"Over
the past decade, the pet product industry has grown exponentially, outpacing the
toy and candy industries with nearly $36 billion spent on pets annually in the
US. In continuing our successful partnership with the AKC, we look forward to
meeting the growing global demand for 'blue ribbon' dog products that reflect
the quality and prestige long associated with the AKC's 122-year history,"
said 4Kids Entertainment chairman and CEO Alfred R Kahn.
Since
joining forces in 2003, 4Kids Entertainment and the American Kennel Club have
been at the forefront of the burgeoning pet product industry thanks to their comprehensive
focus on building the AKC into a premiere retail dog brand.
4Kids
has successfully established the AKC as the "best in breed" in pet products
by brokering multi-year deals with such industry leaders as JAKKS Pacific (toys
and treats), designer Barry Kieselstein-Cord (luxury dog accessories and jewelry),
Oster Professional Products (dog grooming), Sherpa's Pet Trading Company (dog
carriers) and Flexi-Mat (dog beds).
This
renewed partnership will enable 4Kids and the AKC to continue participating in
the pet industry boom with plans to expand the AKC brand into such categories
as pet cleaning products, pet safety products and collectible art work.
"Our
organisation has long prided itself on providing the true gold standard in dog
care. That's why we are pleased to extend our agreement with 4Kids Entertainment,
a leading force in children's and family licensing and entertainment. Given the
ever-growing pet product industry, our unique relationship with 4Kids creates
more opportunities to provide dog lovers worldwide with quality products as well
as promote public awareness and appreciation of the wonderful world of purebred
dogs," added American Kennel Club director of brand development Gail Miller.
4Kids
Entertainment also serves as the exclusive worldwide merchandise licensing agent
for the Cat Fanciers' Association, the world's largest registry of pedigreed cats
dedicated to the protection, care and education of responsible ownership for the
90.5 million owned cats in the US alone.