Good Karma:
Certified Organic Pet Food Gives Owners Peace of Mind

By Kathryn Schuett


Last spring was a very scary time for pet owners and their furry friends. Melamine, a coal-derived chemical substance used to make plastics and fertilizer, had contaminated several brands of pet food and was linked to severe sickness and numerous deaths across the country. The melamine was traced to wheat gluten and rice protein producers out of China who allegedly may have been using this high-nitrogren substance to make it seem like the product had higher protein.

Over 60 million packages of pet food were recalled, involving over 100 different companies. As consumers searched for a pet food that would give them peace of mind amid this crisis, sales practically doubled for Karma, the first 95 percent USDA certified organic dog food line.

Call it good karma, but it really comes down to the company’s high quality control measures, quick and sensitive public relations efforts and last, but certainly not least, consumer confidence in the green and white “USDA Organic” seal.

“I think consumers really responded to organic because of the certification requirements for ingredient sourcing and processing,” said Peter Atkins, co-founder and president of Natura. “They were looking for extra quality controls and organic certification guarantees those extra steps are taken.”

This is not the first time that consumers have turned to organic in the face of a food safety scare. During the mad cow disease outbreak, sales for organic beef soared while conventional numbers dropped dramatically. Organic retailers like Wild Oats and Whole Foods were actually running out of organic beef, leaving meat freezers empty until new deliveries could be made.

Natura was not satisfied just riding on the coattails of organic creditability though.

Melamine-Free Guarantee
The company immediately responded to the crisis by putting out a message that not only made it clear that they were not part of the recall, but that Natura was taking extra precautions to ensure that their food was safe. A large icon on their website takes consumers to a message guaranteeing that “the rice protein concentrate used in Karma is not sourced from China and it is 100 percent safe and absolutely free from melamine contamination.” Atkins took this to the next level by creating a downloadable video for the website as well.

“In my 27-plus years in this industry I have never seen the level of concern or distrust of commercial pet food companies as was demonstrated during the recall,” he said. “I felt that our messages and reassurances would mean more by being delivered personally—giving a face and name to the message.”

But, Natura is not just talk. Although their plants were already certified organic, AIB certified Superior and ISO compliant, the company created more safeguards by adding several new checkpoints to their quality controls. “Relative to the recall, Natura’s biggest commitment was to implement the finished product testing protocols for melamine and cyanuric acid, an initiative that will cost us in excess of $100,000 this year,” Atkins said.

In addition, they instituted an even more stringent quality program at the Menu Foods plant they work with which includes management of the entire manufacturing process from ingredient sourcing and supplier management to ingredient handling and storage, ingredient testing, processing and finished product testing and analysis. Natura also now requires a complete system cleaning every four hours and requires that the system be cleaned between production runs of dissimilar products.

“Through detailed lot tracing and work orders we are assured that correct materials were added to the Natura batches,” Atkins said. A complete list of all 121 quality control processes can be found on Natura’s website.

Dog Food Fit For Humans
Part of the Natura philosophy is: “If I wouldn’t eat it, why would I want to feed it to my pet?” This is a big statement in an industry which has become the primary outlet for byproducts that would make most of us feel slightly ill just thinking about. In stark contrast, Karma’s ingredient list looks more like a high-end health spa menu with table quality chicken, whole grains such as kamut, quinoa and brown rice, preventative antioxidants such as rosemary and green tea, whole fruits and vegetables and flaxseed and sunflower seed meal for a balanced mix of fatty acids.

Sounds tasty, huh? For those in the industry who source ingredients, it probably sounds expensive and challenging to source as well—which it is.

The Price of Organic Pet Food. Karma is about two times more expensive than other premium dog foods. However, the company says that by eliminating the cheap filler ingredients and low-grade proteins that are so common in commercial pet foods, they can create foods that are denser and richer in nutrients without added bulk—meaning the pet gets more nutrition from less food.

Also, Atkins sees this price leveling out more as the organic industry grows. “Basic economic principles are at work here; increased demand for organic products is outpacing production resulting in even higher costs for our raw materials,” he said. “We hope that at some point an equilibrium is reached and that we can offer Karma at a price which would make it affordable for more people.”

One of the reasons why the price is high is because Karma is certified to human organic food standards. Pet food was not included when the organic standards were created, and thus companies such as Karma, who make any kind of certified organic pet products must meet the human organic food standards. Because of the cost and other challenges of doing this, many competitors such as Newman’s Own and Castor & Pollux Pet Works have chosen to stay in the “made with organic” category. Another challenge that prevents competitors from creating 95 percent organic pet food is the fact that they must meet the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) nutrient standards while still meeting organic standards for humans. Humans get their nutrients from a variety of foods in our diet, but pets rely on one type of food primarily, so for good health AAFCO requires that pet food contain all the essentials in one product. In conventional dog food certain nutrient quotas are often met through synthetic supplementation. Although some synthetic vitamins are allowed under the National List, there are certain nutrients that pets need that were never added because they are not used in human food processing. Natural, let alone organic, versions of some of these are not only costly but hard to find. The National Organic Standards Board’s Pet Task Force has come up with some recommendations to address these issues. This information can be found on the NOP website.

Supply Challenges. With the current supply and demand situation for organic ingredients, the problem for Karma is not about price as much as it is finding the ingredients in the first place. Atkins said that Natura had wanted to start making organic pet foods as early as the 1990s but that they were unable to find a consistent supply until the early 2000s.

While things are easier these days, supply is still a challenge. In March, Atkins made a public pledge to discontinue sourcing ingredients from China, but even with the utmost dedication, this is proving difficult, if not impossible. “Even though we are committed to eliminate Chinese-sourced ingredients from our formulas, the reality is that there is a worldwide shortage of some of our premix components which leaves us in the position to have to rely on Chinese supplies to make sure that our formulas are complete,” he said. “Since our pledge in March, we have made progress to source our ingredients from the United States and/or from Europe without regard for the additional cost; but we realize now that it will be impossible for us to be able to guarantee that our formulas are free from Chinese-sourced ingredients in the near term.”

Atkins, however, continues to reinforce to consumers the extra measures in quality control the company is taking, especially the testing for melamine and cyanuric acid. “We have taken every precaution possible to ensure the purity and safety of all the ingredients in our food, paying special attention to those from China,” he said. “We will continue to work hard to honor our commitment to eliminate Chinese-sourced ingredients, but in the meantime you can be 100 percent sure that all our products are free from contamination.”

Selling Specialty Products
With its high quality controls and high-end ingredients—and the resulting high price tag—Karma is not the kind of product that you will see in a mass retail store anytime soon. Although stores such as Wal-Mart have tried to appeal to the more sophisticated, educated shopper, specialty items such as Karma often do better in an environment where the sales force is product savvy and can educate the consumer on why the product is indeed worth the extra few bucks.

But for Natura, it’s not just about sales numbers; it’s about having a partnership with the companies that sell their food. Atkins says that Natura has always been committed to the independent retail channel. The owner of Natura, John Rademakers, has roots as an independent feed and pet supply retailer in San Jose, Calif, and as such he understands the importance of these types of stores. “Natura is truly blessed to have the support of over 4,500 independent feed, pet and veterinarian outlets across the country,” Atkins said. “These stores have well-trained people that can answer questions not only about our products, but about all areas of the health and well being of pets. They really do practice a holistic approach to pet care.”

Good for the Body. Good for the Soul. Good for the Environment.
This holistic philosophy can been seen throughout Karma—from their efforts to support sustainable agriculture through using as many organic ingredients as possible to their commitment to use 100 percent recyclable packaging. Karma also gives 1 percent of each sale to not just one charity but several throughout the country. Each sales rep chooses his or her own local “pet” cause. So will buying Karma for your pet lead to good karma in the next life? Who knows. But, for many pet lovers, a happy, healthy dog is reward enough.

Kathryn Schuett is the editor of Organic Processing Magazine. You can reach her at kat@organicprocessing.com.