By Becky Streeter
Many dog and cat owners love their pets so much they consider them to be members of the family. We buy them Christmas and birthday presents (some of us even wrap them!). We let them snuggle on our couches and in our beds at night. And sure, they might not sit at the dinner table with us and use a fork and knife to eat, but they do deserve to eat a high-quality, nutritious diet, just like we do. Fresh Is Best is a Milwaukee-based pet food company committed to helping pets live healthy, long lives through whole fresh foods diets.
Stacy La Point, owner and founder of Fresh Is Best, is passionate about providing species-appropriate food for your truest companion. Stacy says, “The most frequent feedback I hear from customers is they are as concerned about the quality of their pet food as they are for their own food. This is the standard we use with our products.”
Regular kibble is packed with carbohydrates, fillers and artificial flavors, none of which are natural for dogs and cats. According to Stacy, “When we feed dry food to pets, heavy in starch and carbohydrates, it robs their body of moisture. They have to drink water from a bowl, but they often don’t have the patience or energy to drink until they are fully hydrated. Because of this, they can end up with chronic ailments.” A diet of simply kibble alone can lead to a myriad of health concerns including obesity, allergic reactions, digestive illness, diabetes, dental issues, and renal failure.
A raw foods diet, on the other hand, can be extremely beneficial for pets. Owners report seeing weight loss in overweight pets, increased muscle mass, reduced behavioral problems if caused from allergies, elimination of allergy symptoms including GI troubles and hot spots on skin, fresher smelling coats and breath, and a strengthened immune system.
Fresh Is Best has been producing human-quality, raw, grain-free, natural pet food since it opened in 2001. All recipes meet or exceed the accepted nutritional profiles for dogs and cats as determined by the Association of Animal Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). Fresh Is Best dog food consists of approximately 80% meat and 20% vegetables, and their cat food is 90% meat and 10% vegetables. They use only humanely raised meat that is USDA grass-fed, cage-free, antibiotic-free and/or wild-harvested. None of their food contains grains, white potatoes, peas, legumes, flour, or starches of any kind. It is simple, natural and healthy.
Fresh Is Best aims to deliver the freshest products possible. Recipes are slowly freeze-dried and then quickly packaged using high oxygen barrier bags to preserve maximum nutrition and freshness. They are shipped almost immediately after packaging. “We maintain small batches and don’t warehouse anything,” Stacy says. “When you buy from our website, you are getting the most recent batch, and our quality control is impeccable. The point is to preserve our products in a high-quality way and get it from farm to bowl as quickly as we can.”
Stacy understands fresh food can get expensive. One of her favorite things about her business is speaking with customers and “helping educate people to find a food that works for their pets and their budget.” Fresh Is Best offers full meal options, meal toppers and treats that can double as meal supplements. Stacy’s number one goal is to get your pet on a track for a healthier diet and help them live their best lives in the freshest way.
To learn more about or order products directly from Fresh Is Best, visit freshisbest.com.