Champion Petfoods is the parent company of ORIJEN and ACANA, two of the best pet food brands available on the market. Their mission is to deliver the highest quality dog food on the market from fresh, local sources. We love them because of their transparency around how they source all of the ingredients in their products, in addition to how they slow cook their recipes. All of Champion’s ingredients are sourced locally near their manufacturing plants. NorthStar Kitchens is located in Alberta, Canada, and their newest location, DogStar Kitchens is located in Kentucky.  Both of these locations serve as the epicenter for leadership, innovation, and trust. Champion has never had a recall on any of their products, which is something they are very proud of.

CHAMPIONS MISSION & COMMITMENT TO QUALITY

PetFlow customers love Champion for their pets because they know they are getting the highest quality ingredients.  Champion believes that trust is earned by a steady commitment to values.  It’s what pet parents expect and what Champion expects from their ingredients suppliers. To ensure that commitment to their customers remains intact Champion partners with only devoted farmers, ranchers, and fishermen whose values and enthusiasm match their own.

Along with their mission to deliver high-quality pet foods, Champion created Biologically Appropriate™ food.  The concept is simple: Biologically Appropriate means a food that mirrors the freshness and variety of meats that our dogs and cats eat in the wild.

WHAT MAKES FOOD BIOLOGICALLY APPROPRIATE?

Biologically Appropriate™ foods are formulated to match the eating habits of our dogs and cats who evolved from carnivores in the wild. Champion add meats, organs, and cartilage in proportion to reflect the most natural diet our pets would see in the wild. Synthetic ingredients can be harmful and have no nutritional benefit for our pets, and Champion takes measures to ensure these types of ingredients are not found in their recipes.  Biologically appropriate means your pet gets everything their bodies need, and nothing that they don’t.

ORIJEN’S FIVE BIOLOGICALLY APPROPRIATE PRINCIPLES:

1. Rich in meat and meat protein

Our pets have sharp teeth, a short digestive tract and a body which has evolved to metabolize meat.

2. Unmatched fresh meat inclusions

Unmatched by any other dog or cat food, Champion uses only fresh ingredients to mirror mother nature and supply nutrients to our animals in the freshest most natural form.

3. An abundant variety of fresh meats

Since our pets ate a variety of meats in the wild, a rich variety of fresh meats are a staple in Champion Petfood recipes. This is how pet parents can provide a diversity of essential proteins and fats which nourish our pets completely.

4. WHOLEPREY – Superfood for dogs and cats

In nature, there is no need for supplements, because wolves and wildcats derived their nutritional needs naturally.  ORIJEN WholePrey™ mirrors the foods dogs and cats evolved to eat over thousands of years. They have incorporated a balance of fresh meats, organ meats and cartilage in ratios that deliver nutrients naturally.

5. Carbohydrate and Glycemic-Limited
   

Dogs and cats have no biological need for carbohydrates. It’s good for carnivores to have fewer carbohydrates since they don’t have the enzymes to digest them.  

NOURISH AS NATURE INTENDED

Our pets are direct descendants of these wild animals.  They require large concentrations of meat, increased amounts of fresh meat, and a wide variety of meat in their diet to truly thrive.  Champion delivers a true biologically appropriate diet for your dog and/or cat.

“The gray wolf is the ancestor of all domestic dogs. The Eastern wildcat is the ancestor of all domestic cats. And while years of breeding has produced hundreds of ‘different looking wolves and wildcats’, the internal workings of dogs and cats remain unchanged.” – Champion Petfoods

With so many similarities to their wild ancestors, our pets are equipped with sharp teeth and a short digestive tract. This is why our furry friends are better off eating a biologically appropriate diet.

THE EATING ANATOMY OF CARNIVORES & WHY A BIOLOGICALLY APPROPRIATE DIET IS THE BEST FOR OUR CATS AND DOGS

In the modern world dogs and cats have become more domesticated. However, their DNA still matches their ancestors and their diet should reflect the same.

– Sharp Teeth & Single Hinged Jaws –

Herbivores chew their food extensively, while Carnivores on the other hand hardly ever chew their food.  As carnivores, our pets have sharp and pointy teeth for grabbing and shredding meat. Like in the wild, our pets teeth are not made for eating plants, they’re intended for eating meat.  Our pets have a wide mouth made for swallowing pieces of meat whole. Their single-hinged jaw does not allow side to side chewing which is a trait of an herbivore.

– Saliva & Enzymes – 

Since carnivores don’t chew their meat, they’re unable to digest carbohydrates from plants. Our dogs and cats saliva doesn’t contain a particular enzyme, amylase.  Amylase is found in saliva and pancreatic fluid and converts starch and glycogen into simple sugars.  Without this enzyme, our pets don’t have the ability to break down carbohydrates, so there is minimal benefit to having them in our pet’s diets.

Both Champion Petfood brands, ORIJEN and ACANA have higher percentages of meat than other recipes on the market. ORIJEN includes up to 90% meat ingredients, while ACANA is close to 75% meat ingredients.  ORIJEN and ACANA both derive their rich protein content from animal protein, not plant-based protein from potatoes or pea protein concentrates.  By using pure animal protein, they are helping nourish your cat or dog according to their biological needs from the inside out.  

– Short Digestive Tract –

In the wild, carnivores rarely eat daily, and sometimes as little as only once a week.  They have large, single-chambered stomachs suitable for gorging and digesting meat later on. The reason our pets can have such simple digestive systems is that meat is very easily digestible and this is their main source of food in the wild. In addition to having a simple, short digestive tract, carnivores have a high concentration of stomach acid.  Stomach acid helps break down meat quickly and kill off any bacteria associated with raw meats.

WANT YOUR PETS TO THRIVE? GIVE CHAMPION A TRY!

Champion Petfoods is committed to making their foods Biologically Appropriate.™ If you’ve been contemplating switching foods, give ORIJEN or ACANA a try! Your pets will thrive as they do in their natural environment on a biologically appropriate diet.