Central Garden & Pet Company Recognized for Innovation in Pet Business Awards with Bio Spot™ Smart Shield™ Applicator

WALNUT CREEK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Central Garden & Pet Company (NASDAQ: CENT) (NASDAQ: CENTA), a leading innovator, marketer and producer of quality branded products for the lawn and garden and pet supplies markets is proud to announce that its Bio Spot™ Smart Shield™ Applicator was named as the most innovative product in the dog/cat flea and tick control category by the editors of Pet Business magazine.

“From consumer insights, to manufacturing, regulatory, marketing and sales, this was a collective effort to bring a unique delivery system to the market that pet owners said they wanted”

Launched in 2012, the Bio Spot™ Smart Shield™ Applicator is a breakthrough topical flea and tick control delivery device with an exclusive, patent-pending design. The applicator gets fast, effective treatment down to a pet’s skin where bugs live, while keeping the liquid off of consumers’ hands.

The applicator delivers a more confident, secure, and easy application of Bio Spot Defense Flea and Tick Spot On topical treatment, which starts killing fleas and ticks in 15 minutes and helps prevent re-infestation for up to two months. Designed with input from veterinarians and consumers, this ground-breaking new applicator is also the first of its kind.

“Being singled out for innovation in the highly-competitive flea and tick category is gratifying and it’s a testament to the hard work from several functional groups at Central Garden & Pet,” said Steve LeVeau, Director of Marketing – Animal Health for Central Garden & Pet Company. “From consumer insights, to manufacturing, regulatory, marketing and sales, this was a collective effort to bring a unique delivery system to the market that pet owners said they wanted,” LeVeau continued.

“Each year, the Pet Business editors honor innovation in the pet care category with our Industry Recognition Awards (IRA). To find our winners, the editors of Pet Business search through vendor press releases, the aisles of the industry’s major trade shows and even local pet store shelves to find the most exciting and functional products the industry has to offer,” according to the Pet Business website.

In the 11^th year of the annual Industry Recognition Awards, Pet Business saluted the Bio Spot™ Smart Shield™ Applicator for offering pet owners a more convenient and secure way to protect pets from fleas and ticks and allowing the fast-acting treatment down to the pet’s skin.

About Bio Spot

Bio Spot® offers a line of high-quality products for your home, dogs, puppies, cats and kittens that treat and control fleas and ticks. The line includes a variety of topical treatments, shampoos, collars and sprays, which help kill unwanted pests and prevent reinfestation of your pets, home and yard. Products include: Bio Spot Defense™ Flea & Tick Spot On® for Dogs and Cats, Bio Spot® Shampoo for Dogs and Puppies, Bio Spot® Flea & Tick Collar with IGR for Dogs, Bio Spot® BreakAway® Flea & Tick Collar for Cats & Kittens , Bio Spot Defense™ Flea & Tick Spray for Dogs and Puppies, Bio Spot® Carpet Powder with Linalool and Nylar®, and Bio Spot® Yard & Garden Spray. For more information about Bio Spot® call [phone] or visit www.biospot.com.

About Central Garden & Pet

Central Garden & Pet Company is a leading innovator, marketer and producer of quality branded products for the lawn & garden and pet supplies markets. Committed to new product innovation, our products are sold to specialty independent and mass retailers. Participating categories in Lawn & Garden include: Grass seed and the brands PENNINGTON®, SMART SEED® and THE REBELS®; wild bird feed and the brand PENNINGTON®; weed and insect control and the brands AMDRO®, SEVIN®, IRONITE® and OVER-N-OUT®; and decorative outdoor patio products and the brands NORCAL POTTERY®, NEW ENGLAND POTTERY® and MATTHEWS FOUR SEASONS™. We also provide a host of other regional and application-specific garden brands and supplies. Participating categories in Pet include: Animal health and the brands ADAMS™ and ZODIAC®; aquatics and reptile and the brands OCEANIC SYSTEMS®, AQUEON® and ZILLA®; bird & small animal and the brands KAYTEE®, SUPER PET® and CRITTER TRAIL®; dog & cat and the brands TFH™, NYLABONE®, FOUR PAWS®, PINNACLE® and AVODERM®; and equine and the brands FARNAM®, VITA FLEX® and HORSE HEALTH^TM PRODUCTS. We also provide a host of other application-specific pet brands and supplies. Central Garden & Pet Company is based in Walnut Creek, California, and has approximately 3,600 employees, primarily in North America. For additional information on Central Garden & Pet Company, including access to the Company's SEC filings, please visit the Company’s website at www.central.com.