Near Zero Waste, Near Zero Cost August 2015 issue of Pet Product News - With a 25-year history of repurposing natural fiber, Healthy Pet is no stranger to sustainable initiatives. Aware of the positive impact even the smallest programs can have on employee satisfaction, process efficiency and the financial health of the company, the Ferndale, Wash., company is looking to identify and develop new opportunities that capitalize on existing resources and have low barriers to entry. The most recent example of Healthy Pet’s ingenuity is the introduction of its Zero Waste Program on Earth Day. The company leveraged the expertise of Sustainable Connections in Bellingham, Wash., and the Pet Industry Sustainability Coalition in Longmont, Colo., to explore how a zero-waste program could be implemented companywide in a timely and cost-efficient manner. As a result, they created a program in just a few months that took less than $1,000 to launch and will save the company potentially $10,000 a year with no impact to its manufacturing processes. At the core of Healthy Pet’s Zero Waste Program is the company’s determination to fully utilize all free recycling avenues: near zero waste at near zero cost. The program identified multiple waste streams that are now diverted from landfills, including compostable materials, metal recycling, broken pallets, cardboard boxes and more. With all of this material being redirected, the company is well on its way to emptying its trash dumpsters twice a year instead of twice a month. “We believe sustainability is an economic decision that benefits all aspects of our business,” said Karl Thomas, director of Healthy Pet. “It also allows us to have a positive impact on the environment, improve the bottom line and align our values more closely with those of our employees.” By Sarah Julian, this article originally appeared in the August 2015 issue of Pet Product News

Ferndale, WA – (July 1, 2015) Further establishing itself as a leader in eco-friendly pet product innovation, Healthy Pet® is excited to announce that its new ökocat® super soft Natural Cat Litter was selected as a winner of the prestigious PET PRODUCT NEWS 2015 Editors' Choice Award. To select each year’s winners, the editorial teams from Pet Product News test hundreds of products and choose winners that reflect innovation, quality, creativity, originality, fill a need in the marketplace and make life better for cats and the people that love them. The award will be announced in the magazine’s August 2015 issue. ökocat provides a renewed innovation in natural cat litter that provides consumers with a sustainable and eco-friendly product, without sacrificing performance. ökocat super soft is the newest addition to the line of 5 natural litters, offering a texture that is similar to clay so transitioning to natural litter is easy. This new litter is also great for cats with sensitive paws, as well as kittens or senior cats. Like the other ökocat litters, this litter offers unmatched absorption, superior odor control and fabulous clumping, and is naturally anti-bacterial and lightweight. ökocat launched in the U.S. market last year, but has sold as a #1 natural litter in Europe (CAT’S BEST) for more than a decade. The Healthy Pet team has positioned ökocat as a sleek, modern and progressive product line that is unique in the category and will no doubt revolutionize the U.S natural cat litter market. “We are honored for ökocat to receive this award from Pet Product News and be recognized in our industry,” states Samuel Cohen, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Healthy Pet®. “Our efforts in sustainability and innovation are incredibly important to us. We have the opportunity to take natural, high performance litters to the next level, cat owners and their cats no longer have to sacrifice performance to make a natural choice. Healthy Pet, its people and its products will continue our relentless pursuit of excellence in our commitment to pets and our planet to live up to this award.”

National launch of ökocat™ natural cat litters offer a clean, eco-friendly and chemical-free innovative alternative to clay never seen before in the US.  Ferndale, WA – (November 12, 2014) Further establishing itself as a leader in eco-friendly pet products, Healthy Pet is excited to expand ökocat™ natural cat litters to retailers across the United States. A winner of the prestigious Cat Fancy 2014 Editors’ Choice Award and backed by an innovative new campaign that was recently recognized in The New York Times, ökocat provides an innovative choice, available in four formulas of natural wood and paper litter that truly understands the needs of the various breeds as well as household preferences. Sleek, modern, and progressive, ökocat™ has been ranked a #1 cat litter in Europe for over decade, and the US launch will no doubt revolutionize the market.  ökocat Natural Wood Clumping Litter This best-in-class, fast and firm clumping litter in soft, ground pellets delivers high performance, 7-day odor control, and unsurpassed absorption, able to hold 500% its weight in liquid. Made from natural wood material, this litter offers the added benefits of inhibiting the growth of bacteria and convenient, flushable disposal. Sleek, modern packaging for eye-catching shelf appeal, the ökocat Natural Wood Clump Litter is available in 3 sizes: S (7.5 lb, $8.99), M (12 lb, SRP $13.99) and L (18 lb, SRP $19.99). ökocat Natural Wood Long Hair Clumping Litter Specially designed for long-haired cat breeds that tend to get cat litter stuck in their fur, ökocat's Natural Wood Long Hair Clumping Litter is made of dense, whole clumping pellets that won’t create messes in the house. This highly absorbent litter (holding up to 500% its weight in liquid) is ideal for finicky, long-haired cats who prefer the soft feel of the mini-pellets on their paws. Boasting 7-day odor control, this natural cat litter’s anti-bacterial properties also benefit delicate systems. Clean packaging for incredible shelf appeal, the ökocat Natural Wood Long Hair Clumping Litter is available in 3 sizes: S (8.4 lb, SRP $8.99), M (13.5 lb, SRP $13.99) and L (20.2 lb, SRP $19.99). ökocat Natural Wood Pine Litter With the natural smell of fresh pine, ökocat's high performance Natural Wood Pine Litter features cracked wood pellets, harnessing the power of pine’s natural ability to destroy ammonia odors 7 days. Absorbing up to 500% of its weight in liquid, this non-clumping option has an appealing natural pine scent that leaves homes smelling fresher, longer…naturally. With a clean packaging that offers excellent shelf appeal, ökocat Natural Wood Pine Litter is available in 3 sizes: S (7.8 lb, SRP $5.99), M (12.4 lb, SRP $9.49) and L (18.6 lb, SRP $13.99). ökocat Natural Paper Dust-Free Litter Like paper pulp, this litter is lightweight, with a firm outside and soft inside. Ideal for cats with respiratory ailments, or people with allergies, ökocat’s Natural Paper Dust-Free Litter won’t track through the house like clay litters, or leave paw prints on the furniture. Absorbing 200% of its weight in liquid, this litter is also fortified with a proprietary Odor Shield™ technology for long-lasting 7-day odor control. Clean packaging for incredible shelf appeal, the ökocat Natural Paper Dust-Free Litter is available in 3 sizes: S (5.1 lb, SRP $5.99), M (8.2 lb, SRP $9.49) and L (12.3 lb, SRP $13.99). “ökocat is an exciting opportunity for Healthy Pet to mark its territory in the premium eco-friendly cat litter category,” said Samuel Cohen, Healthy Pet’s VP Marketing & Sales. “The successful launch of the ökocat collection in California demonstrated the readiness of cat owners to embrace a new and unique natural litter choice and experience. With the strengthened support of retail and distribution partners across the U.S. and a growing consumer base that seeks out a high performance and natural offering, we anticipate continued success.”

Ferndale, WA – (November 12, 2014) Further establishing itself as a leader in eco-friendly pet product innovation, Healthy Pet is excited to announce that its newest collection of ökocat® natural cat litters were selected as a winner of the prestigious Cat Fancy 2014 Editors' Choice Award. To select each year’s winners, the editorial teams from Cat Fancy, and their digital platform CatChannel.com, test hundreds of products and choose winners that reflect innovation, quality, creativity, originality, fill a need in the marketplace and make life better for cats and the people that love them. This year the Cat Fancy 2014 Editors’ Choice Awards were announced in the magazine’s December 2014 issue. Unmatched in the marketplace, ökocat® provides a renewed innovation in natural cat litter, that provides consumers with a sustainable and eco-friendly product, without sacrificing superior odor control and maximum absorption while free of dust and unwanted clumping. Available in four distinct formulas, ökocat’s lightweight, natural wood and paper based litters meet the specific needs of all breed and takes in account household preferences. Providing a deeper appeal to a growing consumer demand for high-performance, eco-friendly and innovative solutions in this category.  Although ökocat® only recently launched to the U.S. market earlier this year, Healthy Pet’s team has invested years of hard work developing this product collection with a cat’s instinctual behaviors and unique needs in mind and delivering a product that exceed the expectations of a fast-growing consumer base seeking natural, sustainable solutions. Ranking #1 in cat litters for over a decade in Europe, ökocat’s sleek, modern and progressive product line will no doubt revolutionize the U.S market.  “We are truly honored to receive this award for ökocat,” states Samuel Cohen, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Healthy Pet. “This recognition serves as an incredible opportunity to take the introduction of ökocat‘s pioneering, natural, and high performance litters to the next level. No longer do cat owners and their cats have to sacrifice performance to make a natural choice. Healthy Pet, its people and its products will continue our relentless pursuit of excellence in our service and commitment to pets and our planet to live up to this award.”