Big Country Raw

What Big Country Raw does

Big Country Raw, founded in 2012 and headquartered in Smithville, Ontario, is a Canadian manufacturer of frozen raw pet food, supplements, treats, and accessories for dogs and cats. The company produces complete and balanced raw meals under its flagship Big Country Raw Dinner line (Beef, Chicken, Turkey proteins in 4 lb cartons), a sensitivity-focused Grab N Go line (18 lb bags), the cat-specific Fare Game line, and a portfolio of add-on products including the Upsides meal toppers, Thrive supplements (oils, probiotics, joint support), Raw Goat Milk, and Hero single-ingredient dehydrated treats. The portfolio is extended through sub-brands Legendary Canine (dental) and Soda Pup (enrichment toys). The company traces its origin to a German Shorthaired Pointer and Bernese Mountain Dog breeding operation (Big Country Kennels, established 2008), with co-founders Rob and Geraldine Brouwer commercializing the raw food they had been producing for their own litters.

The manufacturing operation is anchored by a 38,000 square foot HACCP-certified production facility in Smithville, Ontario (28,000 sq ft opened in 2019, 10,000 sq ft freezer and fulfillment addition in 2020). Technical differentiators include CFIA-approved bacteriophage antimicrobial treatment for Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria control, third-party-audited HACCP protocols, metal detection on all products, and human-grade ingredients sourced from CFIA- and OMAFRA-inspected facilities. In 2023, Big Country Raw became the first Canadian raw pet food company to complete an extended AAFCO feeding trial, and the 2025 recipe update shifted formulations to AAFCO standards for all life stages, integrating marine algae powder and cod liver oil for DHA, EPA, and vitamin D. Cold-chain integrity is maintained through an owned fleet of temperature-controlled trucks from production through home delivery and retailer fulfillment.

The go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer home delivery across southern Ontario, an e-commerce storefront for cross-Canada shipping of non-perishables, and wholesale distribution to over 1,700 independent pet specialty retailers via a dealer portal with a 3-business-day order turnaround. A breeder program offers discounted pricing to dog and cat breeders who distribute starter pet packs with coupons to new puppy and kitten families, creating a referral funnel. Pricing is published and unit-based: dinner cartons range from $16.99 to $25.99 CAD, Upsides meal toppers from $5.99 to $8.99, and Grab N Go Sensitive 18 lb bags at $96.99. The company is founder-owned with no disclosed external institutional funding, and in March 2026 announced its first international expansion via a distribution partnership with Frontier Distributing to enter the United States.

Name

Big Country Raw

Legal name

Big Country Raw Ltd.

Website

https://bigcountryraw.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Big Country Raw is a Canadian manufacturer of frozen raw pet food, supplements, and treats for dogs and cats. Founded in 2012 in Smithville, Ontario, it sells direct-to-consumer and through 1,700+ pet specialty retailers in Canada, with recent US expansion.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Raw Pet Food

NAICS

Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing (311111), Animal Food Manufacturing (31111), Animal Food Manufacturing (3111), Other Animal Food Manufacturing (311119), Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (45991), Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (459910)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Frozen & Raw Pet Food (incl. freeze-dried) (CRADAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Raw & Fresh Pet Food (Refrigerated/Frozen) (AFADAFAE), Freeze-Dried & Dehydrated Pet Food (AFADAFAD), Pet Food & Treats Distribution (CRAOAKAA), Pet Food & Treats Retail (CRALAHAB)

Keywords

• Raw pet food
• Frozen dog food
• Cat nutrition
• Pet supplements
• Meal toppers

Headquarters

HQ city

Smithville

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Frozen Raw Pet Food Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales through e-commerce with home delivery in southern Ontario. Product categories include complete dinner meals, meal toppers (Upsides line), treats, bones, and supplements sold in various package sizes from 4 lb cartons to 18 lb Grab N Go bags.
2. Wholesale to Pet Retailers: Products sold to over 1,700 pet specialty retail stores across Canada through direct distribution from their production facility. Retailers order through the Big Country Pet Co. dealer portal with 3 business day turnaround.
3. Breeder Program: Dog and cat breeders receive discounts (Buy 8 Get 1 Free in-store, 20% off online) and provide pet packs to puppy/kitten families with free food coupons. Program available in Canada only.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Big Country Raw manufactures and distributes frozen, complete-and-balanced raw pet food for dogs and cats, including dinner meals (Beef, Chicken, Turkey), the Grab N Go Sensitive line, Fare Game cat formulas, Upsides meal toppers, Thrive supplements, Raw Goat Milk, Hero treats, and bones. Products are sold via direct home delivery across southern Ontario, e-commerce across Canada, and wholesale to over 1,700 independent pet specialty retail stores.

Product overview

Big Country Raw is Canada's leading raw pet food company offering frozen raw diets for dogs and cats. The product portfolio centers on complete and balanced frozen raw meals (Big Country Raw Dinner line in Beef, Chicken, Turkey proteins), supplemented by the Grab N Go Sensitive line for pets with food sensitivities, and the Fare Game cat-specific formulas. Add-on products include the Upsides meal topper line (Superfood, Pumpkin, Fruit & Veggies, Beef Organs), Thrive supplement line (oils, probiotics, joint support), Raw Goat Milk varieties, and Hero Treats. The company also offers sub-brands including Legendary Canine (dental health) and distributes Soda Pup enrichment toys. Products are available via direct home delivery across southern Ontario and through over 1,700 Canadian pet specialty retail stores.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fare Game: Cat food product line
• Hero Dog Treats
• Thrive
• Legendary Canine
• Soda Pup
• Upsides
• Grab N Go

Products and services

• Big Country Raw Dinner (Beef, Chicken, Turkey) Complete and balanced frozen raw meals for dogs featuring select meat cuts mixed with beef organs and a signature fruit and vegetable blend. Available in 4 lb cartons (Beef, Chicken, Turkey). Beef Dinner: $25.99; Chicken Dinner: $16.99; Turkey Dinner: $22.99.
• Grab N Go Sensitive Chicken and beef protein-free frozen raw meals designed for dogs with food sensitivities, combining three nutrient-dense, easy-to-digest recipes: Duck Dinner, Pork Dinner, and Turkey, Salmon, Lamb Blend. Available in 18 lb bag at $96.99.
• Fare Game Cat Food

Quantifiable outcome

• 93% digestibility of fresh meat-based diets vs 76-82% for extruded kibble
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Frontier DistributingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 24 March 2026Big Country Raw has partnered with Frontier Distributing to expand into the United States market, marking the company's first international distribution partnership. This strategic expansion allows Canadian-made raw pet food products to reach American consumers through Frontier's distribution network.
• Rodney HabibminorOthersCo-author of #1 New York Times Bestseller 'The Forever Dog' participated in Big Country Raw's 10th Anniversary Fair as a book signing guest. Influential pet health author who aligns with the brand's raw feeding philosophy.
• Nature's Crop (Ahiflower)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrince Edward Island-based company providing sustainable Ahiflower oil as an earth-friendly alternative to fish oil for omega-3 fatty acids. One acre of Ahiflower produces as much oil as 500,000 anchovies, supporting brand sustainability messaging.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stella & Chewy's: US-based premium raw and freeze-dried pet food brand offering frozen raw dinners, meal toppers, and treats for dogs and cats — directly comparable to Big Country Raw's core product category and channel mix (specialty retail + DTC).
• Primal Pet Foods: Frozen and freeze-dried raw pet food manufacturer with national US specialty retail and DTC distribution. Closely comparable business model to Big Country Raw: complete raw meals, supplements, and treats with strong cold-chain requirements.
• Vital Essentials: US-based raw pet food manufacturer offering frozen raw dinners, freeze-dried treats, and supplements. Direct competitor in raw-meal and treat categories with comparable specialty retail distribution.
• Darwin's Natural Pet: DTC raw pet food subscription service delivering fresh, frozen raw meals directly to consumers. Highly comparable DTC cold-chain subscription model to Big Country Raw's home delivery operations.
• Northwest Naturals: Frozen raw and freeze-dried pet food manufacturer with national US distribution. Comparable raw meals, treats, and supplements portfolio serving pet specialty retail channels.
• Smallbatch Pets: Small-batch frozen raw pet food producer with DTC delivery and regional retail distribution. Comparable raw meals and supplements portfolio at similar scale to Big Country Raw.
• Answers Pet Food: Fermented raw pet food manufacturer offering frozen raw meals and supplements for dogs and cats. Comparable raw-only positioning with strong DTC and specialty retail distribution.

Broad incumbents

• Nature's Variety (Instinct): Owned by Mid-America Pet Food, Instinct offers raw frozen meals alongside kibble and wet food. Comparable product line and channel presence, with broader portfolio scale as an established incumbent in the raw/fresh category.
• Champion Petfoods (Orijen & Acana): Canadian premium pet food manufacturer (Orijen, Acana) owned by Mars. Comparable Canadian origin and premium positioning, but operates in kibble/freeze-dried categories rather than frozen raw — represents the most credible Canadian scale competitor BCR could face.

Emerging players

• Open Farm: Premium pet food brand offering 'gently cooked' and raw blends with strong sustainability positioning. Comparable premium positioning and specialty retail distribution, with adjacent category overlap from Big Country Raw's perspective.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bigcountryraw
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@bigcountryraw855
• Facebookfacebook.com/Bigcountryraw
• Instagraminstagram.com/bigcountryraw

Compliance4 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 Big Country Raw