Freshpet Media Contact: Aljolynn Sperber 310-­‐994-­‐7380

Petco Media Contact: Mia West mwest@west-­‐pr.com 619-­‐501-­‐2756

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PETCO™ LEADS THE PACK WITH FRESHPET

Petco is the First to Offer Fresh Refrigerated Pet Food Nationally in Response to the Fastest Growing Pet Food Category

SAN DIEGO, CA (May 2012) – First Lady, Michelle Obama, has made her message clear that fresh food tastes better and is better for you, so kids and grown-­‐ups alike should eat more of it. Most can agree that eating fresh food is key to optimal health and according to recent research, pet parents seem to be moving towards this trend for their pets too, as fresh is the number one fastest growing pet food segment. In response to this movement, Petco™, a leading pet specialty retailer with more than 1,100 stores, announces today that it will be the

first national retailer to offer Freshpet, the only fresh, all natural pet food company in the United States, nationwide.

“We want to provide pet parents with products that reflect their families changing lifestyles, and we’ve seen that eating fresh, less processed food is a big trend for both people and their pets,” says Brad Weston, Petco EVP and Chief Merchant. “Fresh is another option in healthy pet nutrition, and we want to make sure pet parents seeking fresh food solutions can find them in our stores.”

Freshpet believes in the benefits fresh, wholesome food can provide and has created recipes that help promote a healthier, more active lifestyle for dogs and cats.

All Freshpet foods are:

·∙ Meat-­‐based with vitamin-­‐rich fruits and vegetables

·∙ Refrigerated for freshness, just like fresh human foods

·∙ All natural, with NO preservatives

·∙ Free of corn, wheat, by-­‐products or fillers

Freshpet CEO Richard Thompson adds, “Fresh is the fastest growing segment in the pet food category, and for good reason, people are starting to understand that pets benefit from eating fresh foods just like we do. We’re thrilled to be leading the fresh trend together with Petco.”

Petco and Unleashed by Petco™ stores will carry a wide variety of Freshpet meals and treats in their Natural Shop in an open-­‐air refrigerator, much like the refrigerator you find in the fresh dairy and meat sections of food stores.

About Freshpet

Freshpet, headquartered in Secaucus, New Jersey, is the only company providing fresh, all natural dog and cat food nationwide. Founded in 2006 by pet lovers and pet food industry professionals, Freshpet identified an opportunity to improve the pet food market and introduced fresh dog and cat food as a healthy alternative to dry and canned food. Freshpet only uses the highest quality meats, poultry and fish combined with fresh vegetables and fruits—with no artificial preservatives or fillers like corn, wheat or by-­‐products. Nutrient-­‐rich meals allow pets to have the same healthy eating habits as their owners. Freshpet is also a good alternative to raw dog food and homemade dog food diets.

Freshpet brands include Deli Fresh™, Vital™, and Dog Nation™, available at select pet specialty stores. For more information on Freshpet foods, please visit www.Freshpet.com.

About Petco

Petco is a leading pet specialty retailer that provides the products, services and advice that make it easier for our customers to be great pet parents. Everything we do is guided by our vision for Healthier Pets. Happier People. Better World. We operate more than 1,100 stores nationwide, including more than 30 Unleashed by Petco locations, a smaller format neighborhood shop, and www.petco.com. The Petco Foundation, an independent nonprofit organization, has raised more than $90 million since it was created in 1999 to help promote and improve the welfare of companion animals. In conjunction with the Foundation, we work with and support approximately 7,500 local animal welfare groups across the country to help find homes for more than 250,000 animals through in-­‐store adoption events every year.

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