Wellness Canned/Ownership discussion

[4leggersMom]

I went into my local pet store that carries Wellness, there was a big sign posted by the Wellness canned food stating that regretfully, beginning October 1st, Wellness prices are going up 14%.  I forget the exact words, but the price increase was coming from Wellness not the store.  Sounds like the new owners of Wellness are beginning to make some changes.  This is not the pet store which originally made me wonder about Wellness, as they dropped their line, this is a pet store that continued to stock all varieties of Wellness. 

[petslave]

Thanks for posting that.  Just great.  Guess I'll have to add even more home-made food to the menu around here.  I can't afford a price increase.  I did notice the feed store finally raised the dog food to $2.09 a can from 1.99, but I'm sure it will go up even more.

[JJ]

petslave it is or was 1.99 for all except the salmon was 2.49 a can. Had to switch off as my dog ate it before and now won't touch any of it. If I could return opened cans to the store now....Do not new owners no matter what company they obtain look for ways to increase their bottom line and cut costs. If the new owners change the ingredients to cheaper ones the pets will show the effects as they are our canaries in the coal mine still.

[catmom5]

Just an aside ~ Sassy couldn't tolerate the wellness at all. I ended up putting her back on science diet (what they put her on at MSU) and her poop is firming up and the smell is way better than it was. So, I'm wondering if the changes the new owners are making have something to do with this or if it's just Sassy.

It's just getting scary to try and find something that agrees with the cats that is safe and healthy and affordable. Doesn't seem like that should be all that hard . . .

[petslave]

It does sound like more and more cats that ate the food before are refusing it now.  And JJ's dog.  So something must be going on.  I haven't seen too much change in the April lots I'm feeding the cats right now, other than a bigger number of unground flax seed. 

All my cats and dogs are still eating it and doing OK on it (knock on wood, always).  Maybe it has to do with the plants since mine are made at an American Nutrition plant out west.  Or maybe I just have undiscriminating pets.  Anyway, it's the only one size fits all food I can feed around here at a decent price.  So if the quality declines or the price goes way up, not sure what I'll do.  Go all home cooked I guess! 

[catwoods]

I'm not happy to see this price increase at all. My cats still eat the Wellness although they don't totally clean their plates like they did when I first fed it to them.

[JustMe]

I'm not happy either.  All my dogs and cats are on this.

Another discussion about pricing.

http://itchmoforums.com/off-topic-no-politics/will-there-be-any-pet-food-shortages-not-recall-related-t6610.0.html

[catbird]

This is slightly off-topic, but relates to something said a couple of posts up.  As I've posted elsewhere, no one at my house seems to like Wellness much any more, since I started getting lots made after 1/1/08.  A couple of days ago, DH found a couple of cans of Wellness Chicken at the back of the stack, from older lots.  He asked if he should feed them to Linley, since Linley was refusing Wellness these days, or if we should just give them to a shelter.  I told him to go ahead and try.

Linley, who has been picking at most of his wet foods lately, devoured this older Wellness like he was starving.  Too bad I had only 2 cans.

[mainecoonpeg]

As a meowmie to 6 indoor cats, one basement cat and 4 garage cats, the response to any grain free Wellness is nowhere near what it used to be.  Raising a price on something that seems to be changed doesn't go well with me.  If the price needs to be raised for quality ingredients, then maybe that's okay.  I don't think the quality is the same anymore.

I have about 10 cases of Wellness which I will attempt to have them finish, although I've thrown out a lot lately.  Cooking is actually less expensive for me and I know what I'm putting in there.

I still like the other small manufacturers that I use and will continue to use.
My disappointment and my cats' disappointment is overwhelming and I'm not going to take chances because one company decides to be a megameanufacturer.

[Orange Fuzzball]

How can we tell which cans were from 2008? I have several cans that I just purchased, and the store had just gotten a new supply in, but obviously there's no way to tell how long they sat in the warehouse before that. The best by date is 29 April 2011 and the product code is 7WTKS4. On the label, the only ingredient difference from the cans I purchased in summer 2007 is a few minor things in a different order and the garlic has been phased out. So far KD doesn't seem to notice the difference.

[JustMe]

Wellness canned has a 3 year shelf-life according to their web site.

29 April 2011 cans were manufactured April 29, 2008

[Orange Fuzzball]

Thanks JustMe - I guess I'm lucky then that KD still likes it. 

[JustMe]

My cats have been sporadic with this.  Some lots they like, some they don't like.  Some lots only 1 cat doesn't like, and the others like.  Drives me batty trying to figure it out. 

[JJ]

JustMe I feel for ya trying to figure it out. With my dog I just go by her - if she ate it with gusto before and one day just ups and won't eat any variety I do not buy it anymore. Only one I've had her enjoy or like eating is Organix canned on a regular basis (sorry off topic on the Wellness).

Back on topic now.

[Steve]

Berwind is a private investment management company.

This doesn't sit well with me. Investment management companies put profits before pets and people.

http://www.berwind.com/

We need real pet food companies owned and operated by real people.