Big Dog Pet Foods

What Big Dog Pet Foods does

Big Dog Pet Foods is an Australian pet food manufacturer headquartered in Narangba, Queensland, that produces raw, frozen pet food formulated on BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) principles for dogs and cats. Its product portfolio spans core raw dog food lines (mixed-protein patties in beef, chicken, lamb, Tasmanian salmon, plus bulk rolls and small-dog portions), single-protein allergy diets (turkey, goat, kangaroo at 5% fat), condition-specific recipes (Sensitive Skin, Wellbeing at 7.5% fat), the Nourish Nutrition sub-brand of functional diets (Joint+ Support, Optimal Support), a dedicated cat food range formulated for obligate carnivores, and a health care line of microencapsulated probiotic supplements (Natural Probiotics, Soothe & Support, Stress & Anxiety). The food is manufactured from ingredients sourced through the Australian human supply chain with no preservatives, chemicals, or synthetic vitamins, and the company substantiates complete-and-balanced claims through an AAFCO feeding trial conducted with Smart Pups Assistance Dogs.

The company sells exclusively through retail pet stores in Australia, with products stocked at 1000+ locations spanning major national chains (Petstock, Petbarn, Pets Domain, Pet O, Petcircle) and independent networks (IndePet, AIRR, Just for Pets). Pricing follows a per-unit Recommended Retail Price (RRP) model in Australian dollars across SKUs ranging from approximately $19.99 to $50.99. Customer acquisition relies on content-led marketing: a comprehensive education hub, feeding calculator, product finder, newsletter, veterinary-authored articles, and a testimonial storytelling engine, with a "Where to Buy" store locator closing the loop at retail.

The company is privately held and operated through two Queensland-registered proprietary limited companies — Big Dog Australia Pty Ltd (ACN 094 584 148) and Big Dog Pet Foods Pty Ltd (ACN 145 307 562) — operating from a single headquarters site at 106 Potassium Street, Narangba, and employs between 101 and 250 people with no disclosed external institutional investment. It has been in operation for over 25 years and has not expanded outside Australia.

Name

Big Dog Pet Foods

Legal name

Big Dog Australia Pty Ltd (ACN 094 584 148) and Big Dog Pet Foods Pty Ltd (ACN 145 307 562)

Website

https://bigdogpetfoods.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Big Dog Pet Foods is an Australian manufacturer of frozen, raw pet food and supplements for dogs and cats, formulated on BARF principles and sold through 1000-plus pet retailers across Australia, with sub-brands including Nourish Nutrition for condition-specific functional diets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Raw Pet Food

NAICS

Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing (311111), Animal Food Manufacturing (3111)

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), Functional & Veterinary Diet Pet Food (CRADAFAF)

Keywords

• Raw pet food
• BARF dog food
• Raw cat food
• Pet nutritional supplements
• Frozen raw diets

Headquarters

HQ city

Lawnton

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Raw Pet Food Sales: Sale of frozen raw pet food products including patties, rolls, and supplements through retail pet stores across Australia. Products are sold as one-time purchases at recommended retail prices.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Big Dog Pet Foods manufactures and distributes frozen raw pet food formulated on BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) principles for dogs and cats. Its range includes multi-protein core recipes, single-protein low-allergy diets, targeted wellbeing formulas, bulk rolls, and a sub-brand of probiotic supplements marketed under Nourish Nutrition. Products are sold via more than 1,000 Australian retailers, including major pet specialty chains and independent pet stores.

Product overview

Big Dog Pet Foods is an Australian-made raw pet food company offering a comprehensive portfolio of products across three main categories: raw dog food, cat food, and health care supplements. The core dog food range includes mixed protein patties (Beef, Chicken, Lamb, Tasmanian Salmon, Combo), single protein allergy diets (Turkey, Goat, Kangaroo/Kanga), specialized scientific diets (Sensitive Skin, Wellbeing), and bulk roll formats. A key sub-brand, Nourish Nutrition, provides targeted functional diets including Joint+ Support and Optimal Support for dogs with specific health conditions. The health care range includes probiotic supplements (Natural Probiotics, Soothe & Support, Stress & Anxiety) in 150g formats. Cat food products are formulated specifically for obligate carnivores with higher meat content and feline-specific amino acids. All products follow BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) principles with no preservatives or synthetic additives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nourish Nutrition: A targeted range of raw, functional diets designed to support dogs managing chronic health conditions, naturally. Backed by research and crafted with care, each recipe combines whole-food ingredients with functional nutrients to deliver gentle, effective support for joint, immune, and organ health.

Products and services

• Combo Raw Dog Food

Quantifiable outcome

• 1000+ retailers across Australia
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PetstockcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor national pet retail chain stocking Big Dog products across their Australian store network.
• PetbarncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor national pet retail chain stocking Big Dog products across their Australian store network.
• Pets DomaincoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational pet retail chain stocking Big Dog raw pet food products.
• Pet OcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAustralian pet retail chain stocking Big Dog products in their stores.
• PetcirclecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAustralian pet supplies retailer stocking Big Dog products, including online presence.
• IndePetcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndependent pet store network partner stocking Big Dog products across their member stores.
• AIRR (Australian Independent Retailers)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndependent retail group representing Australian independent pet stores stocking Big Dog products.
• Just for PetsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndependent pet store chain partner stocking Big Dog products.
• Independent Pet StorescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of independent pet stores across Australia stocking Big Dog raw pet food. Total of 1000+ retail locations.
• Smart Pups Assistance DogsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity of choice used for AAFCO feeding trial substantiation. Big Dog's complete and balanced diet claim is based on outcome of successful feeding trial with Smart Pups Assistance Dogs.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Black Hawk Pet Care: Australian premium dry and wet pet food brand stocked through vet clinics and pet specialty. Comparable premium positioning but different format (mainly kibble).
• Nature's Gift: Australian raw and natural pet food producer. Operates in the same Australian raw pet food niche and sells through similar independent pet store channels.

Broad incumbents

• Advance (Mars Petcare): Mars-owned Australian super-premium kibble brand. Competes for the same premium pet food shelf and consumer wallet across Australian retail.
• Nestlé Purina: Global pet food major with a broad Australian portfolio. Competitor for shelf space and consumer spend; less focused on raw but increasingly active in premium and functional segments.

Direct peers

• V.I.P. Petfoods: Australian manufacturer of raw frozen pet food patties and mince products. The closest domestic direct competitor to Big Dog in the Australian raw category.
• Ziwi Peak: New Zealand air-dried and raw pet food brand in the premium segment. Comparable ingredients-from-human-supply-chain positioning and high-ASP product strategy.
• Stella & Chewy's: US raw and freeze-dried pet food maker offering frozen patties, raw coated kibble, and supplements. Closely comparable product mix and BARF-aligned philosophy.
• Primal Pet Foods: US-based pioneer of frozen and freeze-dried raw pet food for dogs and cats. Direct overlap with Big Dog in BARF-style raw formulations and frozen patty/roll formats.
• K9 Natural: New Zealand premium raw pet food brand with frozen and freeze-dried ranges. Highly comparable BARF formulations and Australasian provenance.

Others

• Royal Canin (Mars Petcare):

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wearebigdog
• Facebookfacebook.com/bigdogpetfoods
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/big-dog-pet-foods

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Dog Pet Foods