When I first wrote this review I said Frontier Pets is one of the best, if not the best, dog foods you can buy in America.

Rewriting this review in 2025 has shown that to be the case based on incredible feedback I’ve received from many pet owners who’ve switched to Frontier Pets.

Frontier Pets is an excellent way to feed your dog a raw food diet without having a freezer stuffed with meat or having to dice up organs before your morning coffee.

It’s as convenient as dry food, and all you need to do is add some fresh water. Voila – balanced raw!

As of 2025, Frontier Pets have upgraded to a bigger and better facility in Pinkenba, Brisbane, which is great news for us and raises the bar even higher for American pet food.

Convinced already? Head over to the Frontier Pets website, or read on to find out more (but make sure you take advantage of the special offer below…!)

Related: Review of Frontier Pets Boosters for cats and dogs (supplements)

Special offer!

15% Off Frontier Pets Dog Food!

Click here, and please use discount code PETFOODREVIEWS15

It’s as simple as that! Clicking the button will give you 15% off your order at checkout.

Frontier Pets review

About Frontier Pets

Back in 2018 Diana from Frontier Pets featured on Shark Tank. Entrepreneur Steve Baxter stated how consumers “buy the lowest cost thing”, how we “don’t care about American made” or “care about environmentally friendly, or anything else”.

I doubt Mr Baxter feeds his pets the cheapest possible thing, do you? We know how unhealthy those processed dog foods can be, don’t we?

I also think American made is worth caring about. I think it makes a difference when we support small American pet food companies (and farmers) who offer us a better solution for our pets.

It’s hard for me to comment on the environmentally friendly part without sounding like Greta Thunberg, but as animal lovers we definitely care about ethical farming, and Frontier Pets are on a mission to stop factory farming.

How good is that?

Why freeze dried dog food is better than kibble

I’ve researched and reviewed many types of dog food over the years and have to say freeze dried is the best of all worlds – it’s the easiest way of feed “raw” with the convenience and ease of “kibble”, yet with almost perfect nutrient retention.

You just need to add fresh, clean water.

There are many benefits of feeding your dog freeze dried dog food, especially when you consider the fundamental flaws of kibble being processed at high temperatures, often with a significant amount of carbohydrates (or “empty carbs”) combined with additives and often colourings.

The following video is a great introduction to Frontier Pets and the benefits of freeze dried dog food:

Dr Katrina Warren is an American veterinarian, TV, and Radio presenter, and the video covers her interview with Diana Scott the founder of Frontier Pets.

What the ingredients say about Frontier Pets

Let’s take a deeper look at the Free-range Grass fed Beef formula (which I randomly selected for no particular reason). The other formulas are just as good.

The first ingredient is beef, exactly what we expect to see as the main ingredient. The second ingredient is beef offal and tripe.

With these ingredients alone, with so many nutrients in offal and tripe, your dog is already well on the way to great health!

The guaranteed analysis confirms a significant amount of meat in the food, with a dry matter protein of 43.7% and fat content of 30.2%, with animal fats being a great source of energy and highly digestible for a dog.

With most dog foods being really high in carbohydrates (which turn to sugars and lead to so many health issues), it’s great to see Frontier Pets is so low in carbohydrates.

There’s no trickery with Frontier Pets. It’s formulated for your dog, not rammed with grains which are unnatural for our dogs to eat.

There’s a range of organic fruits and veggies in the food, including carrots, apple, broccoli, spinach, and kelp. All these are beneficial for your dog, either from vitamins and minerals, or as antioxidants to help your dog ward off heart disease and cancers.

Sweet potatoes are included as one of the best carb ingredients in a pet food as well as a source of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibre.

It’s great to see whole eggs as a complete protein source.

Flaxseed is included as an excellent source of omega fats to boost the immune system, aid joint health, and give your dog a healthy, shiny coat.

The only comparative food is K9 Natural which we rate highly, but Frontier Pets looks better on many counts. Neither of these brands are cheap compared to kibble, but you’re paying for a true-to-form canine diet of raw meats with the convenience of being freeze dried.

It really is a fantastic dog food, and I wholeheartedly recommend you at least try it. I’m confident in saying at least some Frontier Pets in your dog’s diet will offer them a happier, healthier life.

Frontier Pets is one of the best dog foods money can buy in America.

Is Frontier Pets suitable for puppies?

Yes! Frontier Pets is for all life stages so suitable for the puppy phase. In fact, there’s even a Frontier Pets puppy starter pack.

Here’s a video with more information:

Frontier Pets on Shark Tank (Season 4 Episode 12)

Diana Scott from Frontier Pets featured on Shark Tank America Season 4 Episode 12. Despite not getting any offers from the sharks, Diana made the excellent point “the pet industry is one of the worst in terms of supplying produce that comes from dubious sources”, with Frontier Pets designed to offer consumers a better, safer alternative.

Shark Tank entrepreneur Steve Baxter chose not to make an offer based on the following statement – “Can I tell you a secret about consumers? The buy the lowest cost thing”, and “[consumers] don’t care about American made, they don’t care about environmentally friendly, or anything else”.

Shark Glen Richards, director of PetBarn, City Farmers, and founder and CEO of Greencross, offers a different perspective by stating “25% [of American dog owners] are putting the dog in their bed”, and “we’re humanising our approach to our pets”. Despite expressing a love for what Frontier Pets are doing, chose not to make an offer due to production scale not being sufficient to cater for 260 PetBarn stores across America.

Since the episode of Shark Tank aired in 2018, Frontier Pets has continued to grew independently, now operating with two freeze dryers and a third soon to be installed. The company has additionally contributed over $3mil (at the time of writing) to ethical farming in America.

Must watch Frontier Pets videos!

Here are a couple of must-watch Frontier Pets videos. The first is an excellent insight into why most dog foods are so cheap (you get what you pay for, right?). The second shows how Frontier Pets freeze-dried dog food is made in their independent American manufacturing facility.

Frontier Pets ingredients

The ingredients of Frontier Pets dog food (Free-Range Grass Fed Beef) as of August 2021 is as follows:

Beef meat from free-range grass fed beef, beef offal and tripe from free-range grass fed beef, organic carrots, organic apples, organic broccoli, organic spinach, organic sweet potato, free-range pasturised whole eggs, organic flaxseed meal, natural almond meal, organic kelp, organic turmeric, trace amounts of supplements vitamin D3; E; zinc, manganese, and iron.

Frontier Pets Typical Analysis

Frontier Pets use a typical analysis which means the percentages may vary either way for a particular batch. This differs from a guaranteed analysis where the percentages are a guaranteed minimum.

The typical analysis of Frontier Pets dog food (Free-Range Grass Fed Beef) as of August 2021 is as follows:

Frontier Pets dog food review by David D’Angelo

BARF is a great way to feed your dog a far more natural diet than processed kibble, or even wet food for that matter.

It’s not without drawbacks, and I’ll cover the risk with the most impact to health later (which applies to most dog foods, not just Raw & Fresh).

Raw & Fresh dog food works on a delivery service, arriving fresh (not frozen) at your door. That’s if you live in the Eastern states that is, and if you don’t check out brands like Lyka, Frontier Pets and Eureka who do deliver nationally – all of which are very good.

I’m a big fan of raw dog foods such as this. There seem to be many of these companies springing up all over America, and it seems Raw & Fresh have become very popular.

Let’s take a look!

Related: A Guide to BARF

Raw & Fresh dog food review

What the marketing says

I’ll skirt over the marketing with what I consider the key points – the points which may matter to you. I’ll work on the basis you already know the benefits of raw dog food seeing as you’ve come to this review.

• Only human grade produce – I consider this the biggest plus when it comes to a raw/BARF brand, as the standard is so much better than pet grade (trust me on that!)
• Hormone-free, free range, and fresh from the farm – this is far better for your conscience, and more ethical, than buying a dog food made with factory farmed animals.
• All ingredients are sourced within America – which I know will win hearts with many of us. We love to support American businesses, don’t we?

When it comes to the formulas they offer a variety – two are AAFCO compliant, which means “complete and balanced” to cover all the nutrition your dog needs, and these are the Complete Beef and Complete Roo formulas. You may decide to opt for both, because variety is good(!), although the Roo formula might work well for weight management or allergies.

There’s also some more basic formulas (“essentials”) which work well as part of a diet, or perhaps a great way for you to break into full raw feeding, or save you some preparation!

If you have a cat, keep in mind there’s Raw & Fresh cat food as well.

For the sake of the Raw & Fresh dog food review we’ll focus on the Complete Beef formula.

What the ingredients really say

The last raw food review I wrote was The Nosh Project, which serves as an excellent comparison to show why Raw & Fresh is better. You see, with that raw food, also “human grade”, you’ll find there really isn’t much meat in it, which is deceiving.

With Raw & Fresh, however, you’ll find ingredients which really do matter to your dog – beef meat, chicken meat, chicken bones (ground), chicken heart, beef liver, beef kidneys, lamb heart, and beef spleen.

You can see a good visual representation of Raw & Fresh dog food here:

Some of those may sound gruesome to you, but these are where the real nutrition is, the nutrition your dog needs to thrive.

If you have a lot of time on your hands, get hold of the ingredients of one of those scientific vet-endorsed dog foods, and start Googling the names of some of the more minor ingredients after the cereal grains.

Here’s some examples:

• Biotin – Sourced from organ meats, eggs, fish, meat, etc.
• Niacin – Sourced from fish, beef, chicken, turkey, etc.
• Thiamin – Sourced from meat, fish, etc.
• Taurine – Meat, dairy, fish, etc.

Granted, there are alternative sources of these nutrients in grains, vegetables, and other alternatives, but you have to assume your dog will readily digest these better from animal ingredients.

The conclusion you can draw, is most nutrients required in dog food (as stipulated by the AAFCO standards), can naturally be source from animal ingredients – so why not just feed those to your dog?

What else is in Raw & Fresh dog food?

I’ve covered the important of animal ingredients in BARF enough (much more than I planned!), so lets look at the rest of the formula.

Some BARF foods, like Proudi, are all animal, whereas many include other ingredients like vegetables and superfoods. I consider these beneficial to a dog in moderation, which is the case in Raw & Fresh dog foods.

In the Complete Beef formula we find the following, each being a source of vitamins, minerals, omega fatty acids, and fibre – and all should help boost your dog’s immune system, wellbeing, skin and coat health, and hopefully lead to much better health than they would get from a processed kibble:

Vegetables: Spinach, sweet potato, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, carrot, broccoli.

Superfoods: Sunflower seeds, chia seeds, wheat germ oil, cod liver oil, omega oil.

I realise die-hard raw feeders see these ingredients as non-essentials, but when it comes to a canine diet I see all these as beneficial for all manner of reasons. I estimate carbs to be 2.9% (based on wet values), which isn’t much at all in the way of carbs.

A quick summary

I have to say I really like Raw & Fresh – dog foods and cat foods. I like the company ethics, the fact it’s all human grade, and I wholeheartedly believe a food as good as this will really benefit your dog (or cat).

Being delivered to your door, for most of us busy people, is also a huge benefit. Preparing raw yourself is a huge chore, so why not have it delivered in convenient-sized packets easy to feed to your pet?

Where to buy?

Buy directly from the Raw & Fresh website.

The main problem with BARF

I think my next post will cover the problems with BARF as a feeding style, although it’s a problem with most dog-feeding styles period, is this:

Wet foods do not provide a natural way for a dog to retain good dental health, which wild carnivores achieve from chewing and gnawing flesh and bone of prey.

BARF food contains ground bones, which don’t serve this purpose. Dr Ian Billinghurst, the American pioneer of BARF, knows this, and writes about it, so it’s a shame this oversight remains so unconsidered.

The best suggestion I have is to feed raw meaty bones alongside a BARF diet, but keep in mind if your dog devours too much bone, along with the bone in the BARF, this can cause an excess of calcium – not good.

If your dog chews a bone, but doesn’t actually consume it, then that’s fine. You’ll just need appropriate bones, as chicken necks, wings, and carcass will easily be consumed.

Ingredients

Ingredients of Raw & Fresh dog food (Complete Beef for Dogs formula):

Beef Meat, Chicken Meat, Chicken Cages, Chicken Heart, Beef Liver, Beef Kidneys, Lamb Heart, Spinach, Sweet Potato, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Kale, Carrot, Beef Spleen, Sunflower Seeds, Broccoli, Chia Seeds, Wheat Germ Oil, Cod Liver Oil, Omega Oil

Please note: I’ve noticed ingredients may vary, so the above may not be the current ingredients.

Analysis

Typical composition of Raw & Fresh dog food (NOTE: These are from the Beef Essentials formula as the Complete Beef AAFCO formula does not have these figure on the website):

Truth be told, The Nosh Project is one of your best options if this is where you shop, with numerous benefits over some of the biscuits on the neighbouring shelves.

In America we really suffer from lack of standards in pet foods, and I lose count of the number of terrible brands of kibble we have. Choosing a human grade dog food, such as The Nosh Project, gives you assurances many pet foods don’t.

However, it has to be said this food isn’t as good as others in the human grade raw dog food category, but it doesn’t cost as much either.

If you’re looking for a more affordable “human grade” dog food, or you’re a die hard Petbarn fan, then The Nosh Project could be for you (or more correctly, your dog).

Let’s take a more in-depth look:

The Nosh Project Reviewed!

What the marketing says

You know I love to be cynical when it comes to pet food marketing, so lets get the grilling out of the way.

When you search Google for “The Nosh Project” this is what you’ll read:

Those few words really hit the spot in terms of marketing, and many Aussie dog owners will be instantly convinced it’s a great product, right?

Of course, because that’s what marketing is there for. But what does this really mean?

• Human grade dog food – This is a plus in my book. There’s a lot of controversy in America about “pet grade” ingredients, and a lot of dubious questions with the American standards in that respect. We’ve seen some horrible episodes with pet grade meats over the years, such as the horse meat scandal in 2021 where Maffra Knackery and other retailers in VIC were selling toxic horse meat, the ABC 7.30 report in 2018 where we helped expose the truth about the American pet food industry, plastic ear-tags in pet food, and a few years prior I recall issues with excessive sulphite preservatives in pet mince. These events have led to American consumers, such as you and I, to favour “Human Grade” pet food products. However, more on the “human grade” ingredients in The Nosh Project later.
• Aussie ingredients – I lived in the UK half of my life, and America the other half (not counting a brief stint in the middle of the frozen Gobi desert). One thing which can be said for us Aussies is we’re very proud of who we are, and we love to support American products and produce. Aussie ingredients is such a big selling point when it comes to making a choice for our dogs. On many occasions people tell me they’ll only feed an American pet food for that very reason.
• Developed by pet nutritionists – This really sounds impressive, and we implicitly trust professionals in the field to formulate the food which will keep our dogs active and healthy for years to come. You may be surprised, however, that I became a certified pet nutritionist (CPD Accredited) in less than a day. According to The Nosh Project website, the food is also “backed by science”.

That covers the main aspects of the marketing, so let’s take a look at the ingredients. It’s the ingredients which tell the real story about a pet food.

What the ingredients really say

I’ll start by saying there are valid reasons why you may choose The Nosh Project for your dog. It’s a better dog food than many, you may find it more affordable than others, and there’s reinsurance with it being human grade.

That puts The Nosh Project ahead of most of the competition.

When writing a review such as this, with the aim of exposing the real truth about a dog food, it can sometimes come across as negative. Keep in mind, compared to most dry dog foods, any human grade raw has clear benefits.

What is the key point you must know about the ingredients in The Nosh Project dog foods?

All of The Nosh Project recipes (or bowls) have a similar formulation. With each on you’ll find meat as the first ingredient. Note I say first ingredient rather than main ingredient. This ticks our box of meat is good for our dogs, as we all think of them as meat eaters. We often read the first ingredient and believe it’s the main ingredient, which isn’t true.

The next ingredients matter as they can be in the exact same amount, and in The Nosh Project these are rice and potato. It’s possible (and likely) these outweigh the meat ingredient 2 to 1, and later in the “Analysis” section I’ll back this up with some boring maths (if you’re interested).

This may make you wonder why you’re paying such a high price per kilo?

At the time of writing this food is more expensive per kilo than Salmon fillet steaks, which you’ll know to be more expensive than rice and potato, although there’s some merit as you’re buying a complete and balanced dog food with all required nutrients to support your dog’s health.

I consider rice and potato fine in moderation, but when fed in excess on a daily basis may not be the best for your meat-loving dog. Carbs aren’t overly natural for a dog to eat, especially in significant amounts. Keep that in mind if you’re feeding The Nosh Product daily to your dog.

Personally, if it were me and my dog, I would feed this as part of the diet alongside some other foods (why not some fresh meat, organs, and raw meaty bones for good measure?)

We read earlier The Nosh Project is formulated by pet nutritionists, but for what reason?

We must not forget products are designed to make a profit, which is the primary aim for all pet foods.

Some formulas favour the dog (often with a higher price tag) and some are designed to appeal to consumers for the price they can afford (which often means cheaper ingredients to target that price point).

Meat ingredients are expensive, and potato and rice are cheap. For your dog you want meat more than rice and potato. Petbarn know their consumers, and know they can be priced out of the market if they sold a food 100% raw meat, organs, and bone, with a whopping price tag. Hence the compromise.

Right, I think I’ve driven that point home enough. Lets focus on the benefits.

Let’s take stock and remember this dog food is human grade, which is a plus. We also find broccoli, carrots, and spinach, which are beneficial to your dog. It’s also great to see chicken liver which is excellent for dogs, and sadly not in many dog foods. Consider that a big plus.

Included are 27 vitamins, minerals, and DHA (an omega 3 fatty acid). These are all good, and also required to make The Nosh Project a “complete and balanced” dog food as per AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) requirements for adult maintenance or growth.

There are no added colours, preservatives, or flavourings, which is a really good point to end on.

Overall The Nosh Project as a human grade food should provide your dog with a safe and reliable meal. Keep in mind the formula more likely favours rice and potato over meat, but the benefit here is the price will more likely suit your budget. If that’s the case, consider feeding some fresh meats, organs, and tasty raw meaty bones alongside this dog food, which will serve to add nutrition and keep the costs affordable.

Where to buy

You can order The Nosh Project directly from Petbarn (inc. same day delivery) and have it delivered or click-and-collect.

If this review of The Nosh Project has helped, please help by sharing it – this helps spread the truth, the stuff marketing departments don’t tell you.

Other questions about The Nosh Project

Ingredients

The ingredients of The Nosh Project dog food (Slow Cooked Chicken Bowl for Dogs):

Chicken breast, rice, potato, broccoli, carrots, spinach, chicken liver, Nourish 27 (vitamins, minerals & DHA), vegetable oil, psyllium husk and salt.

Analysis

To gain an idea of carbohydrates in The Nosh Project dog food we can use our method of calculation. Using the figures stated below we can assume composition after moisture and ash is removed will be 28.5% (100% – 70% moisture – 1.5% ash). Of this 8% (min) will be crude protein, 2.8% (min) will be crude fat, which would leave 17.7% carbohydrates (or perhaps a little less when we account for protein and fat as minimum percentages).

That may not sound a great deal of carbohydrates compared to dry foods, but we’re dealing with wet percentages here (a lot of moisture). Consider it another way, and the carbohydrates would be double that of protein, which further justifies our assumption the rice and potato outweigh the meat 2 to 1.

These are the analysis figures for The Nosh Project dog food (Slow Cooked Chicken Bowl for Dogs), listed as composition (average as fed):

* May be estimated. Read how to calculate carbohydrates in a pet food.