Dog Community

Solid Gold IS manufactured in Diamond plant...

Posted : 4/11/2006 12:07:02 PM

I just received this email from a Solid Gold rep...

Thank you for your inquiry,
Diamond makes our food in their Meta, MO and Lathrop, CA plants, not in the
South Carolina plant where the Aflatoxin issue happened. They manufacture to
our specifications and quality standards and the food is tested thoroughly
before and after processing to ensure quality and safety.
The food is tested before and after manufacture by Diamond and by Solid Gold
independently.
Many dog food companies will employ a third party to manufacture their food
as it is cost prohibitive for small companies such as ours to own and
operate a mill.

Best regards,
Solid Gold

**As I have stated in a previous post, I'm not saying that this should stop
you from buying SG products or other products produced in a Diamond plant, but what is the DEAL w/ Diamond making everyone
else's food?!?!

sooner

Posted : 4/11/2006 12:59:44 PM

It's nice to see an informative, straightforward answer.

sandra_slayton

Posted : 4/11/2006 1:07:41 PM

I wonder just how many brands are made in their plants? Another thing comes to mine. How many that claim their food is made in plants with certain certs actually have thier food made in Diamond plants---plants that does not claim to have those certs.

I think this holds true for human food as well. I have often read that many stores that carry their own brand do not have their own plant and the foods are actually made in brand name plants--say their cans green beans and corn are made in Del Monte plant, their green peas and beets are made in Green Giant plant, the soups are made in Campbell plants. One thing is clear these days--noboby knows for sure if they can believe or trust any compnay with products to sell.

Susan

Posted : 4/11/2006 3:01:06 PM

I belong to a couple of groups on Yahoo and learned that Natural Balance is also manufactured by Diamond. I already knew Solid Gold was.

I do find it odd though that they say Diamond inspects the food to assure quality and safety. Now why would they do this for brands they're manufacturing and not their own ?? We already know by the FDA reports that they were approving shipments of grains that didn't even meet their own quality standards for safety.

The more I hear and read, the more I think RAW and homecooked is the way to go.

Shelley75

Posted : 4/11/2006 3:09:45 PM

This makes me nervous. I feed both solid gold and natural balance to my dog. I feed natural balance wet and solid gold dry. A couple of times I saw what looked to be like different kibble in my solid gold holistique blendz bag. I wish I could feed my dog homecooked, but it's just too expensive. I just hope my dog is getting the quality and the ingredients that the labels say.

Berner_girl

Posted : 4/11/2006 3:14:59 PM

Being manufactured in the same plant and being manufactured by the company that owns the plant are not necessarily the same thing. The cost of building, owning, and maintaining a plant is too great for smaller companies like Solid Gold or Natural Balance, so they contract space at the plants of larger food companies like Diamond. The Diamond company leases them the space, but does not actually *make* the product.

This is all from my understanding. [sm=2cents.gif]

jamcony

Posted : 4/11/2006 3:55:15 PM

It would be a shame if people stopped using certain foods that are manuafactured in other than the brand name plants. However if anyone feels that uncomfortable feeding a food not manufactured by the company brand, there are many high quality foods manufactured in-house...Natura and Eagle Pack for example.

willowchow

Posted : 4/11/2006 4:31:41 PM

Is it the same situation if it's canned??

Does anyone know about Wellness??

kennel_keeper

Posted : 4/11/2006 5:19:02 PM

Doggi2,

My understanding is that any contract for the manufacture of any product INCLUDES the wages of the workers in said plant who does the actual production. It's basically piece work. In this case, Diamond has the contract with these companies, pays their workers, and their other expenses incurred. All these costs are then passed on to the "customer" through the production costs. The contractor (Solid Gold or Natural Balance, etc) provides the formula's and has the ingredients shipped to the plant for production, BUT it's Diamonds people, equipment, and facilities that actually produce, bag, and in some cases, ship it to the distributors.

I highly doubt that a facility would allow inexperienced operators to come in and operate their equipment. Not to mention, the insurance reg's.

Julie Beveridge

Posted : 4/11/2006 5:28:13 PM

Diamond makes our food

This states that Diamond manufactures the Solid Gold line of foods....not that they send their ingredients, this is not like borrowing a kitchen to make a pie.

Seems fishy to me.

loveukaykay

Posted : 4/11/2006 6:24:52 PM

I dont know about Wellness, but Minnie gets 1 can a day mixed with sardines, and thats it, because it only has 4% fat and shes on a diet.

losinsusan

Posted : 4/11/2006 7:43:10 PM

I know how poorly most here feel about Purina, but I should comment that when you have a huge manufacturer making products, the quality control issues are without question. They have never had any problems with their grains. Ever! They inspect every grain they use and you know they do use plenty of them. There is something to be said for dealing with a large company. So many smaller upstart food companies do exactly what your reading now. They use their formulas but have someone else making them. So they can't control quality or testing one hundred percent. Seems to me like dogs are the quality control testers and that is totally not exceptable to me.

ron2

Posted : 4/11/2006 8:08:11 PM

Don't forget my lowly, mid-grade, grainy Nutro, made at it's own plant in California since 1926. And the formula and production is presided over by a doctor, rather than an accountant. I have yet to read any news of a quality control problem. And they most specifically state that they are not affiliated with Diamond nor is any of their food made by Diamond. They also outline their qc criteria for the consumer to see.

dyan

Posted : 4/11/2006 9:17:03 PM

The food is tested before and after manufacture by Diamond and by Solid Gold
independently

I think this statement is key! Tested by both.

Diamond is a huge company, we are seeing first hand now just how huge. So in the end who knows how many brands they are manufacturing.     I do think the chances for error are higher in such a large company but I have to believe after what just happened EVERYONE will be on their toes!
I know that Eagle Pack makes their own food. BilJac is made right here not too far from where I live,,not that anyone likes BilJac.

sandra_slayton

Posted : 4/11/2006 9:53:59 PM

I swear Dyan, it looks Bubby is doing something on the computer, turned to you and is saying "And just what do you think of THIS.?" Just love it. Did you ever see the picture of Ike, the Dane that was killed by PH6? Looks a lot like your Bubby. he was from here in Texas also, up near where i grew up just out of Tyler. His picture and story is on the dogsadversereaction site.