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FAQs

FAQs

We are committed to earning the trust of Pet Lovers everywhere and we know that trust is earned by being open and transparent. That’s why we hope to provide answers to any question you might have about our Biologically Appropriate ORIJEN foods. Looking for more information about where we source our ingredients, how our diets are formulated, or food safety procedures in our NorthStar kitchen? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions to learn everything you need to know about ORIJEN!

HOW CAN I FIND AN ORIJEN RETAILER?

Our online store locator will help you locate retailers in your area.

HOW DO I TRANSITION MY PET TO ORIJEN FOODS?

Dogs and cats are often fed the same food for a long period of time, which means a sudden food change makes it difficult for their digestive systems to adapt. That’s why it’s important to introduce new food gradually. Going slowly will give your dog or cat time to adjust to their new food and will also reduce the chances of digestive upset. Click here for full details on making the switch.

WHAT DOES BIOLOGICALLY APPROPRIATE MEAN?

The Biologically Appropriate concept is simple: mirror the freshness and variety of meats that dogs and cats are evolved to eat. ORIJEN represents the fullest expression of our Biologically Appropriate philosophy. ORIJEN’s recipes reflect diets as close as possible to what our dogs’ and cats’ ancestors found and consumed in nature. Our recipes feature 85-90%* quality animal ingredients in unparalleled variety. With high meat inclusions from superior quality meat, poultry, and produce, feeding ORIJEN means feeding your pet the best.

*Approximate and derived from the unprocessed state of the ingredients.

WHAT DOES WHOLEPREY MEAN?

Nature matched the nutrients in whole animals to perfectly meet your dog or cat’s biological needs. ORIJEN WholePrey incorporates meats, organs, and bone to reflect the natural diet, resulting in a food that requires less supplementation.

WHERE DO YOU SOURCE YOUR INGREDIENTS?

We believe making the world’s best pet foods requires using the world’s best ingredients. That’s why we collaborate with a specially curated group of leading farmers, ranchers, and fisheries we know and trust. Trust is earned by demonstrating an ongoing commitment to quality, food safety, sustainability, and communication.
No matter what, every ingredient we choose is selected for its nutritional value, digestibility and superior flavour.
Our commitment to trust and transparency has led to a robust supplier vendor audit approval program and detailed ingredient traceability system.

WHAT IS MEATMATH?

MeatMath is designed to help you assess if your food is Biologically Appropriate. Biologically Appropriate foods are formulated to match the eating anatomy of the animal they are intended for. Dogs and cats are evolved as carnivores, which means they require high concentrations of meat, high inclusions of fresh meat, and a rich diversity of meat.

Is your food Biologically Appropriate?

Answer the three meat questions: How Much? How Fresh? How Many?

  • How much meat is in a recipe? ORIJEN contains 85%-90%* quality animal ingredients
  • How much fresh or raw meat is in a recipe? ORIJEN’s animal ingredient content contains 2/3 fresh or raw.
  • How many meats are included in a recipe? Each ORIJEN recipe contains a minimum of 6 different animal ingredients

FRESH, RAW OR DRIED – WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

FRESH: Our fresh ingredients meet the FEDIAF standard of refrigeration as the sole method of preservation.
RAW: Our raw ingredients are the same as our fresh but are frozen at the peak of freshness to preserve nutrients.
DRIED: Dried fish and meat ingredients are made of flesh, bones and cartilage, and provide a concentrated source of protein, with their bone content providing a very rich source of minerals. Dried ingredients are made by removing water from the meat, bone, and cartilage ingredients through a cooking process.

DO YOU OFFER A FREQUENT BUYER PROGRAM?

In the UK we do not currently offer a frequent buyer program, however many of our retail partners do have their own in-store loyalty programs which may include ORIJEN. Please ask in store for more details.

ARE ORIJEN FOODS SUPPLEMENTED WITH AMINO ACIDS, VITAMINS, OR MINERALS?

ORIJEN foods feature WholePrey inclusions of fresh muscle meat, organs, and bone to reflect the ancestral diets and resulting in a food that requires less supplementation. Organ meats are concentrated, natural sources of nutrients your dog or cat needs to thrive, including essential vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and vital amino acids. Organ meats such as kidney, liver, and tripe are loaded with minerals such as iron, copper, magnesium, and iodine, and provide important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, all of which nourish dogs and cats as nature intended.

WHO FORMULATES YOUR DIETS AND WHAT ARE THEIR CREDENTIALS?

Our talented team of animal food scientists and nutritionists lead the development and research of our pet foods. They possess a wide variety of education and experience including degrees in Doctorates of Veterinary Medicine, PhDs in Animal Nutrition, PhDs in Food Science, Masters of Science degrees in Animal Nutrition, Food Science, Meat Hygiene and Food Microbiology. They also hold Bachelor’s degrees in Animal Science, Biochemistry, and Veterinary Medicine.
We also partner with numerous Doctors of Veterinary Medicine as consultants. We have always created Biologically Appropriate pet foods and are proud of the research we conduct.

WHO MAKES ORIJEN FOODS AND WHERE ARE THEY MADE?

ORIJEN dry foods are made by Champion Petfoods in our own kitchens.

DO YOU PERFORM ANY TYPE OF ANIMAL TESTING?

Our position on animal testing is simple – we only conduct tests that we would allow our own companion dogs and cats to participate in. We perform various research trials such as palatability tests (taste), digestibility testing (through stool analysis only), and AAFCO feeding trials.
If it’s not OK for our dogs and cats, then it’s not OK for any other dogs and cats.

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR QUALITY ASSURANCE PROTOCOL

Built to reflect our commitment to Pet Lovers everywhere, NorthStar kitchen has achieved the internationally recognized Safe Feed/Safe Food (SFSF) and HACCP certifications. Our NorthStar and New NorthStar Kitchen are also one of very few North American pet food facilities that is European Union certified.
Our track-and-trace system tracks ingredients throughout our kitchens at each step in the process. All of this information is stored in databases that link to a finished product lot code, which enables trace back to an individual ingredient supplier or any step within our kitchens’ processes.
Our Quality Assurance department follows testing protocols from the time ingredients enter our kitchen through production and packaging. Our Quality Assurance technicians sample the raw, in-process and finished products according to our risk-based and scientifically-sound protocols. All finished products are subjected to pathogen evaluation before release and shipment. No product is released for shipment until all tests for food safety and quality are confirmed to be favourable.

HOW SHOULD I STORE MY ORIJEN FOOD?

Once opened, you can safely store ORIJEN dry food in its packaging by rolling the top of the bag down after each use. If you live in a humid climate, consider using an airtight container and simply put the entire bag of food in the container. Ensure you wash your storage bin whenever you change out your bag of food to ensure that food buildup does not occur. Remember to keep the lot number and Best Before date handy.
Refrigeration of ORIJEN dry kibble is not required. Rather than a garage with large temperature fluctuations, the best storage is in your home in a cool, dry place at room temperature.

WHERE IS THE BEST BEFORE DATE?

Each ORIJEN™ product is guaranteed until the Best Before Date printed on the package. The Best Before (BB) date is printed on the back of the bag at the top of the ORIJEN™ package along with our lot number and production information. Our BB dates should be read Day, Month, Year.

ARE ORIJEN BAGS RECYCLABLE?

At present, our packaging is not recyclable in most areas. Due to the nature of our foods, our bags need to form a complete barrier to protect your pet’s food from the outside environment. We know sustainable packaging is important to Pet Lover’s and as such, we are working towards a solution. We will continue to explore these opportunities to provide you and your pets with the best Biologically Appropriate foods possible.

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