Bark once to sell, Bark twice to hold!

Already suffering a horrible Public Relations disaster with the recall of many of its product due to pet related illnesses and deaths, the pet food maker Menu Foods finds itself back on the front pages again.


This time due to what has been described as a "horrible coincidence", which saw its Chief Financial Officer, Mark Wiens sell off almost half of his stock in the company a few weeks before the first reports of animal deaths were made public and the subsequent recall of much of the company's product.

The CTV news website quotes Wiens as saying that he sold his shares for financial planning purposes, and was prohibited from selling them until February 16 due to an implemented black out period. Once that period expired, he sold 45% of his holdings on February 26 and 27, collecting $102,900. If that same amount of stock were to be sold today, his earnings would be significantly lower, bringing in only $62,440.

The stock development came to light as Insider trading reports were made public, adding an inconvenient bit of information at a most crucial time for the company in the glare of a media spotlight.

Company spokesman Sam Bornstein said on Tuesday "there was no link whatsoever" over the timing of the trades and the pet food recall. Just a case of a horrible coincidence, at a horrible time.

Bornstein provided the following quote to the media to show support for the CFO at this troubled time:

"This is a guy who conducts himself to the highest ethical and moral standards and he wouldn't do anything to imperil the high governance standards that he demands of himself and the company," said Bornstein.

"In fact, to do so would compromise his ability to make a living."

It's a challenge at times like these to keep a company's integrity intact and the brand relevant for future investment and consumer confidence and respect.

Whatever Menu Foods is paying their PR department, they are truly earning every penny of it.

If anybody is earning their keep at the company, it's the men and women who have to deliver these most interesting developments with the best possible light!