Health food trends are constantly changing in the human world, and they are leaching over into the pet food industry as well. We’re beginning to see more pet food manufacturers creating organic, all-natural and GMO free foods. There are more specialty diet dog food blends on the market now than ever before, and one company is taking the healthy pet food game to a whole new level.
Richard Thompson is the chief executive officer of a small gourmet-food manufacturer. The company is obsessed with the quality of their products. Thompson only uses fresh ingredients, avoids preservatives, and sets strict limits on the time that the meals can sit on store shelves – pet store shelves that is. Yes, that’s right; Thompson is the CEO of a pet food company: Freshpet Inc.
The company creates the industry’s only refrigerated pet food. Thompson says that refrigerated pet food is the next level of how people will be feeding their companion animals. Premium dog food isn’t anything new, but now traditional pet food manufacturers are stepping up their game thanks to competition from smaller specialty pet food makers like Freshpet Inc.
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Companies who are using the eat-like-your-owner marketing strategy have tapped into what owners want. Sales of premium dog food have jumped 45 percent since 2009. They now account for more than half the market. Although small companies traditionally dominate this market, big companies are fighting back. For example, Purina bought Merrick Pet Care back in July. Merrick was the first certified organic producer of dry and wet dog food.
But Freshpet is breaking brand new ground with their refrigerated meals. All of their products are sold in their own branded refrigerated display cases, and you can find them in nearly 15,000 stores including some Whole Foods Markets, Targets and Wal-Marts. Buying your dog this farm-to-table food will set you back more than twice what it would cost to feed him traditional canned dog food, yet sales of the gourmet doggy dinner climbed 37 percent to more than $103 million in the last year.
The company offers their Freshpet Select line, which provides wholesome and balanced recipes that are all-natural and fresh. Their Vital line is prepared using fresh, high-quality proteins, nutritious fruits, and wholesome vegetables. It is available in grain and grain-free varieties and single-source and multi-source options as well. Freshpet Vital blends are made with unique proteins like bison and salmon.
Freshpet’s Nature’s Fresh line is their approach to holistic nutrition. The blends are made with locally sourced ingredients and they are GAP certified. They also have Fresh Baked Recipes for pet parents that prefer to give their dog a kibble diet. This line is made with 100% fresh turkey or chicken and the blends are full of antioxidant rich superfoods. They have a “freshly made on” date on the front of the packaging so you’ll know exactly when your dog’s food was prepared.
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Most pet parents understand that fresh food is best for their canine companions. It is best for us, so why wouldn’t it be better for them? Unfortunately, fresh food isn’t always in our budget. I understand that, but no matter what your budget is, there is a healthier alternative to generic commercial dog food that is full of additives and preservatives.
That type of dog food has little to no nutritional value for your pet. It doesn’t give him the energy that he needs, and these types of foods can actually have negative effects on your dog’s health and overall well-being. It will actually save you money in the long run to spend a little bit more for a higher quality dog food than to incur a bunch of veterinary bills for a dog with skin, organ or other health troubles that were caused by a poor quality diet.
