Interview: 5 questions for Intrepid Pet
Phil Bray and Ben Bray, President and Manager, respectively, of Intrepid Pet answer 5 questions. Keep reading to learn more about our brand, the importance of quality ingredients and Intrepid Pet’s goals for the future.
Why intrepid Pet and how did you find this name?
We thought for a long time about something that would reflect the adventurous and bold spirit of the pets we know and love. We also wanted a name that ties in with the durability of the taste and nutrition of the food itself, which is made possible by our vacuum package. We settled on Intrepid Pet after a lot of brainstorming!
How do you manage quality and traceability of your products?
All of our pet foods are independently tested by third party laboratories for safety in addition to in-house testing at regular intervals during production. We have also validated our formulations by completing full AAFCO* testing on our finished dog and cat food recipes.
What is the secret of a perfect dog food recipe?
To be honest we don’t think there is such a thing! But we think it’s possible to get close by building recipes on a strong foundation of a couple core concepts:
No artificial preservatives – we use a combination of mixed tocopherols, citric acid, and rosemary extract to preserve all our foods. We never use ethoxyquin, BHA, BHT, or other synthetic preservatives.
Real meat protein sources – we use chicken and chicken meal as the primary protein source (and first ingredients) without relying on protein concentrates like potato protein or pea protein.
Are your own pets your first product testers?
Yes! It’s not a very scientific test but we ensure we have good results on our own cats and dogs before going to market with a product.
What are your goals for Intrepid Pet in the future?
Right now we are focused on getting the word out so as many potential customers as possible know the benefits of vacuum-packed pet food. In the near future we would like to expand and begin offering more varieties of both dog and cat food. We have heard from many potential customers who would like an option that does not contain chicken.
*The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) is a voluntary membership association of local, state and federal agencies. Their members are charged by their local, state or federal laws to regulate the sale and distribution of animal feeds. AAFCO creates nutritional guidelines for pet food including dog food and cat food.