Fresh Food Demand: How Data is Leading the Way for Premium Dog Nutrition

The pet industry is booming. With increasing pet ownership and the growing trends towards the humanization of pets, sales for pet foods as well as health and wellness products are on the rise. Pet parents are seeking premium options to go beyond just feeding their dogs but elevate their pet’s health and nutrition. But without standard industry definitions, terms like “premium nutrition” can be convoluted and confusing for consumers to navigate, and like people, individual dogs have dietary needs that vary widely.

So, what foods should be considered premium nutrition, and how can the pet industry meet the needs of consumers looking to provide the best health and longevity for their dogs through food?

As an industry, “premium” is a completely unregulated term, though it’s conventionally agreed upon that premium food options are rich in protein, use high-quality ingredients and are free of fillers. Fresh food, in particular, is seen as the peak of premium dog food among industry professionals and consumers alike, with studies supporting this through data which showcases fresh food diets for dogs maintain healthier weights, improve digestive health, increase longevity and more. At Ollie, our digestibility study shows that our fresh food is highly digestible when compared to kibble. Our fresh food has a protein digestibility of above 90 percent, while kibble is much lower.

Because “premium” is largely just a marketing term, there are many different brands touting healthy ingredients and cooking techniques — it’s hard to know who and what to trust with your dog’s health and nutrition. At best, many of these brands are utilizing ‘health washing’ and using vague terminology to appear like a healthy option. At worst, brands are resorting to misinformation or confusing scientific language to intentionally make their product seem better than it really is.

Through these scientifically-backed insights and the increased demand from pet parents for truly premium pet foods, the category is evolving at a rapid pace and transparency from brands will be a key driver for shoppers. Leaders in our industry are responsible for ensuring dog health and safety as well as providing clarity for dog parents who are overwhelmed with the options available to them. At Ollie, data is the key to this conversation and the future of dog food.

With the launch of Ollie’s Foodback Loop earlier this year, a proprietary process that utilizes billions of pet-level data points to inform and improve research and development, Ollie aims to elevate the pet food industry by utilizing the data to garner insights that inform recipe creation for the most nutritious, efficacious, and delicious food available on the market. It’s a closed-loop process that continually guides brand priorities and improves food quality based on data from Ollie dogs.

Through this technology and health screening at-home digital tools, Ollie can collect millions of data points that are analyzed to continually improve recipes based on breed, lifestage, and special needs. By leveraging the direct relationship with Ollie customers, their pet-level data and Ollie’s proprietary Foodback Loop research and development process, Ollie empowers parents to confidently feed their dogs the right food and exact portions, giving dogs a much-needed voice in their healthcare.

Dog food companies like Ollie that are more proactive in the space are accelerating positive change in the industry. We expect that pet parents will increasingly be seeking out brands who better engage them in their journey to find the right food for their dog. Brands like Ollie are going well beyond today’s stated AAFCO requirements to push the industry towards higher standards, from ingredient sourcing to recipe preparation and safety procedures. For example, Ollie’s fresh food is made in facilities licensed to produce human food, with 100 percent human-grade ingredients. Going beyond the AAFCO guidelines for meeting a Human Grade claim, Ollie fresh food manufacturers are certified by the USDA through the Process Verified Program. Additionally, Ollie recipes are carefully and thoughtfully created to not just meet AAFCO’s standard minimum requirements for pet nutrition, but to reach levels of vitamins and minerals that are optimal for a long, healthy and happy life.

Barring regulations around phrases like “premium,” it’s up to us as industry professionals to go above and beyond the minimum regulatory standards to provide pet nutrition that meets the expectations of dog parents. Through recipe transparency, research and data, and consumer insights, we’re ushering in a new chapter of dog food, to unlock advancements for the better of all dog’s health.

Tara Zedayko is Ollie’s chief scientific officer. Formerly the co-founder and CEO of DIG Labs, Zedayko brings over 20 years of experience in health technology and innovation across human healthcare and pet care. A scientist-turned-general manager-turned-entrepreneur, she has made significant contributions to the field, holding nine patents and authoring six peer-reviewed publications with over 350 citations.