Pet Food Processing - November 2023 - 26

PROCESSOR PROFILE
" We have ambitions to add more. We set this facility
up to do that, " Turner said. " But it comes back to making
sure we're the best partner possible for our customers
and the biggest part of that is innovation - let's find out
where our customers need more support, and we'll meet
those needs. "
Future growth and innovation
With its private equity partnership solidified and expanded
production facility up and running, CVS is
poised for additional growth in both the supplement and
dermatological segments. However, the company isn't
pounding the pavement looking for more customers -
it relies mostly on word of mouth for added business.
" No one wears a sales hat at the company, " Turner
said. " Rene manages business development for the company,
which is 90% made up of developing relationships,
partnerships and innovations with our current and core
customers. Most of the business that comes our way is
through referrals. "
Rene added, " We work on building our reputation so
that new customers come to us. "
Part of that reputation is delivering innovation to existing
and potential customers.
" Our responsibility is to approach every day, every decision
and every investment as partners with our brands
- what do they want and need to be successful? " Turner
said. " At the end of the day, they need quality, innovation,
transparency, speed and efficiency.
" And that means always looking for flexible, collaborative
and creative solutions to any issues that come up, " he
added. " We win when we work transparently with our customers.
We lose when we don't. It is that simple. We are not
perfect, but we are committed always to getting better. "
As the supplement space further develops and exFinished
product is
packaged in individual
jars or pouches and
then boxed up for
customer distribution.
Ashlyn McKibben
controls, testing and food safety efforts, but in the end,
we view that effort as worth it to preserve the maximum
efficacy of our beneficial ingredients and reduce our
overall environmental impact. "
After extrusion, products are tested in the lab to ensure
they meet required water activity, texture, viscosity and
organoleptic quality standards.
Product that passes quality inspection moves on to
packaging. There are various packaging lines that fulfill
customer orders into customized jars and pouches of
different sizes and colors. While CVS does not handle
marketing and branding for its customers, its regulatory
department will review product labels to help ensure
they meet FDA, NASC and AAFCO guidelines.
At this moment, 15,000 square feet of the facility is
unused, which allows for future innovation and the
potential for the production of additional formats and
formulations.
26 PET FOOD PROCESSING | November 2023 | www.petfoodprocessing.net
pands, so does CVS's potential for new business.
Supplements that address different need states in pets -
such as allergy, immunity, digestion, cognition and mobility
- are more prevalent today. There is also potential
for different product formats beyond the existing chews,
powders and toppers currently available.
Turner predicts that supplement innovation will
evolve through ingredients, solutions and formats.
" We think there are big innovations coming in all
three areas, " he said.
" We are strong believers that we are still in the early
innings of supplement development for the pet community, "
Turner added. " The supplement offerings in the
pet space started with only a handful of product types
but, like the human space, it is quickly expanding into
other offerings and formats. We believe that long-term
there will be full aisles of supplement offerings and that
the innovation cycle is just beginning in earnest. "
PFP
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Pet Food Processing - November 2023

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