Behind-The-Scenes: Dog Food Factory Tour
| Dog Food
At Slobber & Chops, we are passionate about keeping your dog as healthy and as happy as possible, and we believe that the journey always begins with a complete and balanced diet. With a commitment to only providing premium-grade dog food that you can trust, we recently toured our production facility to oversee the making of our Slobber & Chops Dry Dog Food.
From the delivery of the fresh meat and fish that goes into every batch, all the way to the packaging of our dog food, we followed each step of the journey. Here we give you a behind-the-scenes look so you can see how your dog’s food is made.
Ingredient Quality & Testing
The first step of production starts in the state-of-the-art testing lab which plays a vital role in ensuring the ingredients used in our dog foods are free from anything that could be harmful to your dog. All ingredients, including our fresh meat, that go into making our dog food are subject to numerous quality checks to ensure only the best ingredients are accepted, and free from any harmful bacteria.
As well as testing each ingredient before it is used in production, every batch of finished dry dog food also goes through a rigorous testing process to ensure that it hasn’t been contaminated. This quality assurance process gives us the confidence that the dog food on our shelves is safe for your dogs to enjoy.
The first step of production starts in the state-of-the-art testing lab which plays a vital role in ensuring the ingredients used in our dog foods are free from anything that could be harmful to your dog. All ingredients, including our fresh meat, that go into making our dog food are subject to numerous quality checks to ensure only the best ingredients are accepted, and free from any harmful bacteria.
As well as testing each ingredient before it is used in production, every batch of finished dry dog food also goes through a rigorous testing process to ensure that it hasn’t been contaminated. This quality assurance process gives us the confidence that the dog food on our shelves is safe for your dogs to enjoy.
The Ingredients Kitchen
From the lab, we headed to The Ingredients Kitchen which processes and stores all of the dry ingredients that have passed the meticulous testing stage. This is also where the dry ingredients are bought together and mixed into the different formulas that make up our recipes.
It is at this stage that the functional ingredients are added to the recipe. These functional ingredients might include fruits, vegetables, herbs, dietary supplements, probiotics and prebiotics, and they have been identified as ‘functional’ because they provide health benefits beyond the provision of essential nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, water, proteins, carbohydrates and fats. This ensures that every Slobber & Chops meal is complete, balanced and packed full of tasty goodness!
The Meat Kitchen
The next stop on our tour was The Meat Kitchen. At this stage of production, we saw how the responsibly sourced meat from trusted suppliers, such as the Aberdeen Angus Beef and the Gressingham Duck, is gently cooked in an on-site kitchen at around 82ºC. Cooking the meat at lower temperatures protects the proteins and ensures maximum digestibility and nutritional value for your dog.
During the cooking process, naturally occurring oils from the meat and fish are collected. These high-quality fats and oils are the same oils that are normally seen in human foods and are used to coat the kibble to again provide additional nutrients and health benefits to your dog, including a healthy coat and skin.
The next stop on our tour was The Meat Kitchen. At this stage of production, we saw how the responsibly sourced meat from trusted suppliers, such as the Aberdeen Angus Beef and the Gressingham Duck, is gently cooked in an on-site kitchen at around 82ºC. Cooking the meat at lower temperatures protects the proteins and ensures maximum digestibility and nutritional value for your dog.
During the cooking process, naturally occurring oils from the meat and fish are collected. These high-quality fats and oils are the same oils that are normally seen in human foods and are used to coat the kibble to again provide additional nutrients and health benefits to your dog, including a healthy coat and skin.
Shaping The Kibble
From The Meat Kitchen, we headed to the final stage of the production process called ‘Extrusion’ which involves bringing all of the prepared ingredients together to form the kibble. In what reminded us of a Playdough Shape-Making Machine, the ingredients were gently mixed and heated before being passed through a press plate to shape the compressed ingredients into something you’d recognise as dog food. As the kibble came out of the press plate, we grabbed a handful of what looked and felt like small sponges with a porous texture.
At this stage, the kibble is coated with naturally occurring fats and oils from the fresh meat that’s already packed inside each piece, and because of the sponge-like texture, these oils are evenly distributed throughout the kibble. As the kibble dries, a hard outer layer is formed, and this is the food that you would be used to seeing in your dog's bowl.
From The Meat Kitchen, we headed to the final stage of the production process called ‘Extrusion’ which involves bringing all of the prepared ingredients together to form the kibble. In what reminded us of a Playdough Shape-Making Machine, the ingredients were gently mixed and heated before being passed through a press plate to shape the compressed ingredients into something you’d recognise as dog food. As the kibble came out of the press plate, we grabbed a handful of what looked and felt like small sponges with a porous texture.
At this stage, the kibble is coated with naturally occurring fats and oils from the fresh meat that’s already packed inside each piece, and because of the sponge-like texture, these oils are evenly distributed throughout the kibble. As the kibble dries, a hard outer layer is formed, and this is the food that you would be used to seeing in your dog's bowl.
The Packaging Process
Once the kibble has dried, it is sent back to the lab for quality control tests, before it is sent for packaging. Once packaged, it is carefully shipped to our store or straight to your dog for your furry companion to enjoy.
A Lesson In Nutrition
Before leaving the factory, we met with one of the leading nutritionists who has worked to formulate recipes that not only taste great but also provide your dog with the nutrients he or she needs to live a happy, healthy life. This was also an opportunity for us to have a lesson in doggy nutrition so that we are fully equipped to help you choose the food that is most suitable for your dog’s needs.
That concluded our tour of the factory, and we hope you found this behind-the-scenes look into the production process insightful. If you want any more information about any of the Slobber & Chops Dry Dog Food, pop into the shop or email online@slobberandchops.com and we’d be happy to answer your questions.
Before leaving the factory, we met with one of the leading nutritionists who has worked to formulate recipes that not only taste great but also provide your dog with the nutrients he or she needs to live a happy, healthy life. This was also an opportunity for us to have a lesson in doggy nutrition so that we are fully equipped to help you choose the food that is most suitable for your dog’s needs.
That concluded our tour of the factory, and we hope you found this behind the scenes look into the production process insightful. If you want any more information about any of the Slobber & Chops Dry Dog Food, pop into the shop or email online@slobberandchops.com and we’d be happy to answer your questions.
