Beckoning the Canine Customer

November 30, 2009 – Dog Snuggies, gourmet dog food, holistic pet treats and wine that benefits local mutts satisfies pets and pet lovers at Hiller’s Markets.

With cold weather a’coming, there are new products afoot at Hiller’s Markets, thanks to the careful selection of Corporate Executive Canines Lilly Hiller and Elly Mae Hiller, whose Oscar Wilde-like remarks can be found in the biweekly Hiller’s circular.

“Jim Hiller, the person who is the focus of my life, makes me walk outside every day, rain or shine, cold or warm, so I had to find a way to stay snuggly alongside him,” says Lilly Hiller, the Scottish Deerhound who collaborates with the grocery CEO and owner on virtually everything whilst offering guidance and wisdom only a dog can bring.

She and her sister, a Doberman named Elly Mae, selected Dog Snuggies to be sold in all seven Hiller’s grocery stores this winter. Priced at $11.99, the pink and blue warm, soft fleeces come in four sizes, for dogs and cats ranging from 6 to 28 lbs. and 6-20 inches in height. They’re machine-washable and come with an adjustable hook and loop fastener to fit an array of pets.

“We have to be strategic in our product offerings,” says Elly Mae Hiller. “In times as tough as these, people’s pets can be forgotten – but at Hiller’s, we are as committed to our four-legged shoppers as to those on two legs.”

Indeed, the corporate canine division of Hiller’s Markets has gathered an array of specialty pet products including Tykie vegetarian dog food, Holistic Natural Feline and Canine Formula by Bench and Field, Dogswell and Catswell natural pet snacks and Newman’s Own dog and cat treats, whose proceeds go to charity.

Plus, the company’s something-for-everyone philosophy propelled it to offer Mutt Lynch wines – a high-quality California vintage named for the whimsical tendencies of man’s best friend. A portion of the price on each bottle goes to the Dearborn Animal Shelter, the local organization who rescued 150 Chihuahuas in September.

“We all know the people of Michigan are suffering – but what about the animals? We must reach out in every direction because all creatures are vulnerable at challenging times,” says Jim Hiller, whose favorite daily highlights are contemplative time each morning with Lilly and reflective time at night with son and company Vice-President Justin, over glasses of Mutt Lynch.

More than 6 million cats and dogs enter shelters every year; more than 3 million are adopted while the rest are euthanized. These numbers are higher in tough economic times. Approximately 40 percent of U.S. households include a dog.

Founded in 1941, Hiller’s Markets operates seven stores in Southeast Michigan. Dedicated to local causes and local products, Hiller’s recently worked with Channel 7 reporter Robbie Timmons to raise money for CANTER, a group that finds homes for retired racehorses and in January, its prepared foods promotion, Good Deeds in the Making, will benefit SASHA Farm, an animal sanctuary outside of Ann Arbor, through its advocate Joy Cantor.