Many of you are already aware that some pet food companies own and operate their own manufacturing facilities and some of them do not. You may have already learned that some brands of pet foods are made in several different manufacturing plants in different parts of the country. Some of you are familiar with the interchangeable terms co-manufacturer, co-packer, and contract manufacturer, which refer to a company that makes products for a number of other companies.
(Funny fact: Some of us know a ton about these pet food production facilities, and absolutely nothing about the ownership or management of the manufacturing sites where our own food is produced. Take from that what you will.)
We’re often asked: Which of these situations is better? Is a pet food made in a plant that is owned and operated by the same company whose name is on the label better than products made by a co-packer?
The answer, like so many things having to do with pet food, is not so cut and dry; there are definite advantages and disadvantages of either situation. While it’s interesting (and sometimes advantageous) to know where a particular product is made, we wouldn’t base our selection of a product based solely on the information – unless we were aware that a product was made at a facility that had been cited for a number of health violations. In that case, we wouldn’t care who owned or operated the facility; we’d just avoid any products that originated there.
HISTORY
When WDJ was first published in 1998, it was virtually impossible to find out anything about pet food manufacturing sites. It took years of asking companies to share information about their production facilities before we made any inroads. The approach that finally levered this information out of a few makers of high-end dog foods? “You say you have nothing to hide and that your manufacturing facilities are the best – so, prove it!”
A few companies finally decided they had nothing to lose and everything to gain. Most of the companies that disclosed information about their manufacturing sites, or went so far as to invite us to tour those facilities, were relatively new to the market – and all of them were competing in the most expensive strata of products that are variously called natural, holistic, and/or super-premium.
When the word got out that we had toured a number of dog-food plants and didn’t print any photos secretly taken with a camera hidden in our coat buttons or publish detailed accounts of our visits, we received more invitations. To date, we’ve toured more than a dozen dry dog-food plants, three canned-food facilities, two human-food plants that manufacture truly – legally! – human-grade dehydrated diets for dogs, and a handful of raw-food and freeze-dried dog-food manufacturing plants. About half of the facilities we’ve seen were co-packers.
VALUE OF AWARENESS
Our conclusion about “which is better, self-made, or co-packed?” after seeing all these manufacturing facilities? It depends! The largest self-owned and self-managed facilities tend to have the best quality control and consistent products; they also tend to use less-expensive ingredients and highly conventional formulas. Some of the nicest-looking and -smelling ingredients we’ve seen have been getting cooked up at co-packing facilities – some of which were small, old, and not nearly as clean as the bigger plants we’ve seen.
As so many things having to do with pet food are concerned, it’s incumbent on you to find out what sort of manufacturing facility makes your dog’s food – call the company and ask! – and to take responsibility for your choice. (It’s informative even if the company won’t say where its products are made, if you get our drift.) At the very least, if you know where your dog’s food is made, and a recall of that brand is announced, you will be a step ahead in knowing whether or not you should stop feeding the food.
I appreciate that you did all that research but why not openly list the facilities and expose the TRUTH?! Evil thrives when good men do nothing! Think of how many innocent animals your knowledge could save! Thank you.
You say some facilities were better or worse in various ways. Great, now which was which? You’re leaving us in suspense. When can we expect the acrionable details?
Agree
I have been a fan and subscriber since your early days in Berkeley. I have two shelves full of back additions of whole dog journal. Your journal has never disappointed. I have avidly recommended The Whole Dog Journal. Fantastic work is necessary and needed thank you and your team. I am now retired and doing what I truly love, training dogs and their guardians. I have one simple goal: to assist Guardians and their puppies/dogs to have a great start in their life together. Your journal helps to make that possible.
I agree with Beth. If you visited all the plants, why not give us the information we need. This article, if you can call it that, tells me nothing. What did you find out? Still wondering.
The article only said that you were invited to view faculties but nothing else! So what’s the conclusion?
I have been an avid fan of The Whole Dog Journal for many years. I thoroughly enjoy it. Over the years my poodles have tried a lot of foods: kibble, canned, frozen, freeze dried, raw, home cooked and now fresh cooked food sent via dry ice.
So far my three poodles and I have been very happy with the fresh food called NomNom. My poodles can’t wait to have breakfast and dinner. I get all four varieties – chicken, beef, turkey and pork dinners. It smells so good. It is more expensive than most types of foods listed above, but my guys have been doing so well on it that it is worth the extra cost. Now I don’t have to worry about giving them extra vitamins, minerals, etc. Have you checked this company out? If not, I hope you do. Thanks for all you do.
Very disappointed in the article and the fact you have info which could have a huge impact on our dogs, yet tell us nothing. If you don’t want to say which are the bad ones, then at least let us know the good ones. I’m looking for a good, clean manufacturing plant for canned dog food. What do you think they are going to tell an individual over the phone?? “Well, right now we’re trying to keep the birds out; excuse me, I have to go-the smell is getting to me”. Again, at least tell us the ones you’d want to buy your dog’s food from. Maybe that will give the others incentive to improve.
If a food has been recalled you should Always stop feeding it…did anyone notice the if you should stop feeding it in that article
No I didn’t notice that but I think if you buy a recal food you should return it..
I really need the information that you say you have. I know that the brand I have used for years makes all their own dog food, and they are great. Now one of my dogs has developed a chronic condition that requires a special diet. Over the years, virtually no dog food manufacturer has clean hands. I need to know who makes the food themselves and who delegates it to others. I am hoping to avoid deadly recalls as much as possible. Telling me you have that information but it no way providing it is less than helpful. I cannot call endless dog food companies. Is this not what doing research for a journal about? To provide information?