A PREMIUM PRODUCT: WHAT IS IT?

Today, this appellation becomes synonym of top range product ; by "premium", it is insinuated that the product represents the best in its category. Some do not hesitate to speak even about "super premium". However, one must be aware that each manufacturer does not have the same "excellence criterions" to qualify its products. For example, a premium canned food does not have the same characteristics than a premium dry food ; the can will be mainly judged in terms of palatability and aspect of the product ("cosmetics"), rather than in nutritional terms.

For Royal Canin, un dryfood premium must guarantee all the following qualities listed above.

- Premium = complete food

All the undispensable nutrients for the dog or the cat are present, except water. If the premium represents only a part of the daily food, it is not supposed to produce the same nutritional result as it would if fed exclusively.

- Premium = highly palatable food

The best product does not worth anything if it is not consumed. For dogs and cats, the palatability criterions are mainly: the odour, the taste, and the consistance of the food. But their respective preferences are different: a dogfood is different from a catfood. Palatability is the result of the ingredients quality, the coating composition (fats, aroma), the type of cooking, and the conditioning (quality of the packaging, controlled atrmosphere).

- Premium = highly digestible food

A maximal assimilation of all the undispensable nutrients must be guaranteed. This for several reasons:

- answering to important nutritional requirements, as during growth, reproduction, physical activity…

- limiting the risk of digestive troubles (constipation, diarrhea, flatulences…) in sensitive dogs ; - decreasing the amount of stools produced, important aspect for the breeder comfort and for the urban environment: with RCCI, a dog produces half-stools than with a Selection product, 2/3 less than with a Voyou product.

This high-digestibility is obtained through the using purified cereal meals (without fiber in excess), animal proteins instead of vegetable proteins, and thanks to industrial process that respect the initial qualities of the ingredients.

- Premium = improvement of the hair quality

This fact becomes rapidly obvious during the transition from a standard food to a premium one.

- Premium = optimal answer to specific nutritional requirements

The ideal food for the whole canine / feline population does not exist. A premium is designed according to the age, the physiological state, the activity of the animal… So, a premium normally belongs to a global petfood range as complete as possible.

- Premium = fixed association of the best ingredients available

The choice of the best ingredients automatically leads to a price difference (+ 20 to 50 %) compared to a standard food.

Conclusion

A premium food must offer a maximal using utilization security to the animal's owner. This is why it is generally advised by professionals, breeders and/ore veterinarians who can check the efficiency of these products daily.

Donated by the Borg Cardona and Co. Ltd. visit Borg Cardona website