Bavarian creativity

"The dog food market doesn't need repetition, it needs innovation." Stefan Ruisinger, managing director of JR Farm and its newly established subsidiary Blue Tree, is convinced that this is precisely what they can offer with the Blue Tree brand products being shown for the first time at Interzoo. Approximately 40 new products will be presented in a spearate area adjacent to the stand of the traditional JR Farm brand. "Establishing a new brand and limited company was unavoidable in order to delimit staff resources and distribution structures clearly from one another," Ruisinger explains. Becoming involved in the dog food market by no means signifies that the company is now less enthusiastic or committed with regard to small animals; on the contrary, the workforce is being increased to drive the new business segment forward.
It is no surprise that JR Farm turned to dogs when expanding its product portfolio. Canine companions, and in particular German shepherd dogs, have been part of the Ruisinger family's life for many years, naturally prompting regular thoughts as to how their pets can be kept and fed better.

In spite of this, Blue Tree is not based solely on the family's own enthusiasm; they are well aware of the complexity of the canine nutrition field and its requirements. This is why the company has brought a veterinarian specialising in pet food on board for developing its new treats and main food.
For its main dog food, Blue Tree is working hard on a recipe based on the CORF principle. CORF denotes convenient raw food. To best preserve the amino acid chains in the meat and achieve maximum digestibility for the dog, the pieces of meat are gently air-dried and then processed using a method developed in house.

For the treats, the traditional Bavarian company has given full rein to its creative instincts. Treats for healthy joints are offered, which are made from goat's milk and resemble twigs, along with colourful dry chews with a healthy coating. And that's not all. "To my regret, we had to choose the articles that will be exhibited in the first stage from a host of ideas," says Ruisinger. After all, product development is just one aspect of a successful brand launch. Marketing plays a key role too. Blue Tree believes that healthy, long-term growth is…