Freeze-dried raw beside a rehydrated bowl

Our science

Rehydratable raw.
Not like the rest.

They sound the same on the shelf. They're not. Here's the honest version of what freeze-dried raw actually is.

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The honest comparison

Why ancestral raw, freeze-dried, is best.

The label tells part of the story. Here's how freeze-dried raw stacks up on nutrition, digestibility and the rest.

Nutrition

Our pick

Freeze-dried

Air-dried

Cooked

Fresh raw

Nutrient retention

Vitamins and omega-3s

Digestibility

Protein & fat absorption

Shelf life

Without preservatives

Portability

Lightweight, hydratable

Convenience

Sourcing & meal prep

Formulated with

Dr Ian Billinghurst

Veterinary surgeon · Nutritionist · Originator of the BARF diet

Dr Ian Billinghurst is the Australian veterinarian who developed the BARF model, Biologically Appropriate Raw Food, and put evolutionary nutrition on the map for dogs. His work is the reason raw feeding has a scientific framework based on evolution rather than being just another fad.

While raw feeding remains the gold standard, freeze drying is the absolute best alternative for preserving the true nutritional integrity of raw ingredients. Our recipes are built on this exact principle: delivering whole foods in the natural ratios dogs evolved on, gently freeze-dried for maximum nutrient retention.

“Because our pets' bodies evolved eating these foods, that is exactly what we should feed them. Anything less will fall short of what their bodies require for best health, longevity, and freedom from disease.”
Dr Ian Billinghurst

The concentration insight

We take out the water,
not the goodness.

A 100g pack of freeze-dried raw started life as roughly four times its weight in fresh meat, about 400g. That's why it's feather-light to carry, and why a little goes a long way.

Rehydrating brings it back to a hydrated raw state. Freeze-dried raw locks in the majority of raw nutrition, keeps for up to two years, and weighs almost nothing.

approx 100g

freeze-dried raw meat

≈

approx 400g

hydrated raw meat

Raw, done responsibly

The two fair questions about raw, answered.

Vets raise two fair concerns about raw feeding, and we built Ancestral Raw to answer both.

Is it complete?

Our products are biologically, ancestrally and evolutionarily appropriate.

They contain the foods our dogs coevolved with in evolutionary proportions. That is why these products work with our dogs physiology to provide biological completeness and balance.

Is it safe to handle?

Tested, safe to handle.

When handling our products, use standard hygiene practices. Every batch is produced under strict HACCP quality controls and independently tested in a NATA-accredited laboratory to ensure maximum safety.

Real food does real things.

We sell food, not supplements, and real food earns its place. Whole salmon and sardines are naturally rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Organ meats bring the iron, B12 and the cofactors that come with them. Feed a dog the diet it evolved on and you're not filling gaps with powders, there were never gaps to fill.

Real raw food, made pantry-stable, pack it, don't freeze it, and take it wherever your dog goes.

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Held to standards

Built on real food. Made to a real standard.

Human-grade ingredients, following the evolutionary food model, whole meat, organ, edible bone, fish and real plants, in the ratios dogs evolved to eat. And it's made to match.

HACCP-certified sourcing

Ingredients from a provider held to HACCP, the internationally recognised food-safety system: documented sanitation, cross-contamination controls, temperature monitored at every step.

Certified kitchen

We source our freeze-dried raw from a PFIAA-certified provider (AS 5812:2017), then compile, process and pack every recipe ourselves in a certified commercial-grade kitchen.

Independently tested

Every batch is independently tested, including for heavy metals, before it's packed. We'll show you the working.

New to raw?