News & Events
Cargill completes asset purchase agreement of Pennfield Corporation
Customers to benefit from Cargill’s increased Northeast presence
Minneapolis – Jan. 17, 2013 – Cargill today announced it has secured the winning bid to complete the acquisition of two animal feed mills from Lancaster, Pa.-based Pennfield Corporation for $9.8 million in a bankruptcy proceeding. The acquisition will be finalized Jan. 21, 2013, and Cargill will assume ownership.
Under terms of the agreement, Cargill acquired Pennfield’s animal feed mills and associated assets located in Mount Joy and Martinsburg, Pa. To facilitate the sale of its assets, Pennfield filed voluntary Chapter 11 Bankruptcy petitions in U.S. Bankruptcy court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in October 2012.
Cargill’s preliminary bid was filed with the bankruptcy court on Dec. 28, 2012. The judge then set a court date of Jan. 17, 2013, to allow for a simultaneous live auction of other bids received during the interim time frame and a confirmation of the ultimate bid which would provide the best combination of fit and value for the secured creditors in the bankruptcy estate.
“We are thrilled to add Pennfield’s state-of-the-art facilities and knowledgeable employees to the Cargill family,” said Rob Sheffer, group director, for Cargill’s Northeast region. “The deal not only expands our footprint in the region but it also provides us with additional capabilities and opportunities to serve new customer segments and enhance our offerings for existing customers in the region.”
Jennifer Horn, former director of administration and family member of Pennfield will join Cargill as administration team lead, where she will be responsible for overseeing Pennfield customer and employee communications. “We believe the employees and customers of Pennfield could not have received a better outcome than being part of the Cargill family,” Horn said. “Cargill is not only a market leader but also a family-owned organization that shares the same values and commitment to providing the best products for our customers.”
Free re-usable egg carton with purchase of Nutrena® poultry feed
MINNEAPOLIS - March 1st, 2012 – Poultry enthusiasts will get an extra benefit when they purchase their Nutrena® poultry feed this spring. Nutrena is offering a free re-usable egg carton with the purchase of three bags of select Nutrena® poultry feed.
The unique egg carton is made of recycled plastic that complies with FDA and USDA regulations for food contact. In addition, it is dishwasher safe, and more durable than paper or temporary plastic egg cartons.
Consumers will receive the free re-usable egg carton when they purchase three bags of NatureWise® premium natural poultry feed or Country Feeds®, a brand that offers balanced nutrition at a great value. All three bags must be purchased at one time at participating Nutrena® dealers. This offer is available from March 1 – May 31, 2012, or while supplies last.
“The re-usable egg carton will not only save our customers money, but will also help reduce the amount of waste produced by paper cartons,” said Elaine Beckstrom, assistant marketing manager for Nutrena® feeds. “This is just one of the many ways we provide extra value for our customers.”
Consumers can visit the Nutrena® website to learn more about NatureWise® and Country Feeds® poultry feeds or to find a participating Nutrena® dealer.
Nutrena® launches online product ratings and reviews
MINNEAPOLIS - Oct. 19, 2011 - The Nutrena® brand website and Facebook page will now give consumers the ability to read and provide ratings and reviews for over 60 Nutrena® products. Consumers can provide a star-rating from zero to five stars and rate products on characteristics such as palatability, product quality, and value for the money.
“We know reading an unbiased testimonial is a very powerful tool for consumers trying to decide what feed is right for their animals,” said Jackie Rieck, marketing manager for Nutrena® feeds. “This is just one of many tools we provide to help consumers make the right decision.”
To ensure the integrity of the reviews, the Nutrena® team selected an independent third-party vendor to administer the rating and reviews on their websites. “Maintaining the integrity of the reviews was extremely important to us. We don’t want to feature only positive reviews; we want honest reviews,” said Rieck. “We stand behind our products and look forward to hearing what our customers think about them.”
In addition to providing a product rating, consumers can share testimonials and photos of their animals. Consumers are encouraged to visit www.nutrenaworld.com to read reviews and rate Nutrena® products.
Cargill granted U.S. patent for breakthrough cooking process used in Loyall® premium pet food
Cargill has been granted a U.S. patent for the exclusive cooking process it developed to ensure every batch of its Loyall® premium pet food is cooked to optimize quality, palatability and digestion.
Cargill's Opti-Cook® process works by using a combined steam and pressure cooking system and Near-Infrared Reflective Spectroscopy (NIRS) technology. NIRS uses light waves to measure the chemical composition of nutrients in every cooked batch of Loyall® pet food at a speed never before seen in the industry.
"It is well known that in order for cats and dogs to digest the starch in dry pet food, it must be cooked properly," said Mark Newcomb, technology director for Cargill Animal Nutrition. "If it is under- or over-cooked, pets may have digestive problems. But until now, there was no quick way to measure the chemical change that occurs in starch during cooking. With this technology, Cargill does not have long waits for lab results on samples- we can rapidly determine if pet food has been properly cooked and ensure consistent quality in every batch."
The Opti-Cook® process also includes monitoring systems that allow Cargill to continuously monitor the cooking process, identify trends and intervene before problems occur. All nine Loyall® pet food formulas use the Opti-Cook® process. The line offers eight formulas for dogs and one for cats, each tailored to meet the individual needs of pets in various life stages. All use high-quality ingredients, organic trace minerals and natural sources of glucosamine and Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.
"We believe the Opti-Cook® process helps makes Loyall® pet food the most palatable and consistent on the market," said Andy Rash, Loyall® marketing manager. "In addition to the balanced nutrition our formulas provide, pet owners can feel confident that every batch of Loyall® pet food is cooked properly and measured for consistency. It's a new standard of quality."
Click here to watch a video about the Opti-Cook process.
Loyall® premium pet food is sold at agricultural retailers. To learn more or locate your nearest retailer, visit www.loyallpetfood.com.
Team Nutrena's Becky Holder wins first place in the USEA American Eventing Championship
FAIRBURN, Ga. – Nutrena® brand horse feed congratulates Becky Holder and her horse, Courageous Comet, on winning the 2010 United States Equine Association (USEA) National Championship.
Holder and Courageous Comet finished the event with a score of 45.5 and also took home the title of Gold Cup Champion in the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series. This is the second year the Nutrena® brand has sponsored Holder, and nutritionists worked closely with her to refine her feeding program.
“We are extremely proud of Becky and Courageous Comet,” said Dan Limbaugh, Nutrena® brand consultant who works with Holder. “It was a tremendous event, and we’re looking forward to continuing to work together to ensure Courageous Comet performs his best.”
Fans can cheer on Holder at the World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Ky., Sept. 25- Oct. 10, as she and Courageous Comet have been named to the United States eventing squad. Throughout the Games, the Nutrena® brand will bring all the action to fans with daily updates on its blog, The Feed Room, at www.horsefeedblog.com.
A competitor in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Holder is originally from Mendota Heights, Minn. She now lives in Chattahoochee Hills, Ga. where she feeds Courageous Comet and her other horses Nutrena® SafeChoice®, a controlled-starch formula, and Nutrena® Life Design® Compete for peak performance.
Cargill to manufacture and distribute Triple Crown® horse feed products
Triple Crown Products available to Nutrena Dealers in 31 states August 1st
MINNEAPOLIS- Cargill announced today that it will manufacture and distribute Triple Crown® horse feed products through its Nutrena®, ACCO® and Agway® dealer networks in 31 states throughout the country (see complete state listing below). In these states, Cargill will replace Triple Crown’s current manufacturing and distribution agreements with Kent®, Blue Seal®, Evergreen®, Ranchway®, and Kalmbach®.
“Cargill’s manufacturing expertise and vast dealer network made it an obvious choice for us,” said Rob Daugherty, president of Triple Crown Nutrition Inc. “This agreement allows us to wrap the family of Triple Crown® ultra premium feeds with Cargill’s premier nutritional offerings.”
“We are excited to offer the Triple Crown product line-up to our current Nutrena®, ACCO® and Agway® dealers,” said Brian Parham director of marketing for Cargill Animal Nutrition-North America “We believe consumers will also appreciate the increased access to Triple Crown® products through our dealer network.”
Cargill will initially manufacture and distribute eight products from the Triple Crown®portfolio: Triple Crown® Performance 14%, Senior Formula, Complete Formula, Growth, Low Starch Formula, Lite Formula, Training Formula and Triple Crown® 30% Supplement.
Cargill will distribute but not manufacture the following products: Triple Crown® Alfalfa Forage, Grass Forage, Safe Starch Forage, Rice Bran Oil Plus, Timothy Balance Cubes, Fish Oil Powder and Triple Crown® Horse Treats.
Cargill will begin manufacturing and distributing Triple Crown® products on August 1st 2010 in the following states: Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
To inquire about Triple Crown products in your area, please contact us by clicking here.
Nutrena® Creates Online Community for Horse Enthusiasts
The Feed Room blog provides the latest information on equine nutrition and care
MINNEAPOLIS- This week, Cargill’s Nutrena® brand launched a new blog site called The Feed Room that is designed to be a central source for horse enthusiasts to get the latest information on the care and feeding of their horses.
The site will cover a wide range of topics including horse feed, feeding tips, digestive health, weight control for horses, training tips & tricks, and industry events. Visitors can view videos, leave comments, ask questions and subscribe to receive updates via RSS feed or e-mail.
“Every day we engage in conversations with passionate horse owners across the country,” said Jackie Rieck, Nutrena® brand marketing manager. “We wanted to provide a central location for horse enthusiasts to educate themselves, interact with us and find a community of their peers.”
In developing The Feed Room, the Nutrena® brand commissioned a team of experts in the horse industry to blog and respond to site visitors’ questions, with new posts featured weekly. Featured bloggers will include experts from Cargill’s Nutrena® team and industry experts from outside the company..
“I work for the Nutrena® brand, but I’m also a horse lover,” said Gina Thesing, lead blogger for the site. “We have designed The Feed Room to be an open forum for anyone who loves horses, whether or not you feed Nutrena® brand products. We’re committed to writing about what our audience tells us they want to know, not about what we think they ought to hear.”
The Feed Room is live and ready for comments. Horse enthusiasts are encouraged to visit www.horsefeedblog.com and leave comments, questions and feedback for the blog team.
