We know that our pets are what they eat; likewise, we are the choices we make as a business. So when we talk about honest, uncompromised goodness, we’re talking about making eco-friendly pet food – caring for our planet as well as our furry pals. We’re talking about everything from the provenance of our ingredients to the size of our carbon footprint. 

To mark Earth Day 2021, we thought we’d share how we put our commitment to making planet-friendly pet food into practice. 

Working with the good guys 

We’re big believers in supporting our community – locally and beyond. Teaming up with Ecologi is great, as we can see the direct impact of our funding across the globe. This fantastic organisation plants trees and invests in the best solutions for the environmental crises we face – now and in the future. Since joining, we’ve offset 72.89 tonnes of carbon emissions – equivalent to 180,840 miles driven in a car – and that figure will only climb. 

We’ve contributed to a range of Ecologi’s environmental projects, from preserving the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor in Guatemala to funding solar power in Maharashtra, India and onshore wind energy generation in Taiwan. For every new Hug customer, we plant a tree through Ecologi. We’re currently at a total of 1,218 trees, including Mangroves in Madagascar and Adansonia digitata in Mozambique.

An ingredients list that stands up to scrutiny

We’ve hand-selected the ingredients in our eco-friendly pet food with environmental impact at front of mind. In addition to being high welfare and free range, free run, or outdoor reared, all of our meat is sourced from suppliers committed to green farming methods. 

Our vegetables come from growers who manage their crops sustainably, and our salmon is supplied by select Norwegian suppliers who share our dedication to responsible farming and animal welfare. 

QRILL Pet, the only fishery to have earned an ‘A’ ranking from the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, supplies our krill. This incredible fishery pioneered a new technique that taps into just 1% of the krill biomass, leaving plenty behind for natural predators – ‘eco-harvesting’. Using unique technology, the trawl net remains beneath the water throughout the continuous harvesting operation; a conveyer hose is attached to the net, and a steady stream of water flows through the hose, bringing live fresh krill on board the ship for immediate processing. This technology also prevents the catch of other species.

To further reduce our impact on the planet, we’ve created a premium cold pressed vegetarian dog food, which is Vegetarian Society Approved. To achieve this trademark, the food has to meet various criteria:

• Only include free range eggs
• Be GMO-free
• Not contain any meat or fish – or get cross-contaminated during production

It delivers everything pooches need for optimal nutrition – you can make meat-free Mondays a fixture for them too!

Packaging we’re proud of

Eco-friendly pet food should mean eco-friendly packaging, and we’re really proud of ours. Aside from looking lovely, it’s designed with the planet in mind – and we’ll continue assessing it as even greener options become available. 

We’re not content to just say ‘recycle ready’ and be done with it. You’ll find recycling instructions with all of our products, covering every element from our paper insulation to our frozen food containers. 

Here are the basics:

• Ice packs – compostable
• Cardboard packing boxes – easily recycled 
• Film lids on our raw food pots – returnable to us (we’ll cover the postage and recycle them for you)
• Handles – easily recycled

Truly eco-friendly pet food

Whether you read one of our blog posts, catch an episode of our podcast, or pop into our store, you’ll know: we’re a straight-talkin’ bunch. We’re deeply committed to helping pets get healthier and happier while looking after our planet. 

Honest, uncompromised goodness means holding ourselves accountable every step of the way. If you have any questions or suggestions about our food or practices, please get in touch with our friendly team – we’re just a phone call away!

The problem? Most meat-free meals for pooches contain little more than low-grade fibre, fillers, artificial preservatives, and poor-quality supplements. In other words, a bowl full of nothin’.

There’s none of that in our cold pressed veggie dog food, Veggie Veggie Good. We like to think it’s (probably) the best vegetarian option out there.

Truly good ingredients

Maybe you’re considering meat-free Mondays for your pooch. Maybe you want to switch your dog to a 100% vegetarian diet. Either way, feeding veggie dog food doesn’t have to mean nutritional compromise – not with Veggie Veggie Good.

Bursting with bioavailable goodies and gently cold pressed at low temperatures, our natural recipe delivers optimal nutrition to dogs.

Free range egg acts as a potentially novel protein source for hounds with food intolerances. You’ll also find tasty potato (rather than sweet potato shipped from who knows where), peas, spirulina, kale, apple, and pumpkin in the mix.

Prebiotics seaweed, chamomile, and nettle are put to work too, ideal for cultivating a healthy microbiome: the route to settled tums and soothed skin.

In comparison, typical vegetarian dog food is bulked out with cheap carbs such as maize, along with budget supplements – the addition of these supplements helps brands pass the ‘complete pet food’ test.

Ethical veggie dog food

Our veggie dog food isn’t just delicious and nutritious, though.

When we say truly good, we mean it. We’re proud to say Veggie Veggie Good is accredited by the Vegetarian Society.

This means we have passed strict checks to ensure all of our ingredients meet their rigorous welfare standards. For example, we only use free range egg in Veggie Veggie Good (and any other Hug products containing egg), the supplements we include are of plant origin, and we do not allow for any GM ingredients in our recipe.

Although dog food may appear veggie-friendly at first glance, a closer peek at its label might show otherwise. Did you know that some vitamins contain gelatine in their capsules? Also, some fat-soluble vitamins come from an animal source.

It’s always worth looking out for the Vegetarian Society logo, as this lets you know the veggie dog food you’re buying has been properly evaluated.

All of the ingredients in our veggie dog food (and the rest of our range, for that matter) are top-notch, sustainable, and ethically sourced from select suppliers. Better still, it comes in environmentally-friendly packaging.

We reckon your dog will love Veggie Veggie Good. Alfie definitely does…

Sure, it contains omega-3 and choline, both of which are proven to support and improve dogs’ cognitive functioning. Then again, plenty of other ingredients include these, too. What makes this Antarctic find so special?

Krill: the most effective agent of delivery 

In our last WTH, we discussed bioavailability: if the ratio of nutrients in your pooch’s food isn’t right, they can’t absorb them properly, no matter how healthy the meal. Something similar occurs when feeding your dog powerhouses omega-3 and choline: if they’re supplied in the wrong form, your pet will see few to no benefits. Sadly, this is often the case, and their presence in most pet foods is little more than a marketing ploy.

Not so when krill is the agent of delivery. Arguably the most potent brain food for dogs, this mighty ingredient can have a major impact on your hound’s mental and physical wellbeing. Here’s why:

There’s omega-3… and then there’s omega-3

A raft of evidence demonstrates how critical omega-3 is for maintaining great canine health, from puppyhood right through to old age. What many people don’t know is that omega-3 fatty acids come as long-chain omega-3s or short-chain omega-3s – and the difference between the two is big. 

Long-chain omega-3s are linked with all the health-boosting benefits we know of: not short-chain omega-3s. The type of omega-3 fed hugely impacts the rate at which it raises a dog’s omega-3 index: how we measure the amount of good fatty acids in a dog’s red blood cell membranes.

QRILL Pet, our Antarctic krill supplier, cites a study of twenty Alaskan Huskies as an example of this in action. Over six weeks, ten Huskies were given krill oil, a known source of long-chain fatty acids; the other ten were given flaxseed oil, a source of short-chain fatty acids.

The Huskies started with similar omega-3 index levels. In as few as three weeks, those ingesting krill oil showed markedly higher omega-3 index levels, while those receiving flaxseed oil showed a notable decline. 

By week six, the omega-3 index levels in the Huskies dining on krill oil remained significantly raised, while the index levels of those on flaxseed oil continued to deplete. In the end, the krill group saw a 62% hike in their omega-3 index and the flaxseed group saw a 40% drop. Pretty hefty gap.

Krill as a brain food for dogs: omega-3 benefits

So, we’ve established that krill is a top notch brain food for dogs – one that properly provides the omega-3 goods. Here are some of the benefits its long-chain fatty acids offer your canine:

Cognitive support

Omega-3s are vital for the maintenance of cognitive function, especially during a dog’s early and senior years.

The long-chain omega-3 fatty acids in krill help pups develop and support older hounds’ mental faculties, making krill an ideal brain food for both age groups, in addition to ultra active dogs such as the Huskies QRILL Pet studied.

Happy hearts

Frequent consumption of marine omega-3s has been linked to improved heart health, decreasing the risk of disease and combatting inflammation. 

Strong muscles and joints

Another standout feature of the omega-3s found in krill is their anti-inflammatory effect on muscles and joints, perfect for growing pups, ageing canines, and high-performance dogs.  

Immune-boosting goodness

A balanced, species-appropriate diet that serves up the right omega-3s is the route to a robust, illness-fighting immune system.

Soothed skin

We talk a lot about the importance of diet as a remedy for itchy and dry skin. Omega-3 can have a preventative and soothing effect on skin conditions and allergies, and can ease along the healing process.

A question of choline

Choline is a fresh up-and-comer in the pet nutrition world. An essential nutrient, canines naturally produce it in their liver – but not in the quantity required to match all of their body’s needs. Subsequently, a dietary supplement is needed to avoid a choline deficiency.

The catch? Not all choline supplements are created equal.

You’ll find choline in many standard dog foods, typically in the form of choline chloride or betaine. In contrast, krill naturally delivers an effective hit in a form of choline called phosphatidylcholine. Why does that matter? Because phospholipids are a whopping 12 times more effective at increasing choline concentration in the blood than choline chloride.

In another QRILL Pet study, a dog sled team of twenty Huskies was assessed over six weeks to see if feeding phosphatidylcholine via krill would raise the choline levels in their plasma. Ten of the Huskies were given a control diet omitting krill, while ten were given a krill supplement. By the end of the trial, the Huskies on the krill diet saw a 52% rise in choline levels – far higher than those on the control diet.

These findings are particularly handy for pooches leading high-stamina lifestyles, whether they’re Huskies, CaniCross canines, or working dogs. Choline is key for both nerve transmission and muscle function, so a drop in choline levels could negatively impact their performance: another reason krill is such a brilliant brain food for dogs.

Krill as a brain food for dogs: choline benefits

Ok, ok: krill is king when it comes to choline provision. But what exactly are the benefits of choline?

Brain care

Choline is a crucial component in the build and maintenance of your dog’s nervous system. It lends support to neurotransmitters facilitating cognitive messaging, and it also has a positive impact on brain development, combatting the decline of memory and cognition as pooches age.

Heart help

Choline plays a pivotal role in bolstering the nerve impulse systems connected to a normal heartbeat and heart muscle. It also contributes to a healthy heart and blood vessels.

Liver love

Choline helps to prevent liver disease by aiding in the removal of fat from your dog’s liver. Clever stuff.

Ethical marine support for dogs

We’re proud to source our Antarctic krill from QRILL Pet: the only fishery ranked ‘A’ by the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership. QRILL developed an eco-harvesting method that involves just 1% of the krill biomass, so there’s plenty left for natural predators in the wild. All krill is processed on-board their ships, so it has no time to deteriorate.

You’ll find premium Antarctic krill in all of our raw recipes for dogs, as well as our cold pressed range. A premium ingredient that’s useful at all life stages, it’s excellent for growing puppies, active dogs, and seniors, promoting a balanced mind, better memory, and mobility. It’s bloomin’ krill-iant (sorry, couldn’t resist). 

To find out more about how Hug food supports specific health conditions, head here. 

I’d always had cats and not thought too much about what was in their food as long as they ate it! I went for big brands as I trusted them to do the best for my cats. Then I had my children and my nurturing instinct kicked in! I made sure that the food we ate as a family was unprocessed, locally sourced where possible, and fresh. So when we welcomed our first dog – Rudi Doodle – into the family, I saw no reason not to source his food in the same way.  

The problem was that proper, natural, species-appropriate food didn’t really exist for pets back then. I certainly didn’t want to support mass commercial farming that put the welfare of farm animals at the bottom of any consideration list via the pet food I bought. So I read books and worked out my own recipes with a little help from a vet friend.

That was 11 years ago, and Rudi has been raw fed since he was about 6 months old.

What did you do before you started Hug?

I was instrumental in setting up one of the first raw dog food companies in the UK, back in 2009. When I moved on from there, I knew I had more to offer, and I wanted to make amends to those dogs and cats who simply didn’t want to eat a raw diet but had little choice of a natural alternative.

Have you always been an animal lover? 

Completely and utterly… My husband despaired when I insisted on nursing a robin chick on my bedside table (in an ice cream tub nest!), so I could do night feeds the minute it demanded it as I couldn’t get it to a wildlife hospital that evening.

Do you have any dogs or cats of your own?

We have two dogs in our family: Rudi Doodle, who is nearly 12, and Fletcher Doodle, who came to us as a rehome and is now 7 years old.

Have their lives changed as a result of being fed a natural diet?

They have always been fed a natural diet and on the occasion when I might just run out (yes, despite working ‘in dog food’ I do forget to place my orders!) I’ve resorted to the standard pet food in the supermarket. But we’ve always regretted that when, a few hours later, we’re sitting in the kitchen with the windows open while the dogs laze in the lounge pretending not to notice the smell emanating from their back ends….

Fletcher is a fusspot too, and I have been known to feed him from a teaspoon on my knees, just desperate for him to eat the raw food I’ve lovingly prepared!

What inspired you to start Hug?

My fussy Fletcher wasn’t overly keen on the best raw natural food I could source – he would often prefer a cuddle and a bit of my dinner. I felt I was letting him down while his brother chomped through the best fresh free range chicken.  

For those dogs and cats that either didn’t like raw, couldn’t tolerate bone, or whose owners could not handle the bacteria or storage side of things, there were very few alternatives that used the best quality ingredients and a choice of ways to serve. There wasn’t anything that suited everyone. 

What makes Hug different from other pet food brands? 

We are not a one size fits all. Every dog and cat is different with different needs, so why shouldn’t there be a range of food that is consistently superior in quality but offers a choice in terms of serving raw, cooked or cold pressed?

What are the values that guide Hug?

Number one is honesty. I have been around the pet food sector for over 10 years and what upsets me is that there is so much spin and confusion. I believe we can support our customers better by offering a range that includes the best of the best of each option in terms of ingredients and sourcing. We’ve done the worrying and the legwork.

Our knowledge – this isn’t just a business; this is a mission to support all pet parents and enable them to feed a food that works for their dog and their lifestyle. We can help with poorly pets too, and make sure their diet supports any health condition they are struggling with.

Our environmental stance – we are wholly committed to following practices that protect our planet, rather than turning a blind eye to the waste mountain. For example, there is absolutely no excuse for using polystyrene packaging these days! All of our packaging has been carefully selected with recyclability and sustainability in mind. We’ve taken the time to source ingredient and product suppliers who also share our values.

To our surprise, that journey took us as far as Norway for some of Hug’s most special ingredients, including our Krill. You’ll see the eco-harvesting logo on our packaging which ensures the Krill catch is limited to 1% of the stock biomass, leaving 99% for natural predators. Our supplier is the only fishery to receive an ‘A’ ranking from the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership. This is in addition to working alongside WWF Norway and supporting the Antarctic Wildlife Research Fund.

Our ethics – we have Ethical Company status, a Vegetarian Society Award and are now focused on passing the MSC Chain of Custody Standard. We are also working towards being recognised as a B Corp business.

With all of this in mind, Hug literally stands for honest, uncompromised goodness.

What do you want to achieve with Hug?

To offer a genuine choice, and perhaps challenge other brands to up their game and behave a bit better. But ultimately, all we really want to do is live up to our pets’ expectations, learn from their approach to life, and be worthy of their companionship.