We hear about pets dying from contaminated food every day. Whether from salmonella or pentobarbital, cheap, imported dog food, ingredients, and treats can kill. Fromm dog food is one company whose practices can allay your fears.
First, the company is in the United States. They manufacture all of their dog food in Wisconsin. And if that’s not enough, they guarantee that none of their ingredients come from China.
But is it nutritionally sound? Pet parents not only need to know which ingredients go into their dog’s food but also the proportions of protein, fat, and fiber.
Dogs of different ages and lifestyles need different ratios of these nutrients. And Fromm delivers, with formulations for different ages and lifestyles. How does Fromm dog food compare to similar products? Pretty darn well, actually.
Fromm is a family-owned premium company that has been producing premium pet food since 1949. What makes them so special? Their commitment to quality, for one. They also maintain tight control over their supply and distribution, which lessens the chance of contamination. Finally, the quality and variety of their products speak for themselves.
Commitment to Quality
Fromm manufactures all their food in their Wisconsin facilities and has a strong commitment to sourcing quality ingredients for their pet foods. Many recent pet food-related issues stem from subpar ingredients sourced from China. Due to this, Fromm requires that none of their ingredients originate in China.
Independent Retailers
Fromm has a strong commitment to selling through independent and family-owned pet businesses. In 1991, fourth-generation Fromm owner Tom Nieman made a pledge, saying, “I only sell through professional pet-food retailers because I only make professional-quality dog food.” Big retailers like Amazon are not authorized Fromm resellers, though independent companies may still sell Fromm through the Amazon platform.
Supporting local and family businesses is important to many of us. It’s important to Fromm, too. And their distribution practices back this up.
About Fromm’s Dog Food Lines
Fromm dog food has four different product lines for different lifestyles and dietary needs. Also, their dog food comes in dry kibble and canned wet food variants.
The Four-Star Line
Four-Star is Fromm’s line of gourmet dog food recipes. The Four-Star line includes the highest proportions of fresh meat, fish, fruit, and vegetables. With names like Chicken au Frommage, Hasen Duckenpfeffer, and Beef Fritatta, these foods are fit for the most discriminating canine connoisseur. Four-Star is available in dry, canned, and treat formulations.
Fromm Gold
Fromm Gold is Fromm’s line of holistic dog foods made for various life stages and lifestyles. Life stages include the puppy and adult formulas. Lifestyles include Large Breed, Small Breed, Reduced Activity and Senior, as well as Weight Management.
This product line has three sub-lines, each featuring a different blend of proteins. First, Heartland Gold is a grain-free red meat formulation. Fromm Gold Coast is a grain-free formulation featuring ocean fish. Finally, the original From Gold is a combination of chicken, duck, and lamb. The Fromm Gold line is available as dry kibble only.
Fromm Classic
The Fromm Classic line is from the company’s original recipes. It is available only in dry formulations for puppies, adults, and mature adult dogs.
Fromm Pate
Fromm Pate is the company’s line of canned dog food and is available for all life stages.
We chose Heartland Gold Adult dog food to represent Fromm dog food for this review. This is a grain-free recipe for active adult dogs, made with mixed proteins, sourced from beef, pork, and lamb. Beef and pork meal are the two main ingredients. This food has a guaranteed analysis of 25% minimum crude protein, 6% minimum crude fiber and 16.0% crude fat.
We looked at grain-free dog foods from other brands aimed at either adult or all stages with a similar protein makeup. We then looked at their main ingredients, guaranteed analysis, and customer reviews.
Orijen Original Regional Red |
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38% minimum crude protein, 18% minimum crude fat, 4% max crude fiber |
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Orijen is a Canadian pet food company that offers foods created to follow a biologically appropriate diet for dogs and cats. It uses fresh regional ingredients sourced from North America.
Orijen Original Regional Red is a dry, grain-free dog food formulated for dogs of all life stages, and manufactured in the United States. Deboned beef, deboned wild boar, and deboned goat are its first three ingredients.
The majority of reviews on Amazon for Regional Red are positive. Most customers say that their dogs enjoyed the food and it made their dogs’ coats shiny. Critical reviews note that their dogs were made ill by this food or turned out to be allergic. Also, customers who had once purchased Regional Red made in Canada noticed a change in formulation after manufacture had moved to the United States.
Blue Buffalo Freedom Grain-Free, Beef Recipe |
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24% crude protein, 14% minimum crude fat, 6% max crude fiber |
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Blue Buffalo is an American premium dog food company. They manufacture their products in the United States. Blue Buffalo BLUE Freedom Grain-Free Beef Recipe is a dry, grain-free dog food formulated for adult dogs. Deboned beef, chicken meal, and tapioca starch are its first three ingredients.
The majority of reviews on Amazon for BLUE Freedom Adult Beef Recipe are positive. Customers report that their dogs love the taste. Some reviewers note that the food is not grain-free though it does not contain any grains with gluten.
Taste of the Wild Southwest Canyon Canine |
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29% minimum crude protein, 15% minimum crude fat, 5% max crude fiber |
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Taste of the Wild is a premium pet food company based in the United States. Taste of the Wild manufactures its pet foods in the United States, using ingredients from suppliers around the globe. Taste of the Wild Southwest Canyon Canine is a dry, grain-free dog food formulated for all life stages. The first three ingredients are beef, peas, and garbanzo beans.
Amazon reviews for this food are generally favorable with customers reporting that this is good food for their allergy-prone dogs. Some critical reviews note that the formula seems to have changed and have made their dogs ill.
Fromm Dog Food: The Good and the Bad
No pet food is perfect. It’s good to have all the facts when you’re choosing the best food for your best friend.
The Upside
Fromm creates dog food from quality ingredients. For some lines, this means ingredients that are delivered daily to their Wisconsin plant. For all lines, it means that Fromm is very careful about where they source their ingredients. They don’t just settle for what’s cheapest. In particular, Fromm does not allow any of its ingredients to originate in China.
As far as proteins go, while Fromm does offer standard choices such as beef and chicken, some formulas also include more novel offerings like duck and quail. Variety is the spice of life, and your pets like it as much as you do!
The Downside
Fromm dog food can be a bit expensive compared to grocery store dog foods. But if you’re researching premium pet foods, then you already know that the higher price is paying for higher quality. From sourcing to formulation, to distribution, Fromm has built its reputation of reliability, trustworthiness, and quality.
You might also have heard about the recent Fromm recall. In March of 2016, Fromm voluntarily recalled batches of its Gold canned dog food. The recall did not concern contamination, however, but an elevated level of nutrients that might have been unsafe for some dogs.
A few consumers have found their dogs didn’t like Fromm, a risk any time you switch your dog’s food. The main complaints we found were slow shipping from retailers, solved by buying locally, and the higher prices when ordering. However, we had to dig to find complaints, as less than 5 percent of reviews were negative.
Outside Reviews
Fromm dog food has generally received good ratings from both professional and consumer reviewers.
Dog Food Advisor
Dog Food Advisor called Fromm’s Gold Dry Dog Food “highly recommended.” They were also impressed with its ingredients list.
Amazon
Some Amazon customers said their notoriously picky dogs like the flavor of Fromm’s Gold Small Breed Adult formula. They also noted that the kibble size was good for their smaller dogs.
Customers who purchased Fromm’s Four-Star Beef Frittata Veg reported that their dogs liked this flavor, that it helped improve their coats, and that it was good for dogs with sensitive digestion.
We were impressed by Fromm’s commitment to quality ingredients, as well as their tight control of supply and distribution. In these tough economic times, we also appreciate their commitment to manufacturing in the United States and supporting local family-run businesses.