Orijen and Acana, popular pet food brands, bought by Mars Incorporated

What do Mars bars, M&Ms, Skittles, and Royal Canin all have in common?

If you’re puzzled by a possible connection between popular candy brands and dog food — so are many consumers! 

And now, beloved Canadian pet food brands Orijen and Acana share a connection to chocolate and candy, too.

Why?

Mars Incorporated, a global household name known for its namesake chocolate bar, has purchased Champion Pet Foods, the company behind creating some of the best-quality kibble for our Canadian fur friends. 

While not a surprise to some, considering Mars owns a lot of well-known pet food brands from Whiskas to Pedigree to Greenies, this acquisition has left many Canadian retailers and pet parents with a bad taste in their mouth (and no, they didn’t taste the kibble!). 

The concern is that Mars Petcare, a large corporation, is focused on creating profit for its shareholders, which could, in turn, affect the quality and overall nutrition of the beloved Canadian brands pet parents — and their fur babies — have come to love and trust. 

What can concerned pet parents do?

Look for Canadian-owned and Canadian-made pet food, that fully disclose where and how they source their ingredients. Don't be afraid to ask questions to truly understand what's in your pet's food. 

Tom&Sawyer, for example, sources all its human-edible ingredients from Canadian restaurant suppliers and cooks food in batches in an open kitchen. Anyone can stop by during the week to see our professionally trained chefs in action. Check out our freshly made, gently cooked recipes for dogs and cats here. 

Have questions? Contact us here - we'd love to talk about your pet's food!