With its new Snausages® Fortune Snookies™, Del Monte Pet Products, a division of Del Monte Foods, Pittsburgh, hopes its predictions for a successful new dog treat will be fulfilled. Whimsically packaged in a Chinese takeout-style container, Fortune Snookies are the first pet treat to utilize edible inks, with humorous fortunes for pets and their owners printed on each bite-sized “cookie.” Among the hundreds of witty words of wisdom purportedly authored for the snacks by Fortune Snookies' brand mascot, Snocrates™, are sayings such as “Cats are not chew toys!” and “You had me at 'Here Boy!'”

Relates Thomas Parker, associate brand manager, Del Monte Pet Products, “We've heard from both retailers and consumers that the Fortune Snookies product is a unique and fun idea. It adds to the enjoyment consumers have in treating their pets. For the first time, the dog 'treating' process isn't just all about the dog. The owner gets a fortune that is sure to make him or her laugh.”

Launched nationally in June, the single-variety, chewy dog snacks in Chicken Flavor are packed in a foil pouch held in a Chinese-takeout-inspired paperboard carton, brilliantly printed in eight colors with the Snausages trademark colors and graphics. Taking center stage is an illustration of a turbaned Snocrates peering into a crystal ball that declares, “Hundreds of Doggie Sayings! No Two Boxes of Fortunes Alike!” Inside the pouch, the flute-edged, round treats are printed with edible inks that are applied using printers from Sensient Colors, Inc. (www.sensient-tech.com). Del Monte reports that the snacks are being printed and packed at its facility in Topeka, KS.

As to why Del Monte created the readable snacks for dogs, Parker says the product follows the growing trend toward humanizing pets. “Baby boomers are replacing their children with furry companions,” he says. “It's fun and it feels good to spoil their pets, as they would a grandchild. Plus, treating pets like part of the family is a rewarding experience for many households.”

Snausages Fortune Snookies are available for an average retail price of $3.50 for an 8.4-oz carton.