Pet Food Processing - May 2023 - 27

" We had a strong core team here when I arrived in
2018, and we have been fortunate to retain these experienced
professionals, " Ruffolo said. " We also were able
to build on that foundation with the addition of experts
in human food product development, quality, meat processing,
production, engineering, accounting and customer
business development. Under the leadership of
Tedd Ellis, our long-time VP of sales and marketing, we
have more than quadrupled the number of customerfacing
members of our organization, and this focus enables
us to ensure we build strong internal and external
relationships and have regular open communication
with each of our key customers. We also have expanded
and deepened our vendor partner relationships, which
has been key to supporting our rapid sales growth. "
One addition to the Phelps leadership team was Chuck
Bridges, who was named vice president of manufacturing,
supply chain and logistics in July 2022. Bridges
brought experience in operations and supply chain management
from various industries and a skillset Ruffolo
Drums featuring various shapes are inserted into the Marel revo
portioner to produce jerky treats at Phelps' new plant.
UNDER THE PHELPS
UMBRELLA
While most of the products produced
at the Phelps' facilities are made
under private label and contract
manufacturing agreements, the
company does produce three
exclusive Phelps Pet Products brands
- Phelps Wellness Collection,
Callie's Kitchen and Table Scraps®
Disney®
treats.
The company introduced its
Phelps Wellness Collection in 2020
in response to customer demand for
more pet products that mirrored the
health and wellness trends pet owners
were following.
Each recipe features natural
ingredients to help provide a functional
benefit. The treats include Keep Calm
with calming functionality; Fur Real for
skin and coat health; Hip Hip Hooray
for hip and joint health; Squirrel!
promotes cognitive and brain health;
Gut Check features digestive pre-and
probiotics; and Tummy Tamers was
designed to help with upset stomachs.
" These treats taste great and are a
more palatable and enjoyable way to
provide your dog with supplemental
benefits - without the 'creative
subterfuge' of getting your dog to
swallow a pill each day, " said Rick
Ruffolo, president and chief executive
officer of Phelps.
Phelps first launched its Table
Scraps line in July 2021 as a result
of a licensing agreement with The
Walt Disney Company. Each product
features characters from widely known
Disney and Pixar movies. The jerkystyle
dog and cat treats are formulated
with clean-label ingredients, as well as
upcycled ingredients through Phelps'
partnership with the Upcycled Food
Association.
Callie's Kitchen Simply Healthy
Dog Treats are made with " kitchen "
ingredients and are free from artificial
flavors, colors or preservatives. The
line marked Phelps' first foray into
meatless treats, a capability it's now
able to offer its private label and coman
partners.
" Since we don't share our customer
list or product recipes among different
customers, these three Phelps
brands serve as a great springboard
for innovation while also being a
profitable source of revenue across
several retail channels, including
Chewy, " Ruffolo said. " That said, we
remain committed to our DNA and
invest almost 100% of our efforts to
being the best contract manufacturing/
private label partner in the industry. "
www.petfoodprocessing.net | May 2023 | PET FOOD PROCESSING 27
Phelps Pet Products
http://www.petfoodprocessing.net
Pet Food Processing - May 2023

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