Full Speed Ahead: Three “Ships” Set Sail in the Pet Industry

In this article, Bimini’s dosage-form pet health supplements are intended to provide non-nutritional structure and/or function benefits and are not classified under the food category. Bimini’s treats provide nutritional value with supported nutritional claims.

The pet industry grew by almost 11% in 2022, and will grow by almost 6% in 2023, according to the American Pet Products Association (APPA). Pet food and treats accounted for more than $58 billion in U.S. sales in 2022.

We’ve seen in recent years that growth in pet product sales is pandemic-proof and recession-proof. Even when sales in other industries have slumped, the pet business is kept afloat by society’s enduring, growing love of dogs, cats and other furry and feathered friends.

We can think of the emerging attitudes about pets as three ships that explain the resilience of pet products:

  • Ownership
  • Friendship
  • Stewardship

Ownership

With the shift in American demographics (more single adults, more households without children) there has been a rise in dog and cat ownership. Now 58% of US households own a dog and 45% own a cat. According to the U.S. Census, there are now more households with pets than with children under age 18.

Friendship

According to a recent Pew Research Center poll, 97% of U.S. pet owners say their pets are part of their family. Our cats and dogs sit with us for family portraits, travel with us to pet-friendly hotels, and often function as our four-legged children. We set up cameras in our homes and monitor our pets remotely, and subscribe to pet-specific streaming video services available to keep Fido and Kitty entertained while we’re away. When we treat our pets like people and become so close to our pets emotionally, we want our them to thrive, not just survive. We look for products that help a pet stay healthy, energetic and strong.

Stewardship

The cost of veterinary care is rising, and we are coping with an acute shortage of veterinarians and vet clinic staff. The growth of our pet population and the limited number of veterinary school graduates point to a long-term low supply of professional animal healthcare. The demand for doctors of veterinary medicine and veterinary technicians is growing while the supply is virtually stagnant. Pet owners have to be more careful than ever in protecting their dogs and cats from disease. Nutrition and health maintenance are necessary preventive measures.

Come Aboard With Bimini

Bimini Pet Health is committed to providing private-label, custom-manufactured and branded dosage-form pet health supplements, health treats and pet food designed to support and maintain healthy pets. We’re centrally located in Topeka, Kansas, to make shipping anywhere in the United States convenient. As a custom manufacturer, we can help you design a formula that will perfectly fit your brand’s unique needs. We also offer a wide range of turn-key, private-label formulations and Bimini branded products to make going to market speedy and efficient. To find out more, complete our form and we’ll be in touch with you soon.

Today’s Vet Shortage Impacts Pet Care

By Brett Yates, Veterinary Practice News

The vet shortage has led to long wait times at clinics, lagging surgeries at shelters, slowing adoption rates, and pet owners being more inclined to put their next visit off. Creating healthier work environments and more support systems for vets and their staff can not only reduce turnover rates, but can also inspire more folks into the field who may be otherwise turned off by the current state of veterinary medicine.

Read More

A Happy Pet Needs a Healthy Tummy. Probiotic Supplements are Essential.

In this article, Bimini’s dosage-form pet health supplements are intended to provide non-nutritional structure and/or function benefits and are not classified under the food category. Bimini’s treats provide nutritional value with supported nutritional claims.

Human-grade supplements for pets have become increasingly popular in recent years, as pet owners have become more aware of the importance of good nutrition for their pets. These supplements can be used to support healthy dogs and cats in various categories, such as joint health, digestive health, immune system support, and skin and coat health.

What are Probiotics?

Probiotics are live microorganisms that can help maintain a healthy gut. Through the metabolites that they produce in the gut, probiotics support the healthy function of other organs in the body including the skin and glands. Probiotic supplements often lead to better stool quality, which can help reduce anal gland blockage. Also, probiotics can strengthen your pet’s urinary tract and kidneys, resistance to illness, production of hormones, skin quality and brain health. 

Probiotic supplements are an easy and excellent way to provide your dogs and cats beneficial bacteria that can help improve their overall health.

Gut Reactions

Hippocrates, the famous physician of ancient Greece, said “All disease begins in the gut.” While the classic father of medicine was referring to humans, the same can be said of dogs and cats. More than 2,000 years after the time of Hippocrates, modern science confirms that imbalances in the gut microbiome, which consists of trillions of microorganisms residing in the gastrointestinal tract, can create or lead to inflammation and many types of disease. The majority of the immune system of a human, dog or cat operates in the gut. Without a healthy digestive tract, a pet will not feel its best, and its owner could be faced with costly and stressful pet health problems.

Good Enough for You, But Made Specifically for Your Pets

Bimini Pet Health produces a variety of probiotic supplements specifically formulated for dogs and cats. All Bimini products whether soft chews, powders or any other form are made to human grade standards, including those made with animal-specific bacteria. Many of Bimini’s probiotic products are made with species-specific bacteria, meaning that dogs get bacterial strains isolated from healthy dogs, and cat supplements are made with probiotic bacteria from healthy cats. Those bacterial strains, although isolated from healthy dogs and cats, are subsequently grown under conditions that are the same as human probiotics grown for human consumption. 

What Makes Bimini Probiotic Supplements Different?

Bimini’s probiotics are formulated into soft chews that are cold-extruded and never subjected to the extreme heat and pressure widely used in the pet food industry that can kill beneficial bacteria. Our probiotics for dogs and cats come in the form of soft chews and powders.

All Bimini products are human grade, compliant with 21 CFR Part 117. Every ingredient and the resulting product are stored, handled, processed and transported consistently with applicable federal laws. Bimini’s dosage-form pet health supplements contain no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.

How Can I Partner with Bimini?

Bimini Pet Health is committed to providing private-label, custom-manufactured and branded dosage-form pet health supplements, health treats and pet food designed to support and maintain healthy pets. We’re centrally located in Topeka, Kansas, to make shipping anywhere in the United States convenient. As a custom manufacturer, we can help you design a formula that will perfectly fit your brand’s unique needs. We also offer a wide range of turn-key, private-label formulations and Bimini branded products to make going to market speedy and efficient. To find out more, complete our form and we’ll be in touch with you soon.

The Economics of Pet Ownership

Owning a pet is a serious commitment: Many pets can live for more than 10 years, leaving some pet lovers unprepared for the price tag attached to owning and caring for an animal in a responsible manner. If you’re thinking about getting a pet, you should be ready to back up your good intentions with a hefty contribution from your wallet. In this article we’ll look at some of the basic costs of pet ownership.

Read more

The Call for Speakers is Now Open for Global Pet Expo

The Global Learning Series is free for all registered attendees, including retailers, distributors and manufacturers. With over 40+ hours of live education, this is your chance to learn everything you need for a successful business. From workshops to presentations, exhibits to conversations, sessions are designed to reflect sound adult learning principles and the best thinking in the field, informed by theory, research and practice.

Global Learning Series takes place across four days, from March 19-22, 2024.

Read more

Bimini Pet Health Produces Human-Grade Supplements for Dogs and Cats

In this article, Bimini’s dosage-form pet health supplements are intended to provide non-nutritional structure and/or function benefits and are not classified under the food category. Bimini’s treats provide nutritional value with supported nutritional claims.

Making the Grade

Bimini Pet Health, a Topeka, Kansas-based manufacturer of dosage-form pet health supplements, recognizes the importance of making safe products that our pets ingest. Although pet health supplements are not classified as food and are not required to be compliant with 21 CFR, Part 117, the federal code that regulates humans’ food, Bimini adheres to and is audited on the basis of 21 CFR part 117 nonetheless. In its approach to manufacturing, Bimini believes there should be no difference in the control of what pets ingest versus what humans consume. Everything Bimini produces is made at its cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practice) certified facility, which is also USDA inspected and FDA registered. The products are made with responsibly procured ingredients. Every ingredient and the resulting products are stored, handled, processed and transported in a manner consistent with applicable federal laws. Furthermore, as a leader in the pet health supplements sector, Bimini also intends to become 21 CFR, part 111 (cGMP for Human Health Supplements) compliant within the next year and has begun identity testing on all incoming raw ingredients before using in production.

Exercising Care and Caution

In addition to what is required by the cGMPs, Bimini applies a positive release policy to the process of preparing and releasing a finished product for shipping. A finished product lot must remain in Bimini’s warehouse until microbiological test results validate the product’s safety. Bimini tests its products for pathogenic E. coli (not all E. coli are pathogenic), aflatoxin and salmonella. Testing for E. coli and salmonella is important because human clients handle the products they give to their pets. Bimini does not want to expose humans or animals to potentially harmful microbes.

At high levels, aflatoxins can cause death or serious illness in pets. Aflatoxins are produced by certain types of molds. To that end, Bimini commissioned a diagnostic testing company to develop an Aflatoxin testing method that is specifically suited to being used with complex matrices such as soft chews and powder mixes that Bimini produces. Bimini goes the extra mile in testing the safety of its pet products. Most manufacturers of pet health supplements do not test for aflatoxin or wait until their product has been tested to ship it.

All the Way Home

Safety with what we give our pets shouldn’t end when the consumer leaves the store. Bimini avoids using chemical preservatives to ensure shelf-life stability. Instead, the company employs more passive approaches to maintaining a safe product on the shelf. In that regard, water is key to microbial growth and “water activity” is the measure of available water for microbial growth. Bimini’s products are designed to have very low water activity levels, even lower that what the FDA recommends for human food. These low water activity levels do not support microbial growth that can lead to illness, including bacteria, mold and yeast.

People now regard their pets as members of their family. We want our dogs and cats to be as healthy as they can be, so they can be with us as many years as possible. Bimini is here to help us give our pets supplements that meet the highest quality standards.

Entrepreneurs Turn to Pet Supplement Manufacturers for Growth-Market Business Ideas

Pet Ownership Statistics Indicate Pet Supplement Manufacturers Make for Smart Business Partnerships

Bimini is a manufacturer of dosage-form pet health supplements, and all instances of Bimini’s pet supplements refer to dosage-form pet health supplements.

Pets are the new kids. According to Forbes, two-thirds of American households own a pet. An overwhelming majority of dog and cat owners consider their pets to be members of their human family. Between 2016 and 2022, the segment of US households that own dogs grew from 38.4% to 44.5%, and the cat-owning segment grew from 25% to 29%. Conversely, the American birth rate declined by almost 22% from 1990 to 2019. For businesses that depend on growing demand for consumables, more and more consumers have four paws.

The pet market proved to be recession-proof during The Great Recession in 2008. Then in 2020, we saw it also was pandemic-proof as the market boomed like never before. What is interesting is that despite the recession or pandemic economic challenges, U.S. pet owners have not historically cut spending on their pets. Forbes reports that Americans spent close to $137 billion on their pets in 2022, which is more than ever before. Spending on pets increased 51% in just four years, 2018-2022.

The growth of the pet industry has entrepreneurs turning to pet supplement manufacturers for smart business partnerships that stand the test of time. The market for pet supplements in the US is forecast to grow 5.5 to 6% annually in the next seven years. Younger adults are especially interested in their pets’ health and longevity, and are ready to spend more to keep their dogs and cats healthy. Millennials (people born 1981-1996) spend the most of any age group on pet care: almost $200 per month, according to a 2022 study.

Where Pet Supplement Manufacturers See the Industry Heading

Average annual household spending per pet could grow from $980 in 2020 to $1,292 by 2025 and expand further to $1,909 by 2030, which makes pet supplements an interesting business idea for companies looking for ways to grow their sales and entrepreneurs seeking strong ventures.

As with any venture, partnering with the right pet supplement manufacturer is critical to success. Bimini Pet Health, headquartered in Topeka, KS is a premier manufacturer of dosage form pet health supplements. They can help you select from dozens of existing formulas for private label production or can help you make a custom formula tailored to your specific needs. “Whether you want to use one of our formulations or bring one of your own, we’re ready to work with you to make high quality products,” said Dr. Sam Al-Murrani, owner of Bimini Pet Health. “Even under uncertain economic times, we don’t anticipate the demand for pet health supplements to diminish.” 

Getting Started in Today’s Market

Bimini is committed to providing private label and custom manufactured pet supplements designed to support and maintain healthy pets. Bimini’s dosage form pet health supplements are manufactured at their facility in Topeka, KS which is third-party audited for human food production under 21 CFR part 117. Every ingredient and the resulting product are stored, handled, processed and transported consistent with applicable federal laws. The facility is FDA-registered and USDA inspected and approved for export to Canada.

If you’re considering creating a specific pet product, either white label or private label, Bimini knows the industry. Getting started is easy. They offer a turnkey process and will guide you every step along the way—from ideation to packaging and fulfillment. 

Contact Bimini today to get started.

Download your free copy of Sizing the Pet Market for more statistics.

Bimini Pet Health Celebrates World Food Safety Day, June 7

In this article, Bimini’s dosage-form pet health supplements are intended to provide non-nutritional structure and/or function benefits and are not classified under the food category. Bimini’s treats provide nutritional value with supported nutritional claims.

Established by the United Nations and celebrated every June 7 since 2019, World Food Safety Day is a time to learn and discuss actions we can all take to prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks and improve our health. Special attention is given to the health consequences of contaminated food and water. When we hear the term “food safety,” our first instinct is to think about what humans eat, but many of the problems affecting food safety in people also apply to what we give our pets.

Bimini Pet Health, a Topeka, Kansas-based manufacturer of dosage-form pet health supplements, recognizes the importance of making safe products that our pets ingest. Alan Mattox, Quality Assurance Director at Bimini Pet Health, explains that although pet health supplements are not “food” and are not required to be compliant with 21 CFR, Part 117, the federal code that regulates humans’ food, Bimini adheres to and is audited on the basis of 21 CFR part 117 nonetheless. Mattox says, “In our approach to manufacturing, we don’t believe there should be a difference in the control of what pets or humans ingest. Everything we produce is made at our cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practice) certified facility, which is also USDA inspected and FDA registered. The products are made with responsibly procured ingredients. Every ingredient and the resulting products are stored, handled, processed and transported in a manner consistent with applicable federal laws.”

Mattox added that Bimini Pet Health applies a “positive release policy” to the sequence of events that must take place before his company releases a finished product for shipping. “The finished product lot must remain in our warehouse until the microbiological test results validate the product’s safety.” Bimini tests its products for pathogenic E. coli (not all E. coli are pathogenic), salmonella and aflatoxin. “We test for E. coli and salmonella because we know our human clients handle our product. We do not want to expose them or pets to these microbes,” Mattox said. “At high levels, aflatoxins (toxins produced by certain types of mold) can cause death or serious illness in pets.”

Bimini Goes the Extra Mile When It Comes to Safety

Mattox noted that Bimini goes the extra mile in testing the safety of its pet products. “You would be hard-pressed to find many companies like ours that test for aflatoxin, let alone wait until the product has been tested to ship it out.”

Safety with what we give our pets doesn’t end when the consumer leaves the store. Mattox emphasized the importance of avoiding the use of chemical preservatives to ensure shelf-life stability and instead employing more passive approaches to maintaining a safe product on the shelf. In that regard water is key to microbial growth and “water activity” is the measure of available water for microbial growth. Bimini’s products are designed to have very low water activity levels (even lower that what the FDA recommends for human food) which do not support microbial growth that can lead to illness, including bacteria, yeast and mold,” Mattox explained.

Alan Mattox practices Bimini’s high levels of safety on his own Yorkshire Terrier. “A pet is an extension of the family, a four-legged relative. I want our dog to be as healthy as he can be, so he is around for as many years as possible. Making sure I give him products that meet quality standards is key for this to happen,” Mattox said.