If LOL isn't listening to Lusk, their premier spokesperson, I find little reason to hope for near term solutions. The market sure seems ripe for a competitor who can provide quality feed and make it their primary focus - not an inconsequential afterthought. Feed revenue probably equates to less than .00001% for Cargill and Purina. Who can blame them for what we justifiably perceive as lack of customer care? I get it, from both perspectives.
Problem for the smaller competitors is distribution costs. If some pond owners find sourcing AM and Cargill difficult, imagine the challenge that would represent for a smaller player with no existing distribution network? It would likely price the product out of the ballpark.
I know someone working closely with scientists on a new pellet product, and they are sending me test data from a few hatcheries using it. What I've seen is improved palatability, improved growth rates, and necropsy results suggest longer life spans - all of which are huge. I'm far from a feed expert, but from my consumer standpoint, these are all primary concerns of mine growing my fish.
Distribution issue still looms large, however. If pellets had a longer shelf life, it sure would help simplify the equation. I want to be optimistic, but I'm fairly certain they'll never become a player unless they crack this nut - and I don't see how they ever can using traditional methods.
Assuming the Aquamax follies don't get resolved any time soon, perhaps PB members could band together with other groups, like Private Waters, and see if we could make an agreement with the SP (Supersecret Pellets)folks.
If necessary, interested pondowners could put up the money to have a specified amount of SP trucked to a central place, then pick it up ourselves. East Texas would be an obvious place to start, since feeding in private ponds is huge there.
More expensive and more of a bother, sure. But if SP pans out with greater palatability, increased growth, and longer life, I suspect many would find it worth the investment. As time goes on and SP popularity spreads, the distribution network could grow.
Just a thought.
