Founded in 1935, NutriPack, formerly Evanger’s Dog and Cat Food Co., Inc., is a Chicago, Illinois-based, woman-owned, family business producing premium, meat-based pet foods. The company manufactures pet food products for domestic and international customers at its U.S.-based cannery and has developed distribution across 12 international markets.

NutriPack has partnered with Food Export-Midwest for more than two decades, participating in the Market Access Program (MAP)-funded Branded Program since 2003 and utilizing additional Food Export programs and services, including Buyers Missions, Focused Trade Missions, the Online Product Catalog, and Export Essentials. Through sustained participation, the company has worked to increase international brand awareness, develop distributor relationships, and expand export opportunities for its U.S.-produced pet food products.

One example of this long-term market development came in 2022, when NutriPack utilized the MAP-funded Branded Program to promote its products in Panama. The company supported international trade show participation, Spanish-language packaging development, social media marketing, in-store promotions, and other market development activities. These efforts helped NutriPack generate $150,000 in export sales, with an additional $75,000 in projected export sales, while gaining six new foreign buyer contacts and establishing two new distributorships.

NutriPack continued expanding its international reach in subsequent years through MAP-funded promotional activities in markets including Canada, China, El Salvador, Germany, Mexico, and Panama. Activities have included advertising, digital marketing, packaging modifications, promotional materials, product samples, trade show participation, and website development to increase product visibility and support relationships with international buyers and distributors.

In 2025, NutriPack participated in the MAP-funded Branded Program to increase sales and brand visibility in Canada, China, El Salvador, Mexico, and Panama. These MAP-funded promotional activities helped the Illinois supplier generate more than $1 million in export sales, while continuing to develop its distribution network across international markets.

Food Export programs also helped NutriPack strengthen its presence in Panama. Through participation in a 2025 Buyers Mission, the company connected with prospective distributors, providing additional opportunities to develop the market and build relationships with qualified international buyers.

Reflecting on Food Export’s role in the company’s international development, Chelsea Sher, Export Director at NutriPack, shared, “Food Export has been a real catalyst for us. Their programs didn’t just put us in front of more international buyers, they helped us get in front of the right buyers and provided the tools needed to convert conversations into purchase orders. As a result, we’ve generated new export sales, reopened dormant opportunities, and built a stronger pipeline of qualified international accounts.”

NutriPack’s international growth has also contributed to increased activity at its U.S.-based cannery. According to the company, growing international demand has supported higher production volumes and employment across manufacturing, quality assurance and quality control, international sales, customer service, warehouse, and shipping operations. Export growth has also increased the company’s purchases of packaging materials and bulk ingredients while supporting more consistent production runs and production planning. “This export growth supports our local economy in a meaningful way,” Sher noted. “As international volume increases, we’re able to justify the capacity and consistency needed to support dependable service for global customers.”

After more than two decades of Food Export participation, NutriPack continues to use MAP-funded market development and other Food Export services to strengthen established markets, develop new distributor relationships, and pursue additional international sales opportunities. Sher emphasized the importance of this long-term support, “Food Export-Midwest’s funding and programs allow us to pursue export growth in a sustained and disciplined way. Their guidance helps us move faster, avoid costly missteps, and convert international interest into real orders. Without this support, it would be significantly harder for a U.S. manufacturer like us to consistently compete in global markets dominated by brands with much larger budgets and in-country presence.”

NutriPack’s experience demonstrates how sustained participation in MAP-funded export development can contribute not only to international sales and market expansion, but also to increased U.S. production and economic activity as international demand grows.

Food Export uses funding from the Market Access Program (MAP) to help America’s small businesses increase their exports of food and agricultural products. As these exports increase, these small businesses are creating jobs and improving the strength and stability of our agricultural economy. Food Export-Midwest and Food Export-Northeast are non-profit organizations that work in collaboration with their member state departments of agriculture and the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. They offer a wide range of programs and services that help boost America’s agricultural exports.

20-Year Branded Program Participant

Increased Export Sales

New Foreign Buyer Contacts Made