. In the winter it could be a rough drive. But I did it because I wanted to continue to feed that food. Now I have a store only 30mins away that sells it :)

I admire these companies for sticking to their principles and only selling to shops that value what they stand for. I would be very disappointed if Champion started selling at Petsmart or similar stores.

[Judith and Addie]

These brands are on Amazon, so apparently they do not mind selling through large distributors. I would think that that would negate the idea that they are limiting the type of distributor. I can see an issue if the new purchaser of Chewy were to change the format and company policy and merge it with PetsMart on-line store, or insist that the products be sold through the brick and mortar PetsMarts. Until either of those happens, I see no reason to not use Chewy. It is not a case of that the PetsMart promotes harm, like the human food restaurant Chic-Fil-A, were I will not shop on principle. I do believe in feeding quality food to my dog and cats, but, as evidenced by the variety of brands people on this site use, there is not a single brand that fits the description of quality food.

[Stacy]

I did read a review from someone who had a quality control problem with the Fromm they purchased on Amazon and called Fromm and were told that Amazon isn't an authorized Fromm retailer. So that would explain why it's so much more expensive. It does kind of answer the question of why they would sell through one large distributor and not another. I just thought that in particular was interesting.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The people selling it on Amazon did not buy it directly from Fromm, it's aftermarket goods. Fromm is not selling it to Amazon.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Some years back, Jack was eating Fromm, and I was buying it at a Pet Supplies Plus that I passed on my way to work. I left that job, and no longer had occasion to travel to that area. Another Pet Supplies Plus store located closer to me did not carry Fromm, and told me they couldn't get it; Fromm would not sell to them. The difference was that the previous store was a privately owned franchise, and the store closer to me was corporate. In other words, Fromm wanted to support small privately owned businesses but not big chains. While that philosophy was a pain in the neck for me, I couldn't really fault them for it. 

[Judith and Addie]

I  have trouble admiring companies for not selling through "big box" stores, unless those stores, like Walmart does, forces the companies to change their product to fit the store. Not selling through such avenues, to  me, does not seem like sticking to principles, unless the principle is to support the small, more boutique style independent pet supply stores, which may be admirable, although not particularly feasible. What they are doing is creating a disservice to their customer base. If the products sold at the big box stores are the same as are sold elsewhere, then they are limiting the availability of their product. Myself, as an example: the nearest pace for me to buy these premium brands is 15 miles away, and they carry a smaller selection. If I instead travel 20 miles + then I can shop at a very nice pet supply place with a larger selection. Especially in the time leading up to my eye surgery, and then during the initial month of recovery, there was no way I could get to these stores. So in my case, I will be looking for brands that I can get at shops nearer to me. On principle, brands that will not sell through these third party distributors will come off my list of brands I will purchase.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I don't think it's that different from a lot of companies whose products are not available at stores like Walmart. You can't buy a Coach handbag or an Estee Lauder lipstick at Walmart, either. But I do understand your point.