Innovation at Mars Petcare

Innovation at Mars Petcare
At Mars Petcare, innovation lies at the heart of everything that we
do. Guided by our vision to make A Better World for Pets™, we are
proud to be the industry leader in providing quality nutrition and
veterinary care to more pets across more places and on more
occasions than any other Petcare company. With five billion dollar
brands, including PEDIGREE®, WHISKAS®, ROYAL CANIN®, BANFIELD®
and IAMS®, and a total of 35 brands across our portfolio, we are
passionate about pets. From the products we make, to the causes
we support, pets come first.
Caring Science
Here are just a few examples of how our businesses embrace innovation to bring our vision to life:




WALTHAM® has been a leading scientific authority on pet nutrition and wellbeing for fifty years. In 2013
alone, WALTHAM® published 39 peer reviewed scientific papers. One revealed that structured
interaction with dogs can help people with dementia.
With more than 800 pet hospitals in the U.S. and Latin America, BANFIELD® is committed to providing
high‐quality treatments for pets, and working alongside pet owners to ensure that they have the
resources that they need to care for pets at home. Banfield Pet Hospital’s annual State of Pet Health
Report is the only report of its kind to capture and analyze medical data for more than 2.7 million dogs
and cats.
Since 1968, ROYAL CANIN® has been committed to leading in health nutrition, with a focus on providing
precise nutritional information about the specific requirements of dogs and cats of all kinds.
The new Global Innovation Center in Thompson’s Station, Tennessee will serve as the home base for
creating future dry and natural petfood innovations for Mars Petcare, globally.
At Mars Petcare, our commitment to innovation has paved the way for many important industry firsts:









1963 First original research paper published by WALTHAM®,
on the iodine requirements of budgerigars
1975 Helped to determine the amino acid requirements of
adult dogs
1982 Defined taurine level required by cats
1995 Developed first diet to help control formation of both
struvite and calcium oxalate bladder stones in cats
1997 First proof that the natural carotenoid, lutein in the diet,
enhances colour in goldfish
1999 Developed the first dog food that uses green lipped
mussel to maintain joint health
2000 First demonstration of the effects of dietary antioxidants
on puppy and kitten immune response
2002 The first scientifically proven respiratory support
formula for horses
2006 Determined the macronutrient profile of food preferred
by dogs







2007 Determined that a single gene is a major determinant
in dog size
2008 Established a partnership between WALTHAM® and
the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health
& Development to encourage research into human-animal
interactions
2009 Helped establish a new safe upper level for vitamin A
during early growth in puppies
2010 Published a paper on the origins of the domestic dog
2011 Published the macronutrient profile preferred by cats
2012 Demonstrated that cats are able to consume a diet
relatively high in saturated fat without adverse health
effects
2014 Demonstrated that without effective and frequent oral
care, dental disease developed rapidly and advanced more
quickly with age in miniature schnauzers.