Petco Acquired Drs Foster and Smith

[miami dolfan]

Drs. Foster and Smith was founded in 1983 by a group of four veterinary clinics wanting to help pets live healthier lives, and its annual revenue is estimated to be $250 million. Petco boasted about $3.3 billion in sales for 2013.

 

[jrhunter0000]

I really expect petco to step its game up now.

 

[acroholic]

I would not expect to see much difference in the day to day operations of F&S. Petco is a behemoth compared to F&S. I would look on it like the way Fiat owns Ferrari. Fiat is a mass producer of cars, but Ferrari is unique and special and highly respected in the automobile landscape, like F&S is in the pet supply/online livestock business. Outside of the online part of it, the coral/fish aspect is like a jewel in the crown.

You can bet that Petco wants F&S more for the dog/cat online presence than anything else. They have no need for the F&S marine fish or coral aspect of it. They already have an online fish and drygoods supply business as it is.

 

[dawgface]

Acroholic;997495 wrote: I would not expect to see much difference in the day to day operations of F&S. Petco is a behemoth compared to F&S. I would look on it like the way Fiat owns Ferrari. Fiat is a mass producer of cars, but Ferrari is unique and special and highly respected in the automobile landscape, like F&S is in the pet supply/online livestock business. Outside of the online part of it, the coral/fish aspect is like a jewel in the crown.

You can bet that Petco wants F&S more for the dog/cat online presence than anything else. They have no need for the F&S marine fish or coral aspect of it. They already have an online fish and drygoods supply business as it is.

Exactly. F&S have their owned, Vet created line of large animal pet care and medicine.

With Petco's recent image adjustment and PR campaign geared towards the "family" pet. I think they are hoping to be the pharmacy for home animals. Pushing even more the quality of care options at their organisation.
Not only from a profit standpoint but also that image just does not give any real clear pathways of what we would want to see from them.

 

[ppartha5]

Found this note in Reef2Reef.

Greetings,
I would like to take a moment to respond and address some concerns posted in this thread.

Dr. Race Foster and Dr. Marty Smith have worked incredibly hard over the last 31 years, to build an incredibly successful business, which revolves around education, pet heath, and responsible pet ownership. The Petco mission is elevating the lives of animals and enhancing the connection people have with their pets, with a commitment to the highest standards of social responsibility, while continually striving to make things better for pets, people and the planet. Understanding each company’s mission and goals are very similar, we feel this partnership and synergy is going to be beneficial to animals, pet owners, and aquarium hobbyists and enthusiasts alike.

I can assure everyone, my personal mission as the LiveAquaria Director is to take LiveAquaria.com to an even higher level than ever before. The continued expansion of our Aquaculture Coral and Marine Life facility in Rhinelander Wisconsin, home of the LiveAquaria.com Divers Den®, allows us to offer an even greater assortment of quality aquatic life shipped direct to your door.

Rest assured, Dr. Race Foster and I are not going anywhere, and will continue to operate Drs. Foster and Smith pet supplies and LiveAquaria.com as it's business as usual. Both Race and I are incredibly excited for the future and what lies ahead.

Kindest Regards,
Kevin Kohen
Director of LiveAquaria
Drs. Foster and Smith

 

[redstang]

ppartha5;997524 wrote: Found this note in Reef2Reef.

Greetings,
I would like to take a moment to respond and address some concerns posted in this thread.

Dr. Race Foster and Dr. Marty Smith have worked incredibly hard over the last 31 years, to build an incredibly successful business, which revolves around education, pet heath, and responsible pet ownership. The Petco mission is elevating the lives of animals and enhancing the connection people have with their pets, with a commitment to the highest standards of social responsibility, while continually striving to make things better for pets, people and the planet. Understanding each company’s mission and goals are very similar, we feel this partnership and synergy is going to be beneficial to animals, pet owners, and aquarium hobbyists and enthusiasts alike.

I can assure everyone, my personal mission as the LiveAquaria Director is to take LiveAquaria.com to an even higher level than ever before. The continued expansion of our Aquaculture Coral and Marine Life facility in Rhinelander Wisconsin, home of the LiveAquaria.com Divers Den®, allows us to offer an even greater assortment of quality aquatic life shipped direct to your door.

Rest assured, Dr. Race Foster and I are not going anywhere, and will continue to operate Drs. Foster and Smith pet supplies and LiveAquaria.com as it's business as usual. Both Race and I are incredibly excited for the future and what lies ahead.

Kindest Regards,
Kevin Kohen
Director of LiveAquaria
Drs. Foster and Smith

Ok, that actually does make me feel better lol!

 

[camellia]

The Petco on N Cobb Pkwy has REALLY been doing great compared to a year ago.
I have NOT seen a single sick fish other than in a separate tank marked "Not For Sale", under watch....

In the older days every single tank had dead or dying fish in it!
Now I don't go in the store that often, just sayin...

 

[wannabeeareefkeeper]

RedStang;997405 wrote: The problem is that Petco has been the laughing stock of the salt water hobby for a very long time. Too many employees have posted that they've tried to make positive changes only to have them shot down by corporate policy.

This is only my opinion but my feeling is Petco is about profit only and at any expense. Being a capitalist I don't have a problem with that to a certain extent. However, I also consider myself a conservationist and the waste in life that trails behind Petco is ridiculous.

If we're lucky, it means Petco is dropping in store salt water fish sales and will instead use LA as their online outlet. I just don't see the culture at Petco changing. And I'm generally an optimist.

Post #24 states that the leadership at Liveaquaria is staying the same. If conflict occurs with new ownership, then changes will come. If the management changes at the plants in Cali. or Wisconsin (i.e. liveaquaria), I believe what exists today will be gone. Another option for Petco, sale the portions of liveaquaria to another entity and keep everything else (the other pet stuff). This is only my opinion.

Wannabee

 

[dawgface]

ppartha5;997524 wrote: Found this note in Reef2Reef.

Greetings,
I would like to take a moment to respond and address some concerns posted in this thread.

Dr. Race Foster and Dr. Marty Smith have worked incredibly hard over the last 31 years, to build an incredibly successful business, which revolves around education, pet heath, and responsible pet ownership. The Petco mission is elevating the lives of animals and enhancing the connection people have with their pets, with a commitment to the highest standards of social responsibility, while continually striving to make things better for pets, people and the planet. Understanding each company’s mission and goals are very similar, we feel this partnership and synergy is going to be beneficial to animals, pet owners, and aquarium hobbyists and enthusiasts alike. II'm

I can assure everyone, my personal mission as the LiveAquaria Director is to take LiveAquaria.com to an even higher level than ever before. The continued expansion of our Aquaculture Coral and Marine Life facility in Rhinelander Wisconsin, home of the LiveAquaria.com Divers Den®, allows us to offer an even greater assortment of quality aquatic life shipped direct to your door.

Rest assured, Dr. Race Foster and I are not going anywhere, and will continue to operate Drs. Foster and Smith pet supplies and LiveAquaria.com as it's business as usual. Both Race and I are incredibly excited for the future and what lies ahead.

Kindest Regards,
Kevin Kohen
Director of LiveAquaria
Drs. Foster and Smith

Lip service.. Blah blah blah... I hope truly no one would expect a company representative in this situation to come out panicked screaming the sky is failing. Furthermore, Kevin is a director, as such is likely kept in the dark on matters of true business direction.

I know I may be perceived as negitive here, but in reality in just trying to be a realist.

Also, No disrespect to Kevin as I think he runs a great show.

 

[redstang]

DawgFace;997637 wrote: Lip service.. Blah blah blah... I hope truly no one would expect a company representative in this situation to come out panicked screaming the sky is failing. Furthermore, Kevin is a director, as such is likely kept in the dark on matters of true business direction.

I know I may be perceived as negitive here, but in reality in just trying to be a realist.

Also, No disrespect to Kevin as I think he runs a great show.

Buzz killer. Go away lol! Leave me in my happy place.

 

[dawgface]

Lol, I'm sure whatever is to happen our market wil ll fill the gap. In that case, Kevin would be likely scooped up by someone in our industry hoping to replicate the void that was lost.

But until then I guess enjoy LA DD for as long as it lasts..

 

[redstang]

DawgFace;997662 wrote: Lol, I'm sure whatever is to happen our market wil ll fill the gap. In that case, Kevin would be likely scooped up by someone in our industry hoping to replicate the void that was lost.

But until then I guess enjoy LA DD for as long as it lasts..

I agree. The success of LA/DD means that if it goes away or changes someone else is sure to step up and fill the void. One of the best parts about capitalistic systems.