Majority-Owned Subsidiary of Dance Creek Capital Corps. Looks to Reward Employees on the Frontlines

United Raw Pet Foods announced that it has granted pay increases to both its hourly and salaried staff at each of its four frozen raw pet food manufacturing facilities in Canada. Hourly staff have been granted a 10 percent increase in pay while salaried staff have been granted a 5 percent increase, and the company stated these pay increases are permanent. United Raw operates one of the largest groups of frozen raw pet food manufacturing facilities in Canada with locations in Edmonton. Alberta; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; St. Thomas Ontario; and Kemptville, Ontario.

“This announcement is in recognition of the outstanding efforts our manufacturing teams have made during these trying times,” said Mark Warren, Chairman  and CEO of Dane Creek. “While many of our employees across our group of companies either have been forced or advised to work from home due to the COVID-19 outbreak, our manufacturing operations have relied on the steadfast commitment of those employees who make our ten brands of raw pet food for pet owners across Canada.”

United Raw is 70 percent owned by Dane Creek, the ‘pet industry’s merchant bank’, and 30 percent owned by shareholders of Dane Creek. United Raw owns the largest family of frozen raw pet food brands in Canada including well-recognized brands such as Naturawls, Tollden Farms, Mountain Dog, Pets4Life, Spring Meadows and Quest. Last week Dane Creek announced the acquisition of Tollden Farms, its fifth acquisition of a frozen raw pet food manufacturer in Canada since 2017. One or more of these brands can be found at most pet specialty retailers across Canada.

“When it comes to our manufacturing team, their health and safety is of paramount importance,” said Brett Flahr, VP of Manufacturing for Dane Creek. “During the first quarter of 2020, we saw unprecedented demand for raw food from pet owners not only switching from kibble to raw feeding regimens but also from existing customers wishing to stock up as advised by their respective provincial government officials. Our manufacturing team feels obliged to ensure pet owners have the pet foods they need during these challenging times, which is evidenced by their dedication. In turn, we are obliged to look after our team.”

Dane Creek believes the growth in what many are now calling the ‘stay-at-home economy’ will be a net positive for the pet industry as more and more homeowners look to add dogs and cats to their families. As reported by Harvard Medical School, ‘dogs’ calming effect on humans appears to help people handle stress.’ Harvard’s research shows that dog ownership in particular reduces cardiovascular reactivity during challenging times. Spending on pets during the past several years has been on a steady upward trend and is expected to continue.

“In these troubling economic times and with many now working from home, we expect pet ownership to increase significantly which will benefit the long-term secular growth trajectory for the pet industry as a whole,” Warren added.