“Satisfying a dog’s appetite naturally”

For many people, Ireland evokes a green island of lush meadows and pastures stretching into the distance, with cows and sheep grazing freely. Even in the pet product industry, few are aware that pet food is manufactured amid these idyllic scenes from nature. Red Mills is based in Kilkenny, a town of 10000 inhabitants in the heart of Ireland. A family firm founded at the beginning of the last century and now run by brothers Bill and Joe Connolly, it has been producing pet food side by side with feed for working animals for over 40 years. With its extensive product range of special horse feed, the company has a good reputation at home and abroad. The emphasis that Red Mills places on quality is underlined by its certification according to the stringent standards of the European Food Safety Inspection Service (EFSIS). The feed plant has even been awarded a higher classification. A combination of other standards, such as accredited inspection, ISO 9000, HACCP and certification and store audits complete the firm's high quality profile.A new production facility for pet food was constructed at the start of the new millennium.In Ireland, Red Mills has already risen to prominence with its premium dry dog food line "Winner" and its "Classic" breeders' range. But the company, which has increased its sales by 68 per cent in the last five years, is looking to grow further.Modern technology enables the company to produce pet foods of the highest quality.At the start of 2000, a new company, Red Nut, was established and a modern production plant for dog and cat food was built close to the Red Mills headquarters in Goresbridge. The new plant has a capacity of 60000 t. Based on its long experience of dog food production, the company developed a new food under the "Leader" brand that is expected to have an impact on export markets as well as on the domestic market.The "Leader" range for dogs.An important aim of the new food range is to satisfy the dog's appetite naturally. In the view of the feed experts at Red Mills, there is a growing trend in the super-premium segment towards smaller food portions. According to the company's research staff, this leaves some dogs suffering painful hunger pangs. In "Leader" the company has therefore developed a food that not only meets the dog's nutritional requirements but also satisfies its appetite. "More in doesn't mean more out too", is the company's pithy motto. Take "Supreme" as an example: Analysis of the "Leader" complete food…