Fresh Pet Food Co-Packer Guide: What to Look For

# Fresh Pet Food Co-Packer Guide

Hill's recently launched refrigerated dog food and Royal Canin introduced a veterinary fresh diet. Both giants are doubling down on fresh food. But fresh food co-packing is fundamentally different from dry food.

Fresh vs dry food co-packing

| Factor | Fresh | Dry |

|--------|-------|-----|

| Moisture | 50-70% | Under 10% |

| Shelf life | 6-12 months ambient or 30 days refrigerated | 12-18 months |

| Process | Steam cook/pasteurize + seal | Extrude/bake |

| Cold chain | Some products require | No |

What to look for

1. Dedicated fresh food line

A real fresh food line needs fresh meat handling, retort sterilization, aseptic filling, and rapid cooling.

2. Sterilization method

• Retort sterilization: ambient shelf life 6-12 months
• Pasteurization + refrigeration: shorter shelf life, better taste
• Freeze-dried fresh: dehydrated, rehydrate before feeding

3. Fresh ingredient quality

Is meat sourced daily or thawed frozen? Does it have quarantine certificates? What is the time window from raw material to finished product?

4. Packaging

Can they do foil pouches, cups, vacuum packaging? Is the packaging retort-stable?

MOQ expectations

• Ambient retort fresh: 500-1000 kg per SKU
• Refrigerated fresh: higher MOQ due to cold chain
• Sampling: 5-20 kg

Common pitfalls

1. Using a dry food line to fake fresh product

2. Overstating fresh meat content

3. Packaging not compatible with retort sterilization

4. Wrong shelf life assumptions

If you want to launch a fresh food brand and are unsure whether to go retort or refrigerated, Mixiaoqi pet food OEM/ODM operates a dedicated fresh food line and can help choose the right process for your channel and budget.

FAQ

What is the MOQ for fresh food?

500-1000 kg for retort fresh; higher for refrigerated.

How long is the shelf life?

6-12 months ambient; about 30 days refrigerated.

How much more expensive than dry food?

About 2-3x per unit due to ingredients and processing.