(PRESS RELEASE) LAS VEGAS, NV — The red-hot spotlight of SuperZoo 2025 turned dazzling last night as three extraordinary brands—Natoo, Rooted Owl, and Charlee Bear—took home the Ladybird Excellence Award, the pet industry’s most values-driven honor founded by global strategist and decision-making expert Peggy I. Pleines.
This is no ordinary award. The Ladybird Excellence Award is a movement—spotlighting leaders who turn values into value, courage into clarity, and vision into measurable impact. This year’s winners embody exactly what the industry—and the world—needs right now: sustainability with substance, science that serves, and customer-first leadership that inspires trust across generations.
“Decision-making is our ultimate superpower. When done with courage and clarity, it shapes not just companies, but entire industries,” said Pleines.
Natoo Wins Ladybird Excellence Award 2025 for Sustainability
Fernando Maluf, Executive Vice President
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From Brazil to the world stage, Natoo is proving that sustainability isn’t a slogan—it’s a business model. By anchoring itself in independent certifications (SQF, Climate Partner, Certified Carbon Free), Natoo delivers measurable environmental impact while fueling growth and expansion across markets.
Quote: “This award proves that innovation without purpose is incomplete. Our mission is to nourish pets while respecting the planet,” said Maluf.
Peggy I. Pleines: “Natoo shows us that profitability and responsibility aren’t opposites—they are partners in progress. That’s true leadership.”
Rooted Owl Wins Ladybird Excellence Award 2025 for Rising Star in Science-Led Wellness
A young but unstoppable force, Rooted Owl is rewriting the future of pet wellness. Their flagship Joint & Muscle Health supplement—clinically validated to outperform glucosamine—merges UC-II collagen and L-Carnitine in human-grade formulations manufactured at GMP, FDA-registered facilities. The result? A product that blends integrity, innovation, and impact.
Peggy I. Pleines: “Rising Stars like Rooted Owl remind us that courage and clarity go hand-in-hand. By leading with science, integrity, and heart, they’re setting the gold standard for tomorrow’s wellness.”
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Charlee Bear Wins Ladybird Excellence Award 2025 for Customer Centricity
Peter Gottsacker Jr., Supply Chain Director, Gott Pet Products
For over 30 years, Charlee Bear has been a household name—synonymous with trust, taste, and joy. In 2025, the brand went even further: bringing customer service in-house, backing shelters nationwide, and launching Functional Nuggets(under 4 calories, now in 1,500+ stores). Their mantra is simple: put pets and people first, and the rest will follow.
Quote: “For us, customer centricity isn’t a strategy—it’s who we are. Every decision begins with: how will this help pets and the people who love them?” said Gottsacker Jr.
Peggy I. Pleines: “Charlee Bear proves that when brands listen deeply, customers don’t just buy—they believe. That’s the heartbeat of legacy leadership.”
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About Peggy I. Pleines
A renowned global growth strategist and expert in high-stakes decision-making, Peggy I. Pleines has spent two decades guiding companies across continents to act decisively, scale sustainably, and lead with courage. Known for transforming complexity into clarity, she champions her belief that decision-making is the ultimate superpower.
Peggy is also a lifelong dog lover, translating canine wisdom into leadership insights through her acclaimed keynotes and workshops. Her work inspires leaders worldwide to make bold, values-driven choices that ripple far beyond business.
About the Ladybird Excellence Award
Founded by My Ladybird Enterprise AG, the Ladybird Excellence Award celebrates courage, authenticity, and impact at the highest level of business. More than a trophy, it is a symbol of leadership in motion—awarded annually at the world’s largest pet trade shows to brands that don’t just follow markets, but shape them.
“Bold decisions shape destiny. The next one could be yours.” — Peggy I. Pleines
