The Fancy Feast® Brand and Chef Carla Hall Invite America to Vote for the Entry That Will Help Inspire the Next Fancy Feast® Elegant Medleys® Entree

ST. LOUIS, July 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- After an enthusiastic response of more than 1,600 entries for the Fancy Feast® TasteMakers™ Contest, it's now America's turn to vote to help select the Grand Prize winner whose entry will help inspire the next variety of Fancy Feast® Elegant Medleys® Gourmet Cat Food. A new Fancy Feast Elegant Medleys entree inspired by the Grand Prize winner's entry will be manufactured and delivered to store shelves in June 2012.

The Fancy Feast brand and chef Carla Hall – co-host of ABC's "The Chew," a finalist on Bravo's "Top Chef" and proud owner of an adopted cat, Alchemy – challenged cat enthusiasts to express their inner culinary voices and enter the Fancy Feast TasteMakers Contest. Five finalists are one step closer to being named the Grand Prize winner and helping inspire the next Fancy Feast Elegant Medleys entree. Along with a photo of them with their cats, the finalists shared stories describing the special relationships they share with their cats, and how their cats' personalities and preferences inspired their recipe.  

"As a chef, I love serving food that is truly special and comes straight from the heart," said Hall. "That is why I'm thrilled to see so many terrific submissions. From the ingredient combinations to the photos and stories of inspiration behind them, each entry is an exquisite expression of devotion and joy. And in the spirit of devotion, votes will trigger a donation to Adopt-a-Pet.com, up to $25,000."

View, Vote and Make a Difference

To view the five finalists' submissions and vote for your favorite, go to www.FancyFeast.com/TasteMakers. The voting period runs from July 11 through August 8, 2011.

For each consumer's online vote (one per person per day), the Fancy Feast brand will donate $1.00 (up to $25,000) to Adopt-a-Pet.com.

Meet the Finalists

• Alicia D. of North Branford, Conn., for her entry "The Best of Land and Sea"
• Rachel F. of Clayton, N.C., for her entry "Spencer's Delight"
• Heidi L. of Saugus, Mass., for her entry "Gussy's Grill"
• Christina M. of Alexandria, Va., for her entry "Flavors of Italy"
• Joan S. of Coconut Grove, Fla., for her entry "Purrrfect Sushi"

The five finalists described how they share a special relationship with their cats and how their cats' personalities and taste preferences inspired their recipe. To read each finalist's entry, visit www.FancyFeast.com/TasteMakers and click on "View Finalist Gallery."

"The sheer creativity of the entries proves that consumers want to celebrate that special bond they share with their cats," said Hall. "Included were some wonderful recipes using high-quality protein sources and on-trend ingredients, and I am delighted to help select the entry that will inspire the next great taste from Fancy Feast."

Selecting the Winner

Hall will also judge the five finalists' submissions using the following criteria: creativity of story (40%), recipe appeal (30%) and fit with the Fancy Feast Elegant Medleys brand (30%). The finalist with the highest combined judging and voting score will be named the Grand Prize winner. The winner will be posted on www.FancyFeast.com/TasteMakers on or about August 30, 2011.

The Grand Prize winner will help inspire the next Fancy Feast Elegant Medleys entree, and will win $10,000 plus a one year supply of Fancy Feast Elegant Medleys Gourmet Cat Food. Four Finalists each will receive a one-year supply of Fancy Feast Elegant Medleys Gourmet Cat Food and $1,000. The newly created Fancy Feast Elegant Medleys entree inspired by the Grand Prize winner's entry will be manufactured and delivered to store shelves in June 2012.

For more information about the Fancy Feast TasteMakers™ Contest, visit www.FancyFeast.com/TasteMakers.  

About Fancy Feast® Gourmet Cat Food

The Fancy Feast Brand makes every day extraordinary with an exquisite selection of gourmet cat food entrees, restaurant-inspired feline cuisine, dry meals, and Fancy Feast Appetizers for cats. Fancy Feast Gourmet Cat Food is manufactured and distributed by Nestle Purina PetCare Company, a global leader in the pet care industry. Nestle Purina PetCare promotes responsible pet care, humane education, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. The North American headquarters for Nestle Purina PetCare is located at Checkerboard Square in St. Louis, Missouri. Nestle Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestle S.A. -- the world's largest food company.

SOURCE Nestle Purina PetCare Company