The unusual partnership worked, and the company it spawned is gaining a foothold in the $2 billion horse product and services industry, with the cofounders setting their sights on the larger pet product market.The unusual partnership worked, and the company it spawned is gaining a foothold in the $2 billion horse product and services industry, with the cofounders setting their sights on the larger pet product market.

The story of Uncle Jimmy’s Brand products started when Urbanski teamed with Tom Joseph Jr., owner of New Castle Candy Co., to use the confectioner’s equipment and deep sugar knowledge to make the treats, designed to fight stall boredom.

The treats are a mix of grains and a special sugar that produce something resembling the size and hardness of a bowling ball. They are hung in stalls and keep horses occupied.

“Anytime a horse is in a stall for very long they get antsy,” said Urbanski, an avid horseman.

An antsy horse will find unhealthy activities like pacing or chewing on wood. And Urbanski, who owns seven horses, knows the horse set will spend money on a solution.

The pairing of candyman and horseman is paying off. Following the success of the first horse treat, the duo created two more treats for horses, plus a product for chickens and the most recent, a cake mix for dogs. Uncle Jimmy’s has 30 unique products distributed in about 20 countries through an estimated 4,000 distributors, said Tom Joseph III, vice president of Uncle Jimmy’s Brand.

It’s been so successful that, six months ago, Joseph and New Castle Candy Co. got out of the candy business to focus exclusively on Uncle Jimmy’s products.

“We did know before we launched that it was a great product,” the elder Joseph said of the first horse treat. “We had a lot of confidence if we could get it in the hands of horse owners, they would run with it.”

So far this year, Uncle Jimmy’s has seen 43 percent growth from last year, and that is on top of more than 55 percent year-over-year growth in 2010, said Tom Joseph III.

There were other products on the market designed to fight horse boredom, but they didn’t last long enough, Urbanski said.

“(The existing product) is aerated sugar, and if (horses) can get it, they crack it and it will go away in 20 minutes,” he said, explaining why he started tinkering in the first place. “Ours, you can throw off a building and it won’t break, and if you keep it pinned, the ball will last three weeks.”

In addition to the unique sugar and cooking knowledge Joseph brought, his former candy company also had the capital equipment needed to allow Uncle Jimmy’s to scale fast with minimal cost.

Ann Dugan, founder of the Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence at the University of Pittsburgh, noted the lucky combination of Joseph and Urbanski isn’t always easy to find, but as an entrepreneur is starting a business, the capabilities of the early team must be thought out.

It also takes brutal honesty to know not only your weaknesses but your strengths.

“Don’t duplicate yourself,” Dugan said. “In the strategic plan, (include) what are the characteristics that I need and that I am weak in, and that will be of strategic value to the company.”

This value can take many forms. In Uncle Jimmy’s case, it was market and technical knowledge from each of the two founders. It also can be customer relationships, network connections, or even geographic location, she said.

Click here to read the original article in the Pittsburgh Business Times.

InStyle Germany, September 2011

Translated from German to English, the Puppy Cake product spotlight states:

(well master) fun things to do.

Happy Baking

For your dog, muffins by Puppy Cake

For more information about Puppy Cake, please visit www.puppycake.com.

Just Labs, November/December 2011 – It’s hard to avoid cakes these days as multiple television shows highlight more creative cake designs, and cupcake shops seem to have popped up overnight in every town. With all the attention paid to these frosted creation what’s a lab to think? Rather than suffer that look we all know, you can bake him his own dessert now. Coming complete with yogurt frosting, puppy cake has three flavors: carob (a chocolate substitute), banana; and a wheat free peanut butter. Similar to human cake mix, all you need to add are eggs, water, and oil. Made with natural and vet approved ingredients, these cakes are said to have many digestive and immune system boosting qualities. Using sweet honey with carob or banana satisfies a sweet tooth of any dog, and each flavor is specially formulated for their palate. Each box makes six medium-sized cupcakes or a double layer 4 inch round cake. Puppy cake also offers a non-stick bone shaped cupcake pan, a non-stick bone shaped cake pan and organic sprinkles.

Fido Friendly, April 07, 2011, Product Reviews by Kelly Ladouceur –

The peanut butter flavored cake mix arrived in the mail a few days before my youngest dog’s third birthday.  I decided that this was the perfect time to try the product and spoil my dogs at the same time.  I read the instructions on the box, and decided that they sounded fairly simple.  The only additional ingredients required were an egg, a bit of oil and some water.  Okay, I could manage this.  I dug out the cupcake pan and set to work.

As soon as I started mixing up the cupcake batter, the dogs raced into the kitchen and crowded around my feet, praying to the kitchen gods that something would fall from the sky.  Since this was for the dogs, I let them lick out the bowl once the batter was in the cupcake pan (FYI, my regular sized cupcake pan made 5 cupcakes with the ingredients supplied).  They loved every second of it!  The whole house smelled like peanut butter, making me drool almost as much as the dogs.

After the cupcakes baked and cooled, I mixed up the frosting (included) and iced the cupcakes.  Then I unleashed the hounds on the goodies – one full cupcake for each dog, plus two cupcakes for their doggy friends.  The dogs loved the cupcakes – my old dog ate his without really chewing, all in one piece.  My two younger dogs spent hours trying to get every last crumb out of their ears, not wanting to waste anything.  Their two doggy friends had the same reaction as my guys did, savoring every last bite.

The Puppy Cakes were very easy to mix and bake, even for a non-baker like myself.  They were well worth the minimal amount of effort, since the dogs enjoyed them so much.  A person could easily get more cupcakes out of the mix by not filling each cupcake cup full.  I would most definitely recommend this product to friends, and am interested in making them again.  The Puppy Cake website includes a list of distributors throughout the US and Canada, making this product readily available in North America,  So go ahead, spoil those dogs – they’re worth it! Learn more here: Puppy Cake Dog Cake

Note: We accept no monetary compensation for reviews. Review is NOT sponsored by Puppy Cake and is the sole opinion of the reviewer for FIDO Friendly magazine. We welcome your feedback and comments.

1. Scratch ‘n Shape Cat Scratcher
Kitty’s clawing is more than an annoying habit; it’s natural instinct. Imperial Cat’s adorable scratchers will make the greenest pets and their people feel good about playtime. Not only are they made from 100% post-consumer recyclable material, and can be recycled once Fluffy has had her fun, but they come with a bag of Certified Organic Catnip to really liven up the party!
$15-140 | ImperialCat.com

2. Purr & Simple Cat Litter
Founded on the mission to reuse, recycle, and replenish, this eco-conscious cat litter uses ingredients that come from the earth and can be returned to the earth. They use locally grown tree-nut shells, which are not only 100% biodegradable, but also provide twice the odor control and half the dust for minimal tracking. Talk about a win-win litterbox solution!
$7-10 | PurrAndSimple.com

3. Fresh Breath Made Easy
If you’ve ever tried brushing your pet’s teeth, it is most likely an experience you’ll never forget. With TropiClean’s line of safe and natural products, you may never have to brush again. Available in many different forms, your pet can now chew or drink his way to healthier oral hygiene. And while you can feel good about going green, there is another important perk: No more doggie-breath!
$6-15 | TropiClean.net

4. Wood Chuck Ball-Tosser
Tired of bending over to pick up a wet ball to throw (and throw, and throw…) to your energetic pooch? The Wood Chuck is the answer to your slobber-free, eco-friendly dreams! Made from 100% sustainable bamboo and reused cork scraps, this beautiful, strong, and sleek ball-tosser provides maximum chuck-ability. And if that weren’t enough, this toy is socially responsible, too. Two-percent of every product purchase is donated to the Planet Dog Foundation to support canine service nationwide.
$20-25 | PlanetDog.com

5. Eco-Lucks Collar
Made from 100% post-consumer plastic bottles, (keeping the equivalent of 1.5 bottles out of our landfills) these cool collars are as green as a four-leaf clover! Each unique design is printed using water-based ink, containing no chemical by-products. Dublin Dog also shows its commitment to the environment through the “Re-Gift, Re-Cycle, Re-Focus” program. Customers can recycle old collars (any brand) and get a 15 percent discount on Dublin Dog products. Gently used collars are re-gifted to less fortunate dogs.
$24 -28 | DublinDog.com

6. Puppy Cake
Celebrating Earth Day with a four-legged companion? This delicious, all-natural cake will have all the guests drooling for more. Complete with yogurt frosting, choose from Fifi’s Favorite Carob, Buddy’s Best Banana, or Wheat-Free Peanut Butter. This easy-to-make, yummy treat will satisfy your dog’s sweet tooth…and tastes so good you may be tempted to take a bite yourself! Check out this company’s bone-shaped pans and Organic Sprinklez, too.
$7 | PuppyCake.com

New Castle, PA, August 13, 2010 – After months of anticipation, Uncle Jimmy’s Brand Products is proud to introduce the world’s first sugar free line of fully edible stall boredom snacks.  The patent-pending, breakthrough formulation is now available as Uncle Jimmy’s Sugar Free Hangin’ Balls and Uncle Jimmy’s Sugar Free Licky Thing.

The sugar free products will be publicly unveiled at this week’s AETA trade show in King of Prussia, PA – the same show where, in January of 2007, Uncle Jimmy’s made history by being the first company ever to simultaneously win the Best In Show and Best In Category awards for the original Uncle Jimmy’s Hangin’ Balls.

Jim Urbanski (aka Uncle Jimmy), a lifelong horse lover, has long been aware of the fact that a significant percentage of horses develop sugar intolerance issues due to ailments such as Cushings Disease or Laminitis.  Recently, the company saw an increased demand for nutritional boredom buster products for this large segment of horses – as well as for owners who prefer a sugar-free option for their horses.  The result: Uncle Jimmy’s Sugar-Free Hangin’ Balls and Uncle Jimmy’s Sugar-Free Licky Things.

“Most horses – sugar intolerant or not – spend a lot of time in stalls, especially when it’s either too hot or too cold outside.  As all horse owners know, we can’t entertain them all day and boredom can easily set in.  We’re proud to say that our nutritious stall products are able to serve more horses, many of which were previously unable to enjoy edible stall boredom treats” says Uncle Jimmy, Founder of Uncle Jimmy’s Brand Products.

The sugar-free formulas were recently approved by the FDA and are becoming available everywhere that Uncle Jimmy’s original products are sold throughout the United States and Europe.   For a list of retailers near you, or to find online retailers, please visit www.uncle-jimmys.com or call 1-866-96-JIMMY.

About Uncle Jimmy’s Brand Products
Founded in 2006 by Jim Urbanski, Uncle Jimmy’s burst onto the equestrian market with their wildly famous Uncle Jimmy’s Hangin’ Balls.  Designed to combat stall boredom while providing horses with much-needed nutrients and vitamins, Uncle Jimmy’s Hangin’ Balls were an instant success.  Since 2006, Uncle Jimmy’s has grown to include Uncle Jimmy’s Squeezy Buns, Uncle Jimmy’s Licky Things, and their introductory non-equine product, Uncle Jimmy’s Pecker Recker, a dangling brick of chicken feed.

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Welcome to our new website.  I am extremely happy that our new website is up and running even if it is still in beta phase.  

When we talked about redoing the Uncle Jimmy’s Web Site, I made it very clear that it was to be made for all of you out there that made Uncle Jimmy’s Brand Products grow to where it is. That meant quick, easy, and user friendly.  On top of that, I wanted a section where we can finally meet which is coming in phase two of this redesign in the form of a community networking site.  Our team assured me that it was going to happen.  I am told that you will be able to send in a picture of your horse or you and your horse and will go on my site for all to see.  I was told that my face along with Reba my horse will be on there also.  I guess I should appologize for that now (~:

So keep your eyes open for the new community site and please take a look through our new website and I look forward to hearing from you!

Our grand prize winner will win a one year supply of Uncle Jimmy’s Hanging Balls.  That’s not all either, the grand prize winner will receive additional Uncle Jimmy’s gear and apparel.

What are you waiting for?  To register for your chance to win, visit www.winjimmysballs.com and enter now. Don’t delay – entries close on September 30, 2009 with the drawing to be held on October 15, 2009.

About Uncle Jimmy’s
Founded in 2006 by Jim Urbanski, Uncle Jimmy’s burst onto the equestrian market with their wildly famous Uncle Jimmy’s Hanging Balls.  Meant to combat stall boredom while providing horses with much-needed nutrients and vitamins, Uncle Jimmy’s Hangin’ Balls were a wild success.  Since 2006, Uncle Jimmy’s has grown to include Uncle Jimmy’s Squeezy Buns, and now the all-new Uncle Jimmy’s Licky Thing.

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