All About the Canadian Pet Industry Awards Western Winners!

The Canadian Pet Industry Awards highlight the exceptional work individuals and businesses going the extra mile to provide superior service, educate their clients, and their dedication to the pet industry. PIJAC Canada would like to shine a spotlight on each of our 2020 Western Canada winners, as they share with us a little more about themselves and their business.

 

Independent Retailer – Fairplay Stores (Owner: Christine Nurse)

For 101 years, this Calgary family business has provided for their community, giving back through various pet-related events and fundraisers. In 2019, their centennial year, they initiated a project to give back to pet owners that were compromised and unable to care for their pets and themselves. The Fairplay Street Pet Project gave back to the homeless, veterans, and seniors in need. The Canadian Pet Industry and its customers helped them donate thousands of pounds of food, cans and treats, toys, collars, as well as human hygiene packs. On top of their charitable initiatives, they are very active on their social media platforms to educate their customers, introducing them to various products. Their employees, some working for Fairplay for 25 years have been certified by taking on-line educational programs and taking part in manufacturer representative seminars.

Chain Store – The Bone & Biscuit, Grande Prairie (Owner: Lisa Boe)

For seven years, Lisa Boe and the team at the Grande Prairie The Bone & Biscuit have been going the extra mile by providing their clients with answers and tips on how to better promote the health of their pets. The team also hosts an annual dog wash, partnering with local groomers to wash pets and raise funds for local rescues. An additional event they host to raise funds for these dog rescues is their Dog Carnival, where they have activities, prizes and lots of fun!

Pet Service Provider – Airdrie Puppy Pals (Owner: Nikki Nordick)

Open since 2015, Airdrie Puppy Pals strongly believes in only recommending products that they trust to use on their own fur babies. They know that taking the time to thoroughly explain the ins and outs of proper sizing and fit, the use and consumption of products make all the difference for pet parents. On top of providing exceptional client service, the team takes part in community initiatives such as the National Cupcake bake sale, raising over $8000 with all of their fundraisers for the Canadian Animal Taskforce and Airdrie Food Bank.

Manufacturer Sales Representative – Mitchell Cheng of Canadian Naturals

Mitchell Cheng has been a part of the Canadian Naturals family for 12 years now! In his role as Sales Manager, he educated his clients to help them understand but feel comfortable with the Canadian Naturals brand and their philosophy. He makes himself available through phone calls, emails, store visits, and even seminars or informational events at any time his clients need. To give back to his community, Mitchell enjoys participating in different events and fundraisers, the largest one being Petapalooza. This event allows him to interact with customers and receive feedback and stories. Additionally, the company is always donating pallets of food to their local rescues, charities, events, and fundraisers.

Distributor Sales Representative – Erika Biggar of Pan Pacific

Only one year into her role as Account Manager at Pan Pacific, Erika Biggar has already left her mark amongst her clients. She has been taking the last year as an opportunity to fully immerse herself and learn about customers’ businesses and where they may have gaps in their product offering. By being able to identify where customers are lacking product, Erika can help grow their business and fill a consumer need. As a company, Pan Pacific hosts “Pan Experiences”, where they invite retail partners to their office to provide in-depth training on any product that the retailer may need extra education. “No topic is off the table in order to help partners continue to grow and be successful”, Erika shared. The company also takes part in charitable initiatives, donating food to shelters, and participating in their customers’ events. On her own time, Erika also takes part in the Ride to Conquer Cancer every year, raising money for Childhood Cancer Research.

Congratulations to all of the winners. Thank you for making a difference in our incredible industry! Keep your eye out for the Quebec, Ontario and Maritimes edition of the awards, being launched very soon!