Marleybones

[Seaweed]

Marleybones, https://marleybones.com/

[Dottie]

Thank you for this information Seaweed. I have looked at the website and am a bit confused. It seems like a hybrid of fresh cooked and more traditional wet food. What did you think about it? 

It comes in Tetrapaks so is probably pasteurized which is why it doesn't need freezing and can be stored in cool conditions for up to eighteen months. They say they do not use artificial preservatives. I don't know whether there is any gelling agent but from the photographs it does not appear that it is a pate type food so hopefully not. As is usual with this type of company price isn't mentioned - you have to use the wizard and create an account. 

The recipes are simple which might make them useful for dogs with intolerances. Interestingly, they use quinoa as the carbohydrate source and as few dogs have been exposed to this it could be an advantage - link.   As the owner of a dog who has suspected legume intolerance I am not sure about the use of peas. They allocate 2% to the recipe and they are in all four types so you cannot avoid them.

It seems an interesting enterprise and something a bit different from the norm. Hope that the company does well - nice to see innovation.

[Rebecca Forrest]

Looks interesting but they just seem like every one else but using quinoa instead and in a carton and not in a tin. Think for now I will keep with the food Copper is on.

[Dottie]

It has a nutritional rating of 91% using the Instant Review Generator.  However, David has had a few enquiries about it and will add it to the Dog Food Directory once he has acquired more information so the final rating might be different.

[Spanielowner]

I just had a little look at their website to see how similar it was to Butternutbox. Both have similar style of making a measured batch of food for your dog, similar meals except the quinoa. Butternutbox however don’t last past 5 days once defrosted even thought they come packed in plastic pouches. Marleybones claims to be additive free but I see nothing about preservatives, but they do say they are shelf stable for 18 months so there must be a preservative in there somewhere. They also seem to make a massive point about being environmentally friendly but use tetrapak. 

[Seaweed]

There's loads out there on the pro's and cons of Tetrapak and Tetrapak vs tins, it's worth researching. I really wish that dog food manufactures, even more so those who mention sustainable and traceability etc, state whether they check the abattoirs that they use on a regular basis and state their ethics and abattoirs, It' incredibly important but dog food manufactures in my opinion seem silent on the matter. Spanielowner, I also could not see any mention of preservatives, it would be interesting to know more. It's a new company, I'll watch their future with interest also see how their prices compare but will not be changing from raw.

[Marleybones]

Thank you for raising these questions! We do apologies that these have not been answered clearly from our website, we will be updating this accordingly! In answer to your queries, our meals are indeed free from any artificial flavours, colours and preservatives - we use innovative TetraPak cartons that are designed to keep the food inside as fresh as when we filled them. We fill our cartons raw with farm fresh ingredients and then we gently steam cook the whole carton, locking in all the fresh flavour and nutrients inside the pack. Once the carton is opened, it will then need to be refrigerated to keep for another 48 hours.

In terms of our ingredients list, we have chosen to use whole human-grade meat and fish in our meals (not just carcass, offal, bones..), for its many nutritional benefits. We have also made sure to source all ingredients from sustainable sources in the UK, making sure all the animals we use are raised in their natural environment, which results in numerous health benefits - being more lean in fat, free from antibiotics, higher in omega-3, to mention a few.

We also disclose the abattoirs we are working with and all their certifications, including PGI Welsh lamb and beef that ensures our cattle and sheep are pasture raised, outdoors on grassland in Wales. Both abattoirs are also FSA approved, who conduct monthly inspections on the health of the animals. Having opened up our entire supply chain, we use a 3rd party verifier called Provenance, who regularly inspect the certifications and claims made about our suppliers’ - and our - business, so we are sure these remain valid and live up to international standards. 

You can see our entire supply chain - who we source from, where they are based, their sustainable and ethical achievements, certifications and more - by scanning the QR-code on our meals. We’d also be happy to answer any questions or concerns at all - message us any time!
All the best, Mikala (co-founder of Marleybones)

[Dottie]

Thank you for the clear description of your dog food.  David intends to contact you to get them listed in the Dog Food Directory. I wish you well with your innovative new products.