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Who are the 5 highest quality dehydrated/air-dried dog food co-packers in the United States?
Hello! Thanks for your question about dehydrated/air-dried dog food co-packers in the United States. The short answer is that I have found 5 high-quality companies that meet these criteria. My findings are detailed in the attached spreadsheet.
I personally enjoyed researching this as I have a background in the dog food industry.
METHODOLOGY
Most dog food companies don't advertise that a third party manufactures their food and the information about dehydrated food specifically is difficult to find on co-packers' websites. Many have contracts that don't allow them to say they make a specific food. I used the Dog Food Advisor site to search out the top-rated freeze-dried and dehydrated foods, and then searched out each one on Google and on this list on Who Makes What in Pet Food.
From doing some reading on individual websites, many of the companies who manufacture freeze-dried or dehydrated foods manufacture them themselves. I eliminated companies who specifically state they do not pack for other brands, such as Champion Pet Foods. I also eliminated co-packers whose brands are undisclosed since it is difficult to know what the quality is like, but they may be worth a look as well, for example Mercer Foods.
Of the packers I had left, I listed the five copacking companies that produce the freeze-dried, air-dried, or dehydrated dog foods (not just treats) that received the top reviews on Dog Food Advisor, which is the most thorough rating site for dog food. I only chose companies that have US-based manufacturing locations.
To wrap it up, I have attached a spreadsheet with the location information and current brands of the 5 highest quality dehydrated/air-dried dog food co-packers in the United States. Thanks for using Wonder! Please let us know if we can help with anything else.