Royal Canin facts for kids
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Royal Canin factory in Aimargues
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Pet food |
| Founded | 1968 Gard, France |
| Headquarters | Aimargues, Gard, France |
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Area served
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Worldwide |
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Key people
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Cécile Coutens (CEO) |
| Products | Dog food and cat food, animal health products, veterinary products |
| Parent | Mars, Incorporated |
Royal Canin is a French company that makes special food for cats and dogs. They sell their products all over the world. Royal Canin is part of a bigger company called Mars, Incorporated.
The company studies what dogs and cats need to eat to stay healthy. They focus on making food that helps pets with their specific health needs.
Royal Canin was started by a French vet named Jean Cathary. He noticed that many pets had skin and coat problems. He believed their diet was the cause. So, he made a special cereal-based food in his garage. This food helped the pets get better.
He realized that good food was very important for pets' health. In 1956, he brought a special machine called an extruder from the United States. This machine helps make dry pet food. Royal Canin was the first company in France to make dry pet food this way.
At first, the food was mostly sold to pet breeders. Over time, more and more food was made. Royal Canin started selling its products in other European countries too. The company was sold to the Guyomarc'h Group in 1972. Later, it was bought by the Paribas Bank in 1990. Finally, Mars, Incorporated bought Royal Canin in 2002.
Contents
History of Royal Canin
How it Started
A French vet named Jean Cathary started Royal Canin in 1968. He had a vet clinic in a village in France. Many pets he saw had health problems, especially with their skin and fur.
Jean Cathary thought these problems were caused by what the pets ate. He created a special food recipe using cereals. He made this food in an oven in his garage.
The food worked well and helped the pets. In 1968, he officially named his food "Royal Canin." He stopped being a vet to focus on making and selling the food.
He brought a special machine called an extruder from the U.S. This machine helped Royal Canin become the first company in France to make dry pet food. They were also the first European company to use an extruder. The food was mainly sold to pet breeders and groups that loved German Shepherd dogs. They even used TV ads to tell people about the food.
More and more food was made. In 1970, the company became "Royal Canin S. A.." A bigger factory opened in Aimargues, France. From there, they started selling food all over Europe. About 40 people worked there, making 5,500 tons of food each year. They also opened a branch in Spain called Royal Canin Iberica.
In March 1972, Jean Cathary sold his company to the Guyomarc'h Group. This was a larger family business that made animal feed. With this new owner, Royal Canin grew even more. They especially focused on research and making new products. A second factory opened in Cambrai, France, in 1975.
Under Guyomarc'h, Royal Canin expanded a lot. They opened a special research center in Saint-Nolff, France, in 1973. Over the next ten years, they opened more branches in countries like Italy, Sweden, Belgium, Germany, and Denmark. Another factory was built in northern France to serve these countries. From 1982, Royal Canin also started making other products like canned food and bird seed. Their production grew four times bigger in 10 years.
The Guyomarc'h group was bought by the Paribas Bank in 1990. In 1994, the Guyomarc'h group was split into four separate businesses. Royal Canin was one of them. A new leader was chosen for Royal Canin in 1994. He focused on dry food, healthy nutrition, and knowing a lot about dogs. The bank wanted to sell Royal Canin. But the company's leader convinced them to list it on the Paris stock exchange instead. This happened in 1997. Selling part of the company helped Royal Canin get more money. This money helped them buy other pet food brands like Crown Pet Foods in 1999 and James Wellbeloved in 2000.
Recent Times
In July 2002, the bank sold its share of Royal Canin to Mars, Incorporated. The European Commission (a group that checks if big companies are fair) agreed to the sale. But only if Royal Canin sold some of its businesses to a Spanish company called Agrolimen. After Mars took over, Royal Canin was no longer listed on the stock exchange.
In 2004, Royal Canin bought some pet food brands from Del Monte Foods. These brands made special food for vets in the US and Canada.
Royal Canin was one of many brands affected by pet food recalls in 2007. A recall means food is taken off shelves because something might be wrong with it. Since then, there have been no major recalls for Royal Canin.
By 2008, most of Royal Canin's money came from sales outside France. About 4,500 people worked for the company worldwide.
In 2012, Royal Canin opened a large storage and shipping center in Verdun, France.
Royal Canin celebrated its 50th birthday in 2018.
In 2021, Mars said it would invest a lot of money in France. Part of this money would go to Royal Canin's main office and factory in Aimargues. Royal Canin's main idea is "A Better World for Pets."
Products and Services
Royal Canin makes about 260 different types of pet food. They create food for each animal's body, age, and health needs. This means the food is made to fit exactly what a dog or cat needs.
Royal Canin's main idea is to keep animals healthy through good food.
Pet Food
Royal Canin makes both dry and wet food for dogs and cats. Their products are made for different ways animals digest food. They also make food for different growth stages.
- Dog products: Dry dog food, wet dog food in pouches, and more.
- Cat products: Wet cat food in sauce, dry cat food, wet cat food with gravy, and more.
Vet Food
The company also makes special diet foods for medical reasons. For example, they have food for cats with urinary problems. They also make food for dogs with allergies or tummy issues.
Some of these special vet foods can only be bought with a vet's prescription.
In 2023, Royal Canin added more hypoallergenic (allergy-friendly) foods. They also launched Dental Care products. These are kibbles with a special texture that helps clean teeth.
Vet Products
Royal Canin also makes products to help give pets medicine. For example, Pill Assist is a treat that helps hide pills and capsules for cats. In some countries, Royal Canin has its own special channel for vets.
Books and Information
Royal Canin works with experts to create helpful books. These include the Dog's Encyclopedia and the Royal Canin Cat Encyclopedia. They also publish books about pet nutrition with French vet groups.
Research and Studies
Royal Canin makes its pet food based on scientific research. They opened their first research center in France in 1973. Later, they opened more research centers in the U.S. and Brazil.
They test their products on about 500 pets (dogs and cats). These tests are done in a gentle way. The pets are chosen for their breed characteristics. One early scientist, Daniel Cloche, studied bone problems in dogs. His research showed that diet could help with bone issues in large dogs. So, Royal Canin made special foods for them. In 1980, they launched AGR, a food especially for large breed puppies. They also started making cat foods for specific dietary needs.
In the 1990s, the company's leader, Henri Lagarde, set three main rules. First, they had to study pets' bodies and how they work. Second, all products had to meet specific needs. Third, animals and their food needs should be treated with "knowledge and respect." This became the company's main idea.
Studies
Royal Canin has done studies, like one on how long dogs and cats live. This study showed that pets live longer now. This is thanks to better vet care and pet food.
In 2012, Royal Canin was part of a study that said high-fat diets are okay for healthy cats. In the same year, another study looked at how dogs naturally eat.
Royal Canin also works with vets on studies and health advice.
Working with Experts and Helping Others
In 1994, Royal Canin wanted to be known for working with "specialists." They made sure the word "traditional" was removed from all their documents. It was replaced with "specialist."
They have teams of trained vet technicians. These teams help and advise pet breeders and other professionals. The company even created a new name for their sales teams: "cynotechnicians." These people knew a lot about dogs. Some were even dog show judges or famous for breeding dogs.
In 2019, Royal Canin started a scholarship with Massey University. This scholarship helps students study health nutrition for cats and dogs.
Sponsorships and Partnerships
Royal Canin helps out and takes part in thousands of cat and dog shows every year. These happen all over the world, like local dog clubs.
In 2010, Royal Canin helped fund an animal rights group called Subculture Animal Friends. This group fights against animal cruelty.
In 2011, Royal Canin worked with one of its suppliers, Groupe Gascogne, to plant trees.
In 2017, Royal Canin worked with a group that helps people with disabilities. This was for a Para Skiing Championship in Spain.
In 2013, a group called Four Paws said Royal Canin was sponsoring events in Ukraine that included illegal bear-baiting. This is when bears are forced to fight. Royal Canin confirmed this was true. They promised to stop sponsoring such events. They also said they would help rescue bears that were used in these activities. Later, they announced they would pay for a rescue center for bears.
In 2022, Royal Canin worked with PDSA, a UK vet charity. They teamed up to help pets that are overweight. In the same year, Royal Canin and RACE Foundation continued their work together. They focused on keeping animals safe and well during travel.
In 2023, Royal Canin sponsored the Cat Friendly Programme in Brazil. This program helps vets make their clinics more friendly for cats.
In August 2023, Royal Canin made a deal with AKUT Search and Rescue Association. They will provide food for AKUT's search dogs.
Factories and Locations
Royal Canin's main office is in Aimargues, in southern France. They have 16 factories around the world. Besides Aimargues, they have factories in places like Cambrai (France), Johannesburg, South Africa, Descalvado, Brazil, and González Catán, near Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The factory in Rolla, Missouri, USA, only makes dry pet food. In 2005, Royal Canin was fined for problems with water at this site.
In 2004, a factory opened in Dmitrov, near Moscow, Russia. Royal Canin spent a lot of money to build it. They expected to make 22,000 tons of food there each year.
The Polish government announced a new factory would start being built in February 2006. This factory in Niepołomice, Poland, cost a lot of money and would create over 150 jobs. It was called the "ninth and most modern" factory because it would have a special lab.
The company's first factory in the UK opened in December 2007. It is in Castle Cary, near Bristol. It was expected to make 2,000 tons of food each year and employ 80 people. Some local people were worried, but others liked the new factory. After it started making food, some people complained about a bad smell. The company spent a lot of money to fix the problem.
In 2008, the company invested a lot of money to build a factory in Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
A factory in North Sioux City, South Dakota, USA, was bought by Mars in 2007. It first made food under the Mars Petcare brand. In 2011, it became a Royal Canin factory and now makes wet pet food.
Royal Canin's twelfth factory was finished in 2009. It is located in Shanghai, China.
A new factory opened in 2017 in South Korea, in Gimje, North Jeolla Province.
In 2021, the company announced it would invest even more money in its North Sioux City factory in South Dakota. This project aims to create 149 new jobs. In the same year, Royal Canin also announced a large investment to expand its factory in Lebanon, Tennessee. This expansion started in 2019.
Company Information
Leadership
Since July 2022, Cécile Coutens has been the new president of Royal Canin. She is the first woman to lead the company.
- 1972-1994: René Gillain
- 1994-2004: Henri Lagarde
- 2004-2007: Alain Guillemin
- 2007-2014: Jean-Christophe Flatin
- 2014-2022: Loïc Moutault
- 2022-present: Cécile Coutens
Royal Canin Foundation
The Royal Canin Foundation was started in 2020. It aims to show how important pets are for people's health and happiness. They work on topics like how dogs can help detect diseases like COVID-19 or cancer. They also support training puppies and helping children with autism. For example, the foundation works with Dogpoint in Spain to help children with autism get assistance dogs. In France, they help a project that provides assistance dogs to victims of crime. In Mexico, the Foundation uses a team of assistance dogs called BREC K-9 to help during natural disasters like earthquakes.
Being Green
In October 2021, Royal Canin said it wants to become "carbon neutral" by 2025. This means they want to balance the carbon they put into the air with the carbon they take out. They started working towards this in 2022.
Royal Canin plans to do this by:
- Using renewable electricity (like solar or wind power).
- Buying ingredients that are grown in a sustainable way.
- Making less waste and reusing more things.
- Changing how they do business to be more climate-friendly.
For any carbon they can't remove, they will invest in projects that take carbon out of the air. Royal Canin checks the carbon footprint of all its raw materials. Around 2020, Royal Canin's factories already used 72% renewable electricity.
Events
Royal Canin organizes events for people in the pet industry. These include the Vet Symposium for vets and vet nurses. They also have the PRO Experts Forum for pet breeders.
In December 2023, Royal Canin started its first international photography contest. It's called the Royal Canin Photography Award (RCPA). The contest celebrates how unique and diverse cats and dogs are through art.
See also
In Spanish: Royal Canin para niños
