Breeder's Choice Pet Foods

What Breeder's Choice Pet Foods does

Breeder's Choice Pet Foods, LLC is a privately held, Irwindale, California-based pet food manufacturer founded in 1947 by Harold Taylor and owned since December 2020 by Lucy Pet Products, LLC under CEO Joey Herrick (founder of Natural Balance Pet Foods). The company produces premium extruded dry dog and cat foods, semi-moist rolls, and multi-format treats at a single SQF Level 3 / GFSI / FSMA-compliant facility, with on-site capability to manufacture fresh meat purees and custom dry raw material blends supporting meat-first, grain-free, limited-ingredient, and meal-based formulations. Since 2020 the company has invested in a $1 million Pet Food Safety Lab (PFSL, opened July 2022) equipped with nIR ingredient verification, PCR pathogen testing, LCMS sub-ppm contaminant detection, and DNA protein testing under a HARPC-based positive release protocol.

The company's business model is hybrid. As a co-manufacturer it provides custom formulation, R&D support, flexible minimum-quantity production, and packaging (2 oz sample bags through 50 lb bags) for brand partners that include the in-house brands AvoDerm, Pinnacle, and Lucy Pet Foods. Commercially, it sells through three channels: wholesale and retail distribution to authorized distributors and resellers, direct-to-consumer via its own website, and a subscription / auto-replenishment program with recurring billing and discounts. Pricing is contract-based in USD, exclusive of sales tax, with shipping and payment terms negotiated per customer. Geographic reach is U.S. domestic (48 contiguous states plus D.C.) with explicit positioning for Asia/Pacific export from the West Coast facility.

The workforce of 51–100 employees is led by an executive team with deep industry tenure: Herrick at the strategic level, VP of Quality and Safety Steve Lunetta (pharma, diagnostics, nutraceutical, and pet food background), and Senior Manager of Quality and Food Safety Jay Trivedi (PCQI Lead Instructor for Animal Foods and certified SQF/GFSI auditor). Marketing is primarily brand-heritage and certification-driven, with a content website, contact forms, and a stated philanthropic affiliation with the Lucy Pet Foundation.

Name

Breeder's Choice Pet Foods

Legal name

Breeder's Choice Pet Foods, LLC

Website

https://breederschoice.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Breeder's Choice Pet Foods is a 1947-founded, Irwindale, California-based manufacturer of premium dry, semi-moist, and treat pet foods. Owned by Lucy Pet Products, it serves brand owners via co-manufacturing and wholesale and retail distribution, plus consumer-direct and subscription sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pet Food Manufacturing

NAICS

Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing (311111), Animal Food Manufacturing (31111)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Custom & Private-Label Pet Food Manufacturing (AFADAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dry Kibble (Dog & Cat) (CRADAFAA), Dry Pet Food (Kibble) (AFADAFAA), Pet Treats & Chews (AFADAFAF), Semi-Moist Pet Food (AFADAFAC)

Keywords

• Pet food manufacturing
• Co-manufacturing services
• Custom pet formulations
• Pet food safety testing
• Dry pet food extrusion

Headquarters

HQ city

Irwindale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Pet Food Sales: Sells pet food products to authorized distributors and retailers for commercial resale. Sales are for commercial resale or other business purposes. Payment terms defined in individual contracts.
2. Direct-to-Consumer Website Sales: Sells pet food products directly to consumers through the company website. Consumer purchases are subject to standard retail terms.
3. Subscription/Auto-Replenishment Program: Offers subscription program with automatic recurring deliveries. Bills customers on a per-order basis until subscription is canceled. Provides discount for subscription participants.
4. Co-Manufacturing Services: Provides custom formulation and manufacturing services for brand partners including AvoDerm, Pinnacle, and Lucy Pet Foods brands. R&D services are complimentary for partners with commercialized products meeting minimum quantities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Breeder's Choice Pet Foods manufactures premium extruded dry pet foods (kibble for dogs and cats), semi-moist dog food rolls, and multi-format treats at its Irwindale, California facility. The company also provides custom co-manufacturing and formulation services for partner pet food brands, along with in-house ingredient and product safety testing through the Pet Food Safety Lab (PFSL). It sells its own AvoDerm, Pinnacle, and Lucy Pet Foods brands via wholesale, retail, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce channels.

Product overview

Breeder's Choice Pet Foods operates as a co-manufacturer of premium pet foods with a portfolio of owned brands (AvoDerm®, Pinnacle®, Lucy Pet Foods™) and custom manufacturing services. The company produces extruded dry kibble for dogs and cats, semi-moist dog food rolls, and multi-format treats at its Irwindale, California facility. Core offerings include the Pet Food Safety Lab™ testing services, custom formulation capabilities (meat-first, grain-free, limited ingredient, meal-based formulas), flexible co-manufacturing partnerships, and varied packaging options ranging from sample sizes to 50lb bags.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AvoDerm: Premium pet food brand distributed worldwide.
• Pinnacle
• Lucy Pet Foods

Products and services

• AvoDerm Premium pet food brand under Breeder's Choice Pet Foods, produced at the Irwindale, California facility and distributed worldwide through wholesale, retail, and direct-to-consumer channels.
• Pinnacle Premium pet food brand under Breeder's Choice Pet Foods, distributed worldwide through the company's wholesale, retail, and direct-to-consumer channels.
• Lucy Pet Foods Premium pet food brand under Breeder's Choice Pet Foods, distributed worldwide through the company's wholesale, retail, and direct-to-consumer channels.
• Extruded Dry Dog and Cat Foods Small-batch extruded dry pet food (kibble) for dogs and cats manufactured at the Irwindale, California facility, available in custom formulations including meat-first, grain-free, limited ingredient (LID), and meal-based recipes.
• Semi-Moist Dog Food Rolls Semi-moist dog food rolls produced at the Irwindale, California manufacturing facility as part of the company's pet food product portfolio.
• Multi-Format Pet Treats Multi-format pet treats produced at the Irwindale, California manufacturing facility as part of Breeder's Choice's pet food product portfolio.
• Co-Manufacturing Services Contract manufacturing and custom formulation services for pet food brand partners, including proprietary dry raw material blends and on-site fresh meat puree production for partner-branded products.
• Pet Food Safety Lab (PFSL) In-house testing facility offering microbiological, chemical, and physical testing of pet food raw materials and finished products, including LCMS-based contaminant detection at sub-ppm levels, PCR pathogen testing, protein DNA testing, and near-infrared ingredient verification.
• Packaging Services Flexible dry packaging services using Thiele line (12lb to 50lb bags), Triangle line (sizes below 12 pounds), and a sample bag line (2 to 5 oz promotional sizes for trade shows and direct mailings).

Quantifiable outcome

• Every ingredient is tested before being added to pet food
• +4 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Chewy: Leading U.S. online pet food and supplies retailer. Comparable as a primary consumer-direct distribution channel for the premium pet food brands Breeder's Choice manufactures for.

Direct peers

• Tuffy's Pet Foods: Family-owned U.S. manufacturer of dry kibble and treats with private-label and co-manufacturing services. Similar to Breeder's Choice in being a privately held, multi-generational pet food manufacturer serving branded and partner-brand customers.
• Fromm Family Foods: Fourth-generation, family-owned U.S. pet food manufacturer of dry kibble, wet, and treats with vertically integrated production. Comparable to Breeder's Choice in premium positioning, U.S.-based manufacturing, and multi-format output.
• Diamond Pet Foods: Large private U.S. dry pet food and treat manufacturer with multiple owned brands and co-manufacturing/private-label capabilities. Comparable to Breeder's Choice in core manufacturing, multi-format kibble/treat production, and serving both branded and partner-brand customers.
• CJ Foods (Central Garden & Pet): U.S. private-label and co-manufacturer of dry pet food and treats, producing for major retail and brand customers. Directly comparable to Breeder's Choice's co-manufacturing and custom formulation model in extruded kibble and treats.

Broad incumbents

• Wellness Pet Company: Premium pet food brand (Wellness, Holistic Select, Old Mother Hubbard) with contract manufacturing across dry and wet formats. Comparable in positioning around natural/holistic dry kibble and treat categories Breeder's Choice competes in.
• Blue Buffalo (General Mills): Leading U.S. premium natural pet food brand owned by General Mills, with dry kibble, wet, and treats. Comparable product set and premium positioning, but with vastly greater scale, distribution, and marketing spend.
• Champion Petfoods (Mars): Premium and specialty pet food manufacturer behind Orijen and Acana, now owned by Mars Petcare. Comparable product portfolio (premium dry kibble, custom formulations, fresh meat inclusion) but operates at much greater scale and global reach.

Emerging players

• Stella & Chewy's: Premium raw and freeze-dried pet food brand with strong natural/limited-ingredient positioning. Comparable to Breeder's Choice in premium and natural ingredient emphasis, though overlapping mainly on treat and specialty diet formats.
• Primal Pet Foods: Specialty manufacturer of freeze-dried and raw pet foods. Comparable in premium natural positioning and ingredient-quality emphasis, though primarily freeze-dried/raw rather than extruded kibble.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/breederspet
• Facebookfacebook.com/BreedersChoicePetFoods
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/breeder-s-choice-pet-foods-llc

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Breeder's Choice Pet Foods