When it comes to quality, trust a Canadian to get it
right. This year Angel Pet Supplies
launched their Elite Collection which was the all-around stand out at National Pet Industry trade show
this year. Winning the New Product
competition, this beautiful collection caught the attention of visitors who voted it top dog of the show.
We spoke with Eran Konorty about Angel Pet Supplies latest industry
offering to get the back story on the company and how these beautiful collars
make it to market.
Can you tell us about how it all began?
Angel Pet Supplies Inc. was founded by myself, Eran Konorty
in April 2006. For as long as I can remember, animals and pets always had a
huge place in my heart. As a child, I would always have some type of pet,
whether it was feeding the neighborhood strays, collecting snakes or tending to
my aquariums. The true and real
inspiration behind the company was my first dog, Angel, a chocolate lab. She
was my best friend for 10 wonderful years. Angel passed away in 2010 due to
cancer. Her legacy continues to grow.
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The idea began to brew after trying to find an esthetically
appealing yet affordable collar for Angel. Wherever I turned, I was either
finding plain, straight cut leather collars or very expensive collars and leads
that just didn’t have the quality behind the high price tag. There were 3 key
moments that got the ball rolling: (1)On one of my many travels, I was in Miami
where I was contemplating purchasing a $60 USD dog collar and an $80 USD leash
for my Lab (at that time the USD was 40% higher than the CAD).....I decided not
to make the purchase at that time. (2)
And then on another trip to Brazil, I walked into a tiny store where I
purchased a beautifully made, wide and durable collar for just $9! I was
thrilled at the find. (3)Lastly, while speaking to my wife on the phone, my
concentration shifted focus to the TV where a news bit on a 15 year old
entrepreneur in Manhattan who designed his own ties had a lineup around the
block to buy his products. At that very moment, all 3 experiences came together
and in an instant my complete business plan was developed in my mind. From then
on, the rest is history.
On your website, you talk about manufacturing products that
are humane, can you explain what is meant by this?
At Angel, our focus has always been to design and
manufacture products that would be comfortable for a dog or cat to wear. I
always ask myself, “What would be most comfortable if I had to wear a
collar”? When first designing dog
collars and leashes, I decided to use a padded leather bottom in order to
cushion the dog’s neck while using the product. This way, even if the dog was
suddenly stopped, there would always be that extra padding to alleviate any
tension. I found that many dog owners would complain that most of the collars
in the market would chafe the dog’s neck or the actual hide would be too stiff
to begin with. For that reason, I also decided to use a soft leather so that it
would never need to be ‘worked- in’, and would be comfortable from the first wear.
Similarly, we also decided to use the same padding on the handle of most of our
leashes to provide the same comfortable feeling on the hands of the people
walking the dogs.
Another humane product we sell are our Miami wire cage
muzzles and Boston leather cage muzzles. For reasons such as eating disorders,
post- operation, aggression, etc., I truly feel that if a dog needs to be
muzzled, there is nothing more comfortable and safe than our muzzles.
Does all production happen out of your Toronto location?
Angel Pet Supplies in based in Toronto, Canada. All of our
production is in India and Belarus. I personally travel overseas every year to
our factory to ensure that the products, work force and strict quality checks
are all enforced and met. Without divulging any secrets, Angel’s success has
been the implementation and training of key craftsmen, management and daily
overseas interactions to ensure quality production.
What sparked the idea for a collection like this and when
did it hit the store shelves?
We decided to develop a “higher end” collection,
manufactured by high quality raw materials. There was an ever- growing demand
from our customers and beyond, for something more unique, durable and
extensive, yet still bearing the price in mind. Many larger breed dog owners
were also looking for unique designs that would cater to their stronger dogs.
We invested more into the materials and assigned craftsmen to help make our
designs come to life; create something that the industry had not seen to date.
The Angel Elite Collection was first displayed at the Global
Pet and Superzoo earlier this year. The response was beyond our expectations.
We had never received such a large number of pre- orders for a
product....ever. Since the launch, we
have made the product available throughout North America, Europe and Asia.
Since production time is much longer than usual due to the extensive work all
done by hand, we are in constant and rising production mode to meet the demands of
our existing and new customers.
The overall response has been like nothing before. It’s not
just appreciation for the work that goes into these products, but the ranting
and raving as well. We were anticipating good sales through our initial
response, yet still found ourselves raising production levels to meet the
demand.
With such a positive reaction, can you tell us what your
plan are for the future?
The plan is to expand the Elite collection into new and
exciting designs. We are currently working on those and plan on launching them
strategically throughout the year. We want to ensure that our retailers and
their customers alike are always refreshed by new designs and forward thinking
innovations.
Congratulations to Eran and his entire team here and abroad
for producing this winning product!
La conférence Internet d’hier qui portait sur le 2e plus grand marché de l’industrie des animaux de compagnie au monde était une invitation à s’intéresser à ce géant émergeant. Le délégué commercial du Canada au Brésil, Marcio Francesquine a présenté un résumé aux membres de notre groupe, expliquant les bénéfices et les défis liés aux affaires dans ce pays. Le Brésil offre de nombreuses opportunités aux exportateurs canadiens.
Barry contacted PIJAC Canada
earlier this year to discuss the potential bylaw change. We
provided Mr. Lutzer with the information he needed and immediately made contact
with the city offering resources and connections with other municipalities who
have addressed this issue. Advocacy can be a grueling job but it’s one we
thrive on as it gives us the opportunity to help our members, the animals in
their care and also work with municipalities and animal agencies. We tip
our hats to Niagara Pet Corner for their dedication and speaking on behalf of
reputable pet retailers.
Barry a contacté PIJAC Canada, au début de cette
année, pour discuter d’un changement potentiel du règlement antérieur. Nous
avons donné toutes les informations désirées à M. Lutzer et avons immédiatement
contacté la ville pour offrir des ressources et des contacts avec d’autres
municipalités qui ont rencontré le même problème. Le plaidoyer peut être un dur
travail mais nous nous y appliquons car il nous permet d’aider nos membres, de
prendre soin des animaux et de travailler en collaboration avec les
municipalités et le agences animalières. Nous levons notre chapeau à Niagara Pet Corner pour son dévouement
et pour avoir parlé au nom des boutiques animalières de bonne réputation.
Informez-vous au sujet du:
In anticipation of a future Canadian trade mission to Brazil Marcio
Francesquine, Trade commissioner at the Consulate General of Canada in Brazil,
has organized a webinar for us on Wednesday November 26 at Noon (Eastern
Time) with the participation of the Brazilian Pet Institute.
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