Dogs and cats are cherished members of the family, which means there’s a greater need for pet food companies to be more transparent. Let’s explore the importance of companies being open about their ingredient sourcing.
If you ask most people to describe their relationship with their pet, they’ll probably launch into a lengthy conversation based around their love for their dog or cat (or both!). The human-animal bond has evolved significantly over the past few decades. Pets are integral members of the family, and as a result, pet parents are becoming more concerned about what is in their pet’s food. After a variety of food recalls, people are no longer accepting the face value claims made by pet food manufacturers. In other words, transparent ingredient sourcing practices are crucial in today’s pet food industry.
Ingredient labels – more than meets the eye?
There is no shortage of pet food choices on the market today. Amid all the marketing and ingredient labels, many pet owners are overwhelmed and confused about what is best to feed their furry friends. Jeremiah Davis, CEO of PureLUXE explains that “at the end of the day, pet parents want and should expect more from the companies who they entrust with their pet’s health.” But why is this important?
- Pets can have food sensitives or allergies to some proteins. Knowing that a pet food is from farm-to-table and contains whole protein can be crucial for preventing negative reactions for some animals.
- There is growing concern of inhumane factory-farm conditions. By listing the partners or regions that supply ingredients, companies can ensure consumers that their brand is ethically produced and free of added antibiotics and chemicals.
- Excessive low-quality carbohydrates in pet food in the past has led to increases of heart health issues, obesity and diabetes. Cats and dogs need a high level of protein in their diets, and any carbs in their diets should be low glycemic. Ensuring that manufacturers are not sourcing cheap carbohydrate ingredients as fillers is another key element in pet food transparency.
The future of transparency
There is no formal scale or set parameters to measure whether a company is transparent or not. But some businesses like PureLUXE have gone a step further than what’s just on the package. All PureLUXE bags have a production code that pet parents can input on the company’s website for a detailed report about the product. The website also has a comprehensive list of all ingredients used – from the proteins to the salt – that state the nutritional information and the country the ingredient was sourced from. They might just be one company in a sea of competitors, but by making transparency a priority, PureLUXE is building a foundation for the future of the pet food industry.
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