Header

Press or Media inquiries? Email us at: media@vitalessentialsraw.com

Press Room | In The News

Press Release

Green Bay, WI, May 16, 2024 — Carnivore Meat Company®, a leading manufacturer of premium-quality, raw frozen and freeze-dried pet food and treats, announces the appointment of Ashley Li as Vice President of Brand Marketing for Vital Essentials®, the Company’s flagship brand. The Vital Essentials® brand has been a pioneer in the raw freeze-dried and frozen pet food category since 2009. Its vast variety of Butcher Cut Protein dog and cat food, toppers, snacks and treats are purely raw ensuring that pets are provided the highest quality whole animal protein available. The Vital Essentials® brand is distributed to over 7,200 independent retailers in the U.S. and Canada, online via Chewy and Amazon, and in 14 international markets.Li brings over a decade of brand management experience having honed her skills leading and growing consumer brands at Kraft Foods Group and The Kraft Heinz Company across various roles in the US, the UK, and globally before her most recent role as Head of Brand Marketing, Strategy &amp; Innovation at Pet Honesty.“I couldn’t be more excited to have Ashley join our team,” commented Carnivore CEO Heather Govea.  “Her training as a classical brand manager combined with her latest experience leading marketing and innovation in the pet supplement category made her the perfect fit for Vital Essentials®. This brand has strong momentum coming off its recent re-launch and I’m confident Ashley is the right leader to continue accelerating our growth.”“As a pet parent and health-conscious consumer, I’ve always been intrigued by the unrivaled benefits of feeding a raw diet,” stated Li. “Vital Essentials® has a fanatical consumer following for its premium, unmatched quality products. I look forward to helping more pet parents and retailers learn why Vital Essentials® is one of the fastest growing pet food brands in the United States.”For more information about Vital Essentials®, please visit <a href="file:///C:/Users/dfoley/AppData/Local/Packages/oice_16_974fa576_32c1d314_cb/AC/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_filelist.xml" linktype="url">www.vitalessentials.com</a>.About Carnivore Meat CompanyCarnivore Meat Company is an award-winning manufacturer of premium raw frozen and freeze-dried pet food and treats. Long considered a raw pet food pioneer, the company&#39;s freeze-dried products division supplies private label, co-packing and ingredients to customers globally. The company&#39;s rapidly growing brands in Green Bay, Wisconsin, include <a href="https://www.vitalessentials.com/" target="_self" linktype="url">Vital Essentials®</a> and <a href="https://www.vitalessentials.com/collections/dog-raw-bar" target="_self" linktype="url">VE RAW BAR</a>, distributed to more than 7,000 retailers nationwide, in 14 international markets and online. Carnivore Meat Company has been recognized for its growth accomplishments and manufacturing excellence with several awards in recent years, including the Greater Green Bay Chamber Growth Award, Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Award, Governor&#39;s Export Achievement Award, Greater Green Bay Chamber Manufacturing Award of Distinction and Inc 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies. Visit the Carnivore Meat Company website at carnivoremeat.com.###Media Contact:FACTEUR PR for Vital Essentials Ally Rung 716-310-4509 vitalessentials@facteurpr.com

Li brings over a decade of brand management experience having honed her skills leading and growing consumer brands at Kraft Foods Group and The Kraft Heinz Company

Carnivore Meat Company®, a leading manufacturer of premium-quality, raw frozen and freeze-dried pet food and treats, announces the appointment of Ashley Li as Vice President of Brand Marketing for Vital Essentials®, the Company’s flagship brand.    The Vital Essentials® brand has been a pioneer in the raw freeze-dried and frozen pet food category since 2009. Its vast variety of Butcher Cut Protein dog and cat food, toppers, snacks and treats are purely raw ensuring that pets are provided the highest quality whole animal protein available. The Vital Essentials® brand is distributed to over 7,200 independent retailers in the U.S. and Canada, online via Chewy and Amazon, and in 14 international markets.   Li brings over a decade of brand management experience having honed her skills leading and growing consumer brands at Kraft Foods Group and The Kraft Heinz Company across various roles in the US, the UK, and globally before her most recent role as Head of Brand Marketing, Strategy & Innovation at Pet Honesty.  “I couldn’t be more excited to have Ashley join our team,” commented Carnivore CEO Heather Govea.  “Her training as a classical brand manager combined with her latest experience leading marketing and innovation in the pet supplement category made her the perfect fit for Vital Essentials®. This brand has strong momentum coming off its recent re-launch and I’m confident Ashley is the right leader to continue accelerating our growth.”  “As a pet parent and health-conscious consumer, I’ve always been intrigued by the unrivaled benefits of feeding a raw diet,” stated Li. “Vital Essentials® has a fanatical consumer following for its premium, unmatched quality products. I look forward to helping more pet parents and retailers learn why Vital Essentials® is one of the fastest growing pet food brands in the United States.”  For more information about Vital Essentials®, please visit www.vitalessentials.com.

Carnivore Meat Company® Names Ashley Li Vice President of Brand Marketing for Vital Essentials®

GREEN BAY, WI (March 13, 2018) – The votes came in at an astounding pace when cat parents were asked about some new product options for <a href="/home-interest-cat" uuid="eee5910a-3df6-4a3f-af51-b707c94c74cb" target="_self" linktype="story">Frozen and Freeze-Dried Entrees</a>, helping determine new package sizes for this growing brand of freeze-dried and frozen raw cat food.“Consumer feedback about the frozen food told us that cat parents were looking for something a little larger in size, but not too big” commented VP of Sales and Marketing, Kevin Malnor.  “This led us to re-think all of our package sizes.  So, we took it to the masses.  The feedback was overwhelming in terms of the volume of responses we received along with strong preference for specific package sizes.”As a result of so many engaged cat parents, three new cat food entree package sizes will debut at the Global Pet Expo.  All entrees will be available in four great options – Rabbit, Duck, Turkey and Chicken.<a href="https://develop-vital-essentials.vercel.app/collections/cat-frozen-entrees#cat-frozen-entrees-mini-patties" target="_self" linktype="url">Vital Cat Frozen Mini Patties, 28 oz</a>  – The leader among cat parents for new Vital Cat options!  Here’s what they had to say….<ul><li>“Portions are already pre-measured and the mini patties are easy to feed” </li><li>“I’m feeding a healthier meal every day with Vital Cat frozen entrees” </li><li>“Larger packages are more economical”</li></ul><a href="https://develop-vital-essentials.vercel.app/collections/cat-frozen-entrees#cat-frozen-entrees-mini-patties" target="_self" linktype="url">Vital Cat Freeze-Dried Mini Patties, 8 oz</a> – The freeze-dried counterpart to the frozen mini patties will also be available in a new package size.  “I love the idea of these package sizes!  [It] allows me to purchase several proteins to rotate and keep meal time interesting!,” commented one cat parent. Smaller package sizes also means fresher product.  Mini patties are a convenient, no fuss way to feed – no measuring and easy portion control.  Plus, freeze-dried mini patties are designed to be rehydrated to create a soft, moist entrée option similar to frozen, but without the thaw time.

The votes came in at an astounding pace when cat parents were asked about new product options for Vital Cat™ entrees of freeze-dried and frozen cat food.

Press Room l Cat Parents Speak on Behalf of Their Feline Family Members

Cat Parents Speak on Behalf of Their Feline Family Members

GREEN BAY WI (August 21, 2020) – Carnivore Meat Company, manufacturer of frozen and freeze-dried pet food brands Nature’s Advantage®, <a href="https://www.vitalessentialsraw.com/" linktype="url">Vital Essentials</a><a href="https://www.vitalessentialsraw.com/" linktype="url">®</a> and Vital Cat®, has been named one of the fastest growing private companies in the United States by Inc. Magazine. This is the second consecutive year Carnivore Meat Company has been recognized for this achievement based on the company’s success in the natural pet food category, with an impressive 3-year growth rate of 187%. Inc. Magazine releases the Inc. 5000 each year which is a list of the most successful independent small businesses and the 2020 list ranks Carnivore Meat Company at #2241 nationally and #23 among Wisconsin businesses recognized. “We have an incredibly dedicated workforce that has helped us achieve great results over the past year, and we’re honored to be recognized again by Inc. Magazine,,” commented Lanny Viegut, Carnivore Meat Company CEO and Owner.  “We implemented a number of sustainability initiatives along with efficiency improvements that contributed to our overall success. This, combined with the new brand introduction of <a href="https://naturesadv.com/" linktype="url">Nature’s Advantage</a>, gave us some great momentum that we will continue to build upon.” Carnivore Meat Company brands are sold in over 6,000 pet specialty stores, online at Chewy and Amazon and exported to 14 international markets. In addition to its branded products, the company provides private label, co-pack services and ingredient components for other brands globally. “The companies on this year’s Inc. 5000 come from nearly every realm of business,” says Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. “The 2020 list proves that no matter the sector, incredible growth is based on the foundations of tenacity and opportunism.” Although 2020 brought many challenges, the year also brought opportunities to connect with local and industry communities through Carnivore Meat Company’s COVID-19 response initiatives which included a <a href="https://www.carnivoremeat.com/2020/04/01/carnivore-meat-company-kicks-off-vital-relief-challenge-with-100000-donation-to-green-bay-wi-community/" linktype="url">Vital Relief Challenge</a> and the donation of the <a href="https://www.carnivoremeat.com/2020/04/08/carnivore-meat-company-answers-call-for-masks-amid-covid-19-pandemic/" linktype="url">use of UV equipment</a> to help local healthcare workers and first responders. “Our pandemic response made us much stronger and more unified as a company and within the community,” Viegut stated. “Our team pulled together to achieve some phenomenal results.” Despite the difficult business environment facing brick-and-mortar retailers this year, Carnivore Meat Company launched a new frozen dog food line, Vital Essentials FUSION, that is intensely consumer focused, delivering quality product at an exceptional value-based price point. In addition to this new product launch, the company forged new partnerships with Wisconsin-based <a href="https://www.carnivoremeat.com/2020/08/05/carnivore-meat-company-partners-with-festival-foods-to-offer-hemp-chews-throughout-wisconsin/" linktype="url">Festival Foods</a> to distribute its Hemp Chews throughout the state and with Costco to launch its newest brand, Nature’s Advantage, throughout the Midwest. “Our innovative new product lines and expanding product reach puts us in a great position to answer the demands of our newest generation of pet parents,” Viegut says. “It’s an honor to be named among the fastest growing private companies in America based on our efforts to enhance the lives of pets through quality nutrition.” Methodology The 2020 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2016 and 2019. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2016. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2019. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2016 is $100,000; the minimum for 2019 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.’s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at<a href="http://www.inc.com/inc5000" linktype="url"> http://www.inc.com/inc5000</a>. About Carnivore Meat Company Carnivore Meat Company is an award-winning manufacturer of premium raw frozen and freeze-dried pet food and treats.  The Green Bay, Wisconsin company’s rapidly growing brands include Nature’s Advantage®, Vital Essentials®, VE RAW BAR and Vital Cat®, which are distributed to over 6,000 retailers nationwide, in 14 international markets and online to Chewy.com, Amazon, PetFlow.com and others.  Long considered a raw pet food pioneer, the company’s freeze-dried products division supplies private label, co-packing and ingredients to customers globally.  Carnivore Meat Company is family owned and has been recognized for its growth accomplishments and manufacturing excellence with a number of awards in recent years, including Greater Green Bay Chamber Growth Award, Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Award, Governor’s Export Achievement Award, Greater Green Bay Chamber Manufacturing Award of Distinction and Inc 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies.  <a href="https://app.salesforceiq.com/r?target=5e85fc86c9e77c0075249496&t=AFwhZf37ljTvqgDOQi7Vz1Z4WQIEx-f_HFYukp9bLO92PWySt4lu3hUceH3ryejsqafFWqXjF3C_mmSnKd2TWkiVZiWPkEIXvO7svABWqpqXyt0WSC5o1FCSUOIaHWSPUsUKfZSzzAuw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.carnivoremeat.com" linktype="url">www.carnivoremeat.com</a>

Carnivore Meat Company honored among America's fastest-growing private firms. Discover their success story with Vital Essentials in the news.

Vital Essentials will unwrap an all-new look of its premium raw dog and cat food, treats and supplements at Global Pet Expo 2023

Next Up

Carnivore Meat Company® Names Ashley Li Vice President of Brand Marketing for Vital Essentials®

Cat Parents Speak on Behalf of Their Feline Family Members

Carnivore Meat Company Named Among Fastest Growing Private Companies In America