From "The Pet Isle", June 2009 supplement to Pet Business Magazine.

While the pet business overall has seen increases of between 5 and 7% per year, and double-digit growth last year despite economic trends, Paul Cooke, vice president and director of trade and industry development for Nestle Purina Pt Care in St. Louis, MO., says, "This picture gets even better when you look at natural pet food sales, which are increasing at a double-digit rate in the natural channel. Overall grocery sales are up 4 to 5%, but natural and organic are up 14%." Natural and organic pet food sales have seen solid double-digit growth for several years.

Cooke says "over 2/3rds of domestic consumers own a pet, and the emotional connection to that pet drives their pet food purchases. They want their pet to be as healthy as the rest of the family."

Everyone seems to agree that the natural pet product market has a rosy future- good economy or bad. For humans and for pets, focusing on natural products just makes sense. "Food is the baseline of your health", Phil Brown, DVM, senior vice president of research and development for Nutri-Vet in Idaho, notes. "If you take better care of yourself, you are going to be healthier. And the same goes for your animals. You can pay now to feed healthy natural products, and you're not going to pay later for taking care of disease."

North Woods Animal Treats can help produce your double digit growth, while providing pets with the best available all natural ingredients!

-From Pet Business, Feb 2009

Many pet owners are willing to sacrifice luxuries during the tough economic climate in order to provide for the needs of their canine companions, according to a survey released by the American Kennel Club.

The AKC polled more than 1,000 people on its website, (www.akc.org) for a one week period from November to December asking participants questions about what they would give up or cut back on for their dogs.

The survey found that more than 96 percent of those polled would forgo gourmet coffee to save money for thier dogs' expenses. Ninety-seven percent said they would give up massages or spa treatments in order to afford a veterinarian bill, and nearly 79 percent said they would cancel a teeth-whitening appointment so Fido could have his annual teeth cleaning.

The survey also found that 69 percent of the respondents said they would cut back on gifts for their friends or extended family before skimping on gifts for their dogs. Nearly 9 percent said they would scale back on gifts for their spouse before cutting back on gifts for their dogs.

81 percent of respondents said they purchase gifts for their dogs during the holidays. 69 percent spend up to $50.00; 24 percent spend $50.00 to $100.00; 3% percent spend more than $150.00. 59% percent expected to spend the same amount on gifts for their dogs as they did last year.

"What shoppers need is a new and powerful reason to purchase. And that reason isn't discounts or sales, but innovative, new, impulse items that will delight and excite the customer."

- Pam Danziger, author of "Shopping: Why we love it and how retailers can create the ultimate customer experience".

North Woods Animal Treats fills this bill perfectly!

All the products are excellent quality, displayed in an upscale and unique way, and are consumable, i.e. the customer can buy them again and again!