Local vs industrial dog food: what a short supply chain really changes.

Section 2

Protein quality: fresh meat or by-products?

Protein is the heart of any dog food. And it's also where brands play the most word games.

In a well-designed short supply chain recipe, we choose proteins that are highly digestible and nutritious, sourced from clearly identified raw materials:

• Fresh meat (and not "dehydrated", which can hide a lot).
• Muscle, premium cuts — no generic "animal by-products".
• Animal origin clearly stated on the label.

For us specifically: 42 kg of fresh Belgian chicken per 100 kg of kibble. That's a verifiable figure, not a marketing slogan.

Industrial dog food tends to favour "animal by-products", a very broad category that can include nutritionally less interesting parts. On the label, this translates into vague wording: "animal by-products", "dehydrated animal proteins" with no species mentioned.

Section 3

Recipe transparency: actually reading the label.

Transparency is one of the major advantages of a short-supply-chain brand. A well-built recipe seeks above all to be understandable and honest. It limits unnecessary ingredients and clearly details:

• The origin of raw materials.
• The type of meat used (and not just "meat" full stop).
• Nutritional "extras" like microalgae, plants or fibres.

Everything is designed so that you can read the label in 30 seconds and understand exactly what your dog is eating.

By contrast, some industrial dog foods use very generic wording like "cereals", "oils and fats" or "animal by-products", without specifying their nature.

Section 4

Environmental impact: dog food that doesn't travel around the world.

Behind a bag of industrial dog food often lies a long journey. Raw materials may come from several countries, be processed elsewhere, packaged in another location, then transported to the final retailer.

Each stage adds kilometres… and an extra carbon footprint.

Conversely, short-supply-chain dog food naturally limits environmental impact. By working with ingredients close to the production site, we reduce:

• Distances travelled by ingredients (around 160 km instead of several thousand).
• Unnecessary transport between intermediaries.
• Excessive packaging.

Section 5

Processing and additives: feeding or "compensating"?

Industrial dog foods often have one thing in common: they're heavily processed. When the quality of raw materials varies, there's a strong temptation to add elements to compensate:

• Artificial flavourings.
• Taste enhancers.
• Colourings.
• Preservatives.

These additions don't serve to feed your dog. They serve to make the food more palatable or more shelf-stable, despite an average base recipe.

By contrast, short-supply-chain dog food prioritises a simple recipe, based on quality ingredients from the start. When the raw materials are good, you don't need to cheat.

Section 6

Digestion, skin, coat: the daily impact in the bowl.

Diet has a direct and visible effect on a dog's wellbeing. What they eat every day influences:

• The quality and regularity of stools.
• Their energy levels.
• The condition of their skin and coat.
• The frequency of digestive issues (gas, diarrhoea, vomiting…).

Well-formulated short-supply-chain dog food, rich in digestible ingredients and quality proteins, can really make a difference. It contributes to:

• Improved digestive tolerance.
• Reduced episodes of very loose stools.
• A shinier coat and healthier skin.

Conversely, industrial dog foods made with by-products, low-quality cereals or excessive additives can, in some sensitive dogs, contribute to digestive or skin issues.

Section 7

Price: looking beyond the receipt.

At first glance, industrial dog food may seem cheaper. But to compare properly, you need to look at several elements:

• The price per kilo, not the price of the bag.
• The actual nutritional value (and not just the displayed composition).
• The impact on long-term health (and therefore vet bills).
• The amount needed: quality food fills your dog faster, so you use less.

Short-supply-chain dog food costs slightly more upfront — about €3 more per month for an average dog. But it feeds better, avoids filler ingredients, and can even reduce certain costs over the long term.

Section 8

Supporting the local economy: what's behind a bag.

Behind short-supply-chain dog food, there's much more than just a recipe. You'll find:

• Farmers who supply the ingredients.
• Carriers who work on a small scale.
• Production teams rooted in the region.
• Families who live directly from this know-how.

Buying from a short supply chain therefore means:

• Keeping value-added in the region, instead of seeing it leave for a foreign head office.
• Encouraging more respectful and transparent practices.
• Allowing producers to keep innovating and improving their recipes.

Imported industrial dog food, on the other hand, often benefits very large international groups, and only a limited share of that value actually returns to the local economy.

Section 9

How to spot truly local dog food.

Some brands call themselves "local", but not all of them really are. To tell the difference, a few simple questions help clarify things:

• Does the manufacturer indicate precisely where the food is produced?
• Is the origin of the main ingredients clearly explained?
• Does the brand work with identified producers (farms, local cooperatives, named partners)?
• Can you easily contact the manufacturer with questions?
• Is there consistency between the messaging (local, sustainable, healthy) and the ingredient list?
• When you turn the bag over, are they telling you the truth? (You now know why this question is essential.)