SHEBA® Entrees For Cats Makes Sustainability A Priority By Launching Responsibly-Sourced Fish Products In The United States

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- SHEBA^® Entrées for Cats, a Mars Petcare brand, announced today that it will offer responsibly-sourced fish entrées in the U.S. This is an important first step in reaching the Mars Petcare global commitment to use only sustainably-sourced fish by 2020. 

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Following the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch^® program sourcing recommendations, which are science-based, peer reviewed and use ecosystem-based criteria, SHEBA Entrées will use only farmed or wild-caught fish from environmentally responsible sources.

Kicking off the brand's sustainability journey, SHEBA currently offers five varieties of responsibly-sourced whitefish, tuna and seafood options, and by the end of 2013, all the SHEBA recipes—including salmon—will meet the Seafood Watch recommendations.

"As the world's leading pet care company, we understand the importance of our ingredient-sourcing choices and how they can make a positive impact on the environment," said Tina Garcia, marketing services director, Mars Petcare US. "By using responsibly-sourced fish for our SHEBA Entrées, we have made it easy for pet owners to shop with confidence and to reward the most environmentally responsible fishing practices."

This is the latest milestone in the company's long-term sustainability journey. In March 2010, the global petcare segment of Mars made a commitment to use only sustainably-sourced fish by 2020. As global fish stocks continue to decline, the company aims to achieve the following milestones across its entire pet care portfolio by 2020:

• Only using fish from 100 percent sustainable wild catch and sustainable aquaculture sources.
• Replacing all wild catch whole fish and fish fillet with sustainable fish by-products and sustainable aquaculture.
• Only using sustainable alternatives to marine fish ingredients.

"We are pleased to see SHEBA taking a leadership role in protecting the world's oceans," said Seafood Watch Director, Jennifer Dianto Kemmerly. "By offering responsibly-sourced fish entrées, the brand is demonstrating a genuine commitment to supporting healthy and diverse ecosystems."

Oceans are still under global threat as issues such as an increased demand for seafood, unsustainable fishing, and fish-farming practices threaten fragile ecosystems. Mars Petcare and the SHEBA brand are making it a priority to have a positive impact on the protection of the world's oceans and act as a catalyst for the market by working with organizations like Monterey Bay Aquarium.

This announcement is a part of Mars, Incorporated's broader responsible sourcing program that includes commitments on the sourcing of raw materials and due diligence processes with all suppliers.

About SHEBA Entrées for Cats
SHEBA® Entrées for cats allows cat lovers to confidently express, share and live out the many passions in their lives, including their love for their cat. SHEBA® brand offers irresistibly satisfying varieties to choose from and has launched recipes made with responsibly-sourced fish following the recommendations established by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch® Program. All SHEBA® Entrées are made with real beef, poultry or fish for an irresistible taste cats love. For more information, visit www.sheba.com

About Mars Petcare US
Mars Petcare US is the U.S. operations of the world's largest petcare company at the privately-held Mars, Incorporated. Mars Petcare US produces some of the world's most beloved pet care brands, including PEDIGREE® Food for Dogs, CESAR® Canine Cuisine, SHEBA® Food for Cats, WHISKAS® Food for Cats, THE GOODLIFE RECIPE® Brand, and TEMPTATIONS® Treats for Cats, as well as exclusive brands products for some of the leading retailers in the U.S. Headquartered in Franklin, Tenn., more than 2,400 Mars Petcare US associates make, sell and distribute its high-quality pet food from 15 manufacturing facilities located in communities across the U.S. For more information, please visit www.mars.com.

About Monterey Bay Aquarium
The mission of the Monterey Bay Aquarium is to inspire conservation of the oceans. Seafood Watch®, a program of the Aquarium, engages and empowers consumers and businesses to purchase seafood that is fished or farmed in ways that minimize their impact on the environment or are in a credible improvement project with the same goal. The program launched in 1999 continues to research and evaluate the sustainability of fisheries and aquaculture operations worldwide. The resulting seafood recommendations are shared with the public, businesses and other interested parties in several forms, including pocket guides, smartphone apps and online at www.seafoodwatch.org.

Seafood Watch is part of a broader sustainable seafood movement working to ultimately transform the seafood marketplace in favor of environmentally sustainable fisheries and aquaculture operations. They believe that leveraging market forces is a powerful and effective strategy in driving ocean conservation, ultimately helping to sustain wild, diverse and healthy ocean ecosystems that can exist long into the future.

®/™ Trademarks © Mars Incorporated 2013. Other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Mars Petcare US