Joe Cocquyt
Eagle Pet Food's founder, Joe Cocquyt died on May 4, 2008. Joe was
the driving force behind Eagle Pack Foods and the development of Eagle
Natural Pack along with Kevin Patterson and the input from my National
Bone Survey Research(5200+cases) and feed trials. Joe and Kevin took
this information and developed a food that would work for giant breed
growth. (Eagle Natural Pack). Then Joe allowed me to do extensive,
long term giant breed feed trials on Natural Pack. To this day it
was the only dog food company that has done any extended feed trials
on giant breed growth.
Joe was one of the most knowledgeable person I have ever known when
it comes to performance nutrition and he was highly respected in the
industry. He was a great friend and mentor and I am forever grateful
for all he has taught me over the past 20+ yrs. Any one in the pet
food industry, here or abroad, knows Eagle Pet Foods, "IS"
Joe Cocquyt. His dedication to animal nutrition through his performance
line of foods has saved pet's lives and provided life long health
and extended longevity for our pets. As a friend, his insights will
be sorely missed by all who knew and respected him. It is also with
great respect that I acknowledge Kevin Pattersons input and guidance
in the actual manufacturing of these foods, with out his direction
in the manufacturing end of it, these foods would not have been the
quality that we came to know and depend on.
THE END OF AN ERA
In 2007 Eagle Pack Dog Food was acquired by Berwind Industries. In
2008, Wellness Dog Food was also acquired by Berwind and the two companies
were merging into a single entity called WellPet LLC.
In March of 2009 - Eagle Pet Foods, Inc. as we all knew it, came to
a screeching halt. For the next few weeks
the staff, sales reps and consultants such as myself, mourned the
death of this company and within two months the vast majority of employees
walked away on their own accord. The Eagle Family that we had known
was gone.
On April 8, 2009- Regrettably, due to changes in ownership,
personnel, management style and deep philosophical differences, I
refused to sign a contract with WellPet LLC and no longer endorsed
nor feed the Eagle Pet Food product line, due to changes in ownership,
personnel, management style and deep philosophical differences.
When One Door Closes, Another One Opens...
On May 7, 2009 at a Zoomark International Trade Show in Bologna, Italy
- a new dog food is being introduced for overseas distribution. This
food is dedicated to the legacy of Joe Cocquyt - the founder of Eagle
Pet Foods. This food is called GOLDEN EAGLE holistic line of
pet foods. It is made exactly to Joe Cocquyt's stringent specifications
given to a friend before his death. Joe's recipes and secrets, the
highest quality ingredients and the best manufacturing practices brings
this visionary line up of holistic foods to the international markets.
Within a year or so it will be available in the USA and Canada.
What an amazing legacy to have this food developed per his guidance
and instructions in life, then upon his passing it manufactured and
dedicated to his life's passion - Eagle Pack Pet Foods. So EAGLE as
we knew it previously, "IS" still alive, and it will be
released in the USA and Canada in 2010.
GOLDEN EAGLE includes a line up of 9 foods parallel to Eagle
Original, Natural Pack, Holistic Chicken/Rice and the Large/Giant
Breed Puppy and Large Breed Adult, Holistic Senior and a Power formula.
There is also 3 unique protein foods; Duck, Salmon and Lamb diet and
a feline line up as well.
These past few months of feed trials on my dogs and with other kennels,
doing comparison and analysis on pet foods I have decided to use and
endorse PRECISE and
PRECISE PLUS HOLISTIC pet foods. This company has always
been on my list of better foods, but it had some distribution pockets
that made it difficult for people to purchase.
Now with a wonderful new VP in place, Kirk Young, there are advances
in distribution over the next year that will make this excellent food
available pet owners. It is an honest line up of foods with a solid
history, it is family owned and they own their own manufacturing facility
with a 100% safety record and an AIB Superior Rating. In addition
4 of Eagle's top sales staff are now on board at Precise to enhance
the availability of this product line. In late April 2009 I was asked
to come on board at Precise as a nutritional consultant to help update current formula (additional joint support, removal of Vitamin K, multiple Probiotics/digestive added to all foods), and in 2010 there will be some exciting new additions to their line which will provided even more growth for Precise Pet Foods.
I am excited about the future for both companies, Holistic Precise Pet Foods
and Golden Eagle Holistic Pet Foods and will be highly supportive of both companies
in this growing holistic market.
For me, I want my puppy buyers to have viable options and how great
it is to have choices depending on your pet's needs, availability,
and cost considerations. From April 8, 2009 forward..I made a decision
that I will only be using and endorsing pet foods and supplements
that are family or independently owned and operated. Please support
the independent pet supply shops, groomers, training facilities etc.
and not the "big box" stores where our pet's health is potentially
compromised due to inferior quality.
It's not always about "the bottom line", it's about
doing the right thing and the money will follow.
Linda Arndt
The Great Dane Lady
Editorial Update - The Wonders
of Marketing
In September 2009, I am making preparations to go to the HH Backer
Show in Chicago on October 2-4. While making arrangements I noticed
the list of companies represented at this Pet Trade Show. I see that
the new Eagle company is now marketing itself as the
"WellPet, A Family of Natural Products".
Aren't marketing departments amazing?
You see, .....the marketing department at WellPet,
(which by the way, is the same department that told me "we're
not selling nutrition, we're selling an image", thinks that
you and I will forget that Eagle is no longer owned by the original
Cocquyt Family. Perhaps if they market the foods as "WellPet,
a Family of Natural Products" we won't remember it's now
owned by a large investment company. They think by posting on the
Eagle website "we make our own dry food in our family founded
plant", that we won't figure out that they are not the
family that founded the plant.
I find it also interesting that the original Eagle
Dog food never had a marketing department in all these years, until
it was sold. Instead it had a line of great products that worked, an exceptional
sales staff, the majority of which has elected to has moved on to
other companies since the sale, and it had my educational website
and feed programs to tout the value of their product line. The company
grew on the merits of the food itself. The proof was in the
results....now we will see what the future holds. It is still about holistic animal nutrition or is it indeed about
"selling an image".
