All About Ingredients: Gourmet Flavor Pairings & High-Protein Recipes Set the Trend at Global Pet Expo 2014

TEWKSBURY, Mass., March 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- WellPet, the makers of natural pet food brands Wellness^®, Old Mother Hubbard^®, Eagle Pack^® and Holistic Select^®, is on the cusp of two new pet food trends for 2014: superfoods and unique protein pairings. From nutrient-packed superfood ingredients such as kale, pomegranates and sweet potatoes to high-protein recipes featuring multiple protein pairings like turkey & duck and tilapia & ahi tuna, WellPet is innovating across the pet food aisle with gourmet, natural offerings, and setting a new standard coming out of Global Pet Expo this year. Launching this spring at natural and pet specialty retailers nationwide are two firsts for the industry: a superfood protein bar for dogs and a dual-layered wet cat food featuring pate topped with meaty morsels.

"Pet owners want to read pet food labels and see high-quality, natural ingredients that they're familiar with from their own diets. That means no fillers, meat by-products, or hard-to-pronounce preservatives," says Chanda Leary-Coutu, Senior Marketing Manager for WellPet. "As pet owners, we strive to develop healthy, protein-packed and nutrient-rich recipes, like Chicken & Turkey with Sweet Potatoes from our Wellness CORE Superfood Protein Bars line, that reflect flavor combos we know and pets will love."

New products launching at Global Pet Expo 2014 include:

Wellness Dog

• Wellness CORE Superfood^® Protein Bars: Powerful superfoods like pomegranates, sweet potatoes and kale are paired with hearty proteins in appetizing, moist treats for dogs that lead an active lifestyle. Recipes include Turkey & Duck with Kale, Beef & Bison with Blueberries, Chicken & Turkey with Sweet Potatoes and Salmon & Whitefish with Pomegranates.
• Wellness Petite Entrees: Created exclusively for small breed dogs, Wellness Petite Entrees couple mouthwatering, natural meats with wholesome vegetables and delicious sauces in a single-serve wet dog food. Available in Mini-Filet and Casserole varieties, these natural meals are grain-free and contain no artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, or meat by-products.
• Wellness Simple Limited Ingredient Diets: Most allergies or intolerances in pets are caused by an animal protein or multiple proteins. The all-natural, limited ingredient recipes keep it simple with a single source of protein and an easily digestible carbohydrate. Two new unique formulations for pet age and lifestyle include Healthy Weight and Senior Health.
• Wellness Complete Health Toy Breed: The first full line of Wellness Complete Health dry dog food specially formulated for the unique needs of toy breed dogs, including metabolic rate, bite size, or daily caloric intake. Available in Adult Health, Senior Health and Healthy Weight varieties, as well as two pound bag options.

Wellness Cat

• Wellness Kittles™: A crunchy, tasty treat for cats that comes in three scrumptious flavors: Salmon & Cranberries Recipe, Chicken & Cranberries Recipe, and Tuna & Cranberries Recipe. Each morsel also has under 2 calories, so pet parents can treat their loved ones multiples times per day with these guilt-free goodies.
• Wellness Divine Duos™: The first natural dual-layered wet cat food, Divine Duos combines two delicious layers in one single-serve meal featuring a savory pate topped with meaty chunks and gravy. Each of the six grain-free meal varieties contain two protein sources, including Tilapia Pate & Diced Ahi Tuna and Chicken Pate & Diced Salmon.
• Wellness Complete Health Dry Cat Food – Senior Health & Indoor Health: The popular dry cat food line now includes two new recipes designed for indoor cats and senior cats: Complete Health Indoor Health Salmon & Whitefish Meal Recipe and Complete Health Senior Health Deboned Chicken & Chicken Meal Recipe.

Holistic Select

• Grain-Free Holistic Select: The new grain-free formula, available in canned dog and cat food recipes and also a dry dog food recipe, combines powerful ingredients, helping to activate a higher level of metabolic health for pets. Holistic Select uses prebiotics and probiotics, natural fiber, digestive enzymes and digestive botanicals, along with healthy, natural ingredients like fruits & veggies, healthy proteins, and omega fatty acids.

For more information on the new Wellness, Old Mother Hubbard, Eagle Pack and Holistic Select products unveiled at Global Pet Expo 2014, visit www.wellpet.com.

About WellPet, LLC:

WellPet is home to the family of premium pet food brands including Wellness^®, Old Mother Hubbard^®, Eagle Pack^® and Holistic Select^®. For more than 100 years, WellPet has delivered on the promise of doing whatever it takes to make the healthiest natural products for the pets that depends on us. Today, our team of animal lovers, nutritionists and vets at WellPet are committed to carrying forth our strong heritage, continuing to find new ways to bring innovation, nutritional excellence and product quality to our family of natural brands, always putting pet health first.

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SOURCE WellPet, LLC