2006.05

Wet food is lower than dry food in calorie.　(Page 34)
Pedigree took effect "Dog owner's awareness survey of dog's fatness" for 320 dog owners. In this survey, asked a question to the dog owners who had answered "take measures dog's fatness (55.3%)" about wet food. In spite of more than 80 percent of dog owners know wet food, most of them don't know that wet food is lower than dry food in calorie (90.9%). Despite the dog owners are aware of dogs' fatness measures, they have little right knowledge of function for wet food.
Clinical veterinarian Dr. Fumio Imoto said, "Wet food made as multi-nutritional food can ingest nutrient which is necessary for dog like protein, vitamin and mineral well-balanced and it can limit caloric intake 60-80 kcal per 100g (in case of dry food, 350 kcal). So it is effective for fatness prevention by mixing wet food for every meal. Also besides no preservative is included, more than 75 percent of water is included in it, so dog can ingest liquid water with food. Especially, a small-sized dog is insensitive for thirsty, so it is not enough to take only drinking water and likely to be a dehydration. Many dog owners don't know a merit of wet food. Making use of wet food and control meals, dog owners can prevent their dog from getting fat."

Wanpao sells bite-sized bread for dogs "Wan Pan"　(Page 35)
Wanpao (President Tsutomu Ono, Minato-ku Tokyo) known as the company that imports dog and cat's health supplement food "Pet Ishokudogen Series" started to sell "Healthy Pan (bread for dogs)" which is used new diet material "soy bean curd less paste" last year and it is selling well. Now new product is added in this spring. It is a bite-sized bread for dog "Wan Pan". "Soy bean curd less paste", raw material of "Wan Pan", is made from okara (soy bean fiber left after making tofu). Okara is widely used as diet material because of low calorie and filling, but "soy bean curd less paste" is 1/3 calories compare to okara and little glucide and a lot of fiber and calcium, so it is good for health and diet (sugar, salt and preservative are not used). Flavors are "milk", "cheese" and "melon". Contents are 120g (9 to 10 breads in one bag), manufacture's suggested price 298 yen (include tax).

Sanyo Shokuhin sells cat's stress care food. 　(Page 23)
Sanyo Shokuhin Co., Ltd.(President Mitsuyoshi Date, Yaizu-shi Shizuoka)started to sell cat's stress care food on March 23. That is compounded Bonimax PL which is extracted from roe of tuna and bonito and GABA which is a kind of amino acid. Shizuoka prefecture becomes the advanced prefecture to study about stress. As located in Shizuoka, this company developed "Shokutsu Tama no Densetsu (gourmet cat Tama's legend)" that is compounded Bonimax PL which has anti-stress function considering cat's health and figure. As active ingredient of tuna and bonito are used, this cat food became more natural. Also as tuna extract is compounded, it is easy to eat.
A sales forecast of first year is 100,000 cans.

Master Foods raises in dog food price because the cost of material and transportation goes up.　(Page 34)
Master Foods Ltd. (President David Teasdale, Meguro-ku Tokyo) raised a part of dog foods' price from April 1. The company explained it because the cost of material and packing material went up and by jumping in crude oil price cost of transportation also went up. The average rate of price increase is not made clear.

Kuroko holds "2006 New Product Trade Fair".　(Page 39)
Kuroko Co., Ltd. (President Takashi Oita, Nerima-ku Tokyo) held the fair for trader "2006 New Product Trade Fair" at Hotel Cadenza Hikarigaoka on April 3 and 4 cosponsored by makers. Exhibitors were 48 companies form ornamental fish and small animal goods makers. This time new exhibitors, who have dealings but had not taken part in the fair, participated. President Oita said "There were many new makers that participated in this fair, so it became an integrated fair. This integration will lead to business and become an advantage."
In the fair a lot of newly developed products for specialty shops were displayed and many retailers visited.
Also, ornamental fish event for ordinary customer "Love Fish Fair" which was held in last October got favorable reputation, it will be held in August two months earlier than last year. The site is Hotel Cadenza Hikarigaoka as same place as this fair.
"By showing living bodies, we can publicize for ordinary pet lovers and people who never have pet. Anyway the business will start only after general people see living bodies.", president Oita explained the purpose of this fair. He wants to enlighten breeding ornamental fish.

"Japan Pets Auction" begins in Saitama　(Page 38)
New pets auction began at Higashi-matsuyama-shi in Saitama. A name of auction is "Japan Pets Auction" and representative is Mr. Kikuo Miyazawa. The first auction was held on March 28. About 200 pet traders participated in the auction and about 150 dogs were sold.
The market place was about 2,000 tsubo and the building is separated in two,
Main building is 300 tsubo and the Second building is 200 tsubo. Auction is held on every Tuesday. Dog and cat auction is held at 13:00 in main building and bird, small animal, goldfish, river fish and other auctions are held at 11:30 in the Second building. By dealing with not only dog and cat but also bird, small animal, goldfish, river fish and the others, this company pursues convenience for customers.

"JAPAN DIY HOMECENTER SHOW" will be held in August.　(Page 36)
Japan DIY Industry Association (Chairman Yoji Sakamoto, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo) will hold "JAPAN DIY HOMECENTER SHOW 2006" at Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Hall from August 24 to August 26. (Chairman of executive committee is Mr. Hideaki Osato). It reaches 42nd this time. Sponsors will be Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Forestry Agency, Chiba Prefectural Government, Chiba City, NHK, JETRO and IHA. Buyers' day is August 24, buyers and PR for general people's day is August 25 and PR for general people's day is August 26. The show will be held at 1-5 Halls.

YOTSUBA KOBO sells ornamental fish water tank "Seahorse Pure" made of high permeation glass.　(Page 33)
YOTSUBA KOBO Inc.(President Eiichi Okamura, Kamogawa-shi Chiba), manufacture of ornamental fish water tank, brought out "Seahorse Pure" which made of high permeation glass.
High permeation glass is colorless, transparent glass removing as many impurities as possible, so visible rays permeability rate is 91 to 92% (in case of normal glass, less than 90%). This glass can show you ornamental fish with natural color because this glass is clear compare to normal glass.
President Okamura said, "This glass is originally used for show window at high-class boutique to prevent changing color of clothes. This will be the first time to use the glass for water tank. We want to offer added value for high-quality oriented devotee."
On the other hand, the company sticks to the method of construction. To make use of silicon's characteristic, increase an adhesive face of silicon and heighten strength. Also as for frameless water tank "Clear Seahorse Pure", keeping the strength by control the water pressure, the company aimed at safety water tank.