New Food Range

Re: New Food Range

Bob Russell — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 11:31:33 GMT

I am not sure it is the pharmacies that bother me as much as manufacturers and wholesalers that supply them on terms that even buying groups cannot get close to.

Anyone seen the new Veterinarian approved Tesco own brand 'Latham' branded 'veterinary diet'? Logo looks like Hills, name like Pedigree's veterinary division and as far as I can tell endorsed by one vet!!! I suppose this is technically one veterinarian approved.

Tesco are clearly trying to get into this market as well.

Re: New Food Range

plantagenet — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 12:49:33 GMT

How I loath internet pharmacies!

They are parasitic, they could not function without us but, oh boy, could we function without them.

Re: New Food Range

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 23:50:31 GMT

I use Virbac vaccine................ but I don't flog pet food.

Now what am I going to do?

Re: New Food Range

Bob Russell — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 15:55:20 GMT

[quote user="Alan Tevendale"]

Not that I know exactly what the selection criteria are but what is to stop a practice that also runs a pharmacy stocking a small quantitiy of vaccine then selling huge volumes of food?

[/quote]

None at all!

I think you have to use Virbac vaccines, have bricks and mortar premises (see email!) and perhaps be a nicer person than I am. All good, sound selection criteria, I am sure!

Re: New Food Range

Alan Tevendale — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 15:52:50 GMT

Not that I know exactly what the selection criteria are but what is to stop a practice that also runs a pharmacy stocking a small quantitiy of vaccine then selling huge volumes of food?

Re: New Food Range

Bob Russell — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 15:44:28 GMT

I agree it is a good idea and that was why we were so interested. The 'irritation' is that to supply it you have to use their vaccines!

I fail to see how stockists should be based on whether a practice uses a completely unrelated set of products. When Royal Canin products first came along we got the line that it was going to be veterinary exclusive and restricted to certain 'selected' practices. It is very clear where that went!!!

Re: New Food Range

Tim Mainland — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 15:10:51 GMT

Bob I've not spoken to Virbac, but reading between the lines it seems that if they sell it openly via wholesalers to the vet profession, then internet pharmacies will also access it and sell at tiny margins. Like so many other products. By having a chosen selection criteria and direct distribution they can keep it as a restricted product. I think its quite a good idea personally. Each to their own, and it adds a bit of variety to an increasingly bland and inflexible marketplace.

Re: New Food Range

Bob Russell — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 14:25:14 GMT

[quote user="robloxley"]

Making it difficult to buy is hardly going to drive uptake!

[/quote]

The discussion has gone as follows!!

Subject: Virbac Pet Food Meeting- Cancellation
Importance: High

Dear Bob & Mairi,

We regret to inform you that our selective distribution policy has a number of pre-qualifying criteria that need to be met before we agree customer access to our vet exclusive pet food range.

I understand that you have recently decided to move away from Virbac vaccines and unfortunately this is one of our key criteria for all clinics, without exception.

Therefore at this stage, we will not be able to present our pet food range at the meeting booked for 29th July (11am).

Should your future purchase circumstances change regarding vaccines, please feel free to get back in contact with us.

My apologies for any inconvenience caused. If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best Regards,

Thank you. Petty and confirms my decision to stop using Virbac products. As we turn over in excess of £XXK of pet food annually it will be more your loss than ours!

Bob

Hi Bob,

It is important that you appreciate that this is a business decision, based purely on our exclusive 'pro-veterinary' approach with our pet food... and absolutely nothing to do with anything personal or "petty"....

The selection criteria are present to effectively allow only brick and mortar vet clinics to participate, and take advantage of, a truly vet clinic only product range (please feel free to Google Vet Complex and you will see that is confirmed!).

Internet Pharmacy are driving the growth and sales of all pet food products within all veterinary products- with exception of ours. I have worked within pet food for a large number of years and can see the erosion of share within vet clinics- our policy is designed to readdress this imbalance.

We do want to support vet clinics and as stated previously we would be happy to discuss our pet food with you in the event that you decide to meet the qualifying criteria we have in place.

Virbac remain committed to supporting vet clinics and we look forward to working with you within other opportunities.

Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any further questions.

Hi XXXXXXXX

No offence taken!

We have decided to change vaccines purely on the basis that the side effects issue with the kennel cough vaccine was handled in a totally inept manner. In 25 years in practice I have never seen such an amateur approach to dealing with such side effects!

Would you please confirm that an adverse reaction form has been submitted to the VMD? If not I will complete one and send it to them directly.

As I said in my previous email we purchase approximately £XXK of XXXXXXX diets each year so it will be Virbac that lose much more than us. I reiterate my views that it is petty to ignore a good business possibility based on whether a practice uses your vaccines.

I am sure that should the food become available more widely to vets we will take this into account when we decide if we are going to stock Virbac products.

Bob

Dear Bob,

With respect, I am not convinced you appreciate that our entire pet food go-to-market strategy is based on our selective distribution policy- to effectively allow vets to retain their customers once they have made a recommendation. If you were selling significantly more, our decision would be the same.

This criteria MUST be enforced rigorously in order to support our pro-veterinary approach.

Whilst £XXk of business is admirable, against the long-term brand strategy I think you can understand that this is not a significant consideration in any shape or form.

Our long-term policy will not change, this range will not be made available to vets more widely.

I have noted & forwarded your Adverse Reaction query to our Technical Department, unfortunately XXXXXXXX our Pharmacovigilance QP is not in his office today.

Fair enough!

Bob

It must be bl**dy good food for them to select which practice is allowed to stock it!!

Re: New Food Range

Rob Loxley — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 13:47:20 GMT

Making it difficult to buy is hardly going to drive uptake!

Re: New Food Range

Bob Russell — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 18:01:13 GMT

Apparently it will be supplied direct to practices via DHL and not through any other route! Strange.

Re: New Food Range

Mark Holmes — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 17:56:07 GMT

Sounds like an odd idea to me, why would a vaccine and drugs manufacturer have the facilities, expertise and infrastructure to develop and deliver food better than a those companies currently present in the market?