About
With his vast knowledge and experience in different aspects of animal, nutritional, and health research and product development for almost 30 years, Dr. Khanal was starting to think going on his own from his then high paying mid executive position with a private label pet food manufacturer. He had formulated certain ideas, developed some foundations as to how he could contribute and help pet nutrition and health, and discussed them within his close circles to check their interests in partnering with. Although he was certain of the unique opportunity and willing to take the risk by leaving such a high paying job, finding a suitable partner turned a bit tough.
Seeing not much interest from his close circles, Dr. Khanal talked to Jerry Bruch, a high end head hunter who recruited and convinced him to relocate, to find him a new position, while still searching for an appropriate partner along the way. Jerry was kind of perplexed but agreed to find a suitable opportunity. With that backdrop, the two talked further and discussed many other things such as politics and sports beside the job opportunities and became fast friends. One of those ideas was about the pet food business Dr. Khanal had been thinking and planning on launching. Though he had technical and scientific knowhow, he was never in business before. However, he didn’t realize that Jerry was just the opposite in that regard who had never held a position in any company but only running businesses throughout his life. Several of those businesses involved supplying to the largest chain stores, such as Costco, Dollar Tree, TJMaxx, etc. as well as partnering with and acquiring licenses from NFL, Pepsi, Budweiser, Underdog, Iron Chef, Miller Lite, Hershey’s, etc. among others. Intrigued by their strengths, the two discussed, researched, and explored further and further about the potential for a pet food and nutrition business that had Ramesh's technical knowhow and Jerry's business experience eventually giving birth to SFP Group. Incidentally, several of the products he sold to the chain stores like Costco, Dollar Tree, TJMaxx and many other well known retailers had pet product departments, while his partnership with popular cooking show Iron Chef America was in partnership with VitaminSpice for launching microencapsulated vitamins in blended seasoning packs.
Within a few short months, www.sfppetfoods.com was launched as a business to business venture. Realizing the potential, they soon embarked on the retail side (www.Science4Pets.com) by launching several new, wholesome, and microencapsulated vitamin and mineral products with the core objective of providing the unparalleled pet food, treats, and supplements that no one else in the market has. Of less than 200 new products launched in the first quarter of 2020 (per Tim Wall, www.petfoodindustry.com), almost 10% are from SFP Group, its retail side contributing the most. We are excited and we hope and expect to quench the thirst for health invigorating pet food products as sought and demanded by the modern, highly knowledgeable pet owners.
Improving the health, vigor, vitality and wellbeing of your pets - who can't talk themselves - with the most natural foods, supplements, microencapsulated vitamins, treats, and other specialty products that are designed and formulated based on real science using high quality non-China ingredients, so your furry friends are well protected and can live a little longer and a little more energetically.
a. Principal Pet Nutritionist and Scientific Director: Dr. Ramesh Khanal, PhD, PAS, Dipl. (ACAN)
Our Principal Pet Nutritionist and Scientific Director Dr. Ramesh C. Khanal had found his keen interest in animal and nutritional sciences early in his life and received his Ph.D. in Animal Nutrition from Utah State University in 2004. Both his undergraduate degree from Nepal and M.Phil. degree from Sri Lanka were also in animal and nutritional sciences. Later, he obtained his Diplomate certification in Animal Nutrition from the American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists in 2006. Since graduating with a degree in animal science, he has been extensively involved in animal and nutritional research, product development and manufacturing, ration formulation, technical support, QA, customer service, and such for almost 30 years. Currently, he lives in Lancaster, PA with his family.
After moving to the United States in 2001 for his doctoral degrees, Dr. Khanal built a highly successful career in animal and nutritional sciences wherever he went. Initially, he was extensively involved in nutritional and health research and published close to 50 peer reviewed original research and review articles in high impact journals that have garnered >2,200 total citations and an h-Index of 24 despite leaving the academia almost a decade ago. Additionally, he has authored several book chapters and presented his findings in many professional meetings and symposia. Most of those publications and citation history can be found by visiting Google Scholar.
Dr. Khanal is a highly accomplished pet nutritionist that has developed formulas not only of pet foods, treats, and mineral and vitamin premixes, but also a wide variety of other species of commercial livestock, laboratory animals, non-human primates, as well as zoo animals, aquatic species, birds and reptiles to name. While at Envigo, he developed close to a thousand laboratory research diets for various purposes, primarily related to improving human health, while also providing technical support to sales team and marketing initiatives. His specialty in addition to creating new products is to revamp existing lines of pet treats and supplements as well as to resolve issues related to quality, texture, and appearance of products. Such formulations are related to both mass production as well as niche and high end markets. Many pet foods, treats, and supplement formulas that he designed and helped launch are found in major pet food retailers, including Walmart, PetSmart, Chewy, PetValue, etc. among others, while also being exported to Europe, Asia, and South America.
Dr. Khanal has a thorough knowledge of nutrient requirements of basically all species of livestock, pets, laboratory research animals, as well as many other animals. He also has an extensive knowledge about the availability and characteristics of individual ingredients as well as their alternatives, nutrient profiles and their characteristics, market situation, new trends etc. as well as AAFCO nutritional, ingredient, and labeling guidelines, among others. Such a vast knowledge and experience can be utilized directly for your benefit in whichever way you deem necessary.
You can just say a hello to Dr. Khanal by calling him at 501-626-2863 or dropping an email Ramesh.Khanal@science4pets.com
Dr. Nar Kaji Gurung (PhD, PAS, Dipl. ACAN)
Dr. Nar Kaji Gurung completed his Bachelor of Agricultural Sciences from Punjab Agricultural University, Punjab, India; Master of Science in Animal Nutrition from University of Melbourne, Australia and his PhD in Animal Nutrition from Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA.
Consulting Pet Nutritionist Dr. Ish Acharya
Dr. Acharya obtained his Ph.D. in Animal Nutrition from South Dakota State University in 2016. Originally from Nepal, he obtained his undergraduate degree from the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Tribhuvan University, Nepal, while obtaining a master's degree, also in animal science, from the same university. He joined Nepal Agricultural Research Council as an animal scientist and focused his research on animal feed quality for several years before coming to the United States for pursuing his graduate studies, a second master's degree as well as doctoral degree, which he completed under the direction of Distinguished Professor Emeritus Dr. David J. Schingoethe.
He won the prestigious Dairy Farmers of America Cares Scholarship in 2016. As a graduate student, he was also awarded with several other student research awards, such as 2014 Ceres Trust Graduate Student Research Competition Fund ($10,000), first place in SDSU Sigma Xi Ph.D. Research Proposal Competition (2013), second place in SDSU Sigma Xi M.S. Research Proposal Competition (2012), as well as several others before joining SDSU. Currently, he is the director of research and product development at a renown dairy feed company in the mid-west.
That mission is implemented with four keystones in each corner for providing your pets the love and protection it needs to live a healthy and energetic life. The four keystones we have identified are, a. Designing and formulating pet foods, treats, supplements, and premixes based on real nutrition, real science, b. Using minimally processed food components and ingredients of the highest quality found anywhere that absolutely have no ingredients from Chinese manufacturers, c. Primary use of microencapsulated vitamins in the relevant and appropriate products, and d. Attentive listening to customer concerns and providing access to the Ph.D. nutritionists for any questions and customers they may have with our unparalleled customer engagement through QA sessions, photo contests, webinars, etc. among others.
Given the extreme complexity and so many uncertainties of the pet food business about the nutrients, ingredients, country of origin, quality control, and manufacturing practices, we here at www.Science4Pets.com go over and beyond. Right from designing a complex formula to creating its label, for instance, needs profound knowledge about the ingredients as well as right alternatives, their detailed nutrient profile, country of origin, GMO status, appropriate software as well as AAFCO, NRC, USDA, FDA and other nutritional and regulatory guidelines about a specific product, ingredient, or the complete pet foods, treats or supplements.
Although this may be achieved by having a highly accomplished pet nutritionist on staff, it usually involves a considerable financial issue, particularly for small and medium size pet food companies, given his/her salary and benefits would easily run between $100-200 k per year. As a result, you won't find any other small or even medium size pet food companies employing such high caliber scientists nor do you have much of an access to them. Instead, our loyal customers can draw from the knowledge and expertise our highly accomplished scientists have by offering their pets the best of the foods, supplements, treats, and premixes we have brought to the market, while actively engaging with us about their questions, concerns, and interests related to pet food and nutrition.