FAQs

CONTACT US

844-888-0825 info@newroadfoods.com

General

What is the difference between Human-Grade and Feed-Grade foods?

Human-grade foods are held to higher standards in regard to cleanliness, safety and overall quality. For a food to be deemed human-grade means that it must meet requirements that make it appropriate, or “fit,” for humans to eat. Feed-grade foods meet less stringent requirements which make them appropriate only for pets and farm animals to eat.

There are two major points of differentiation between human-grade and feed-grade foods - the ingredients that go into them and the processes used to make them.

The Ingredients

Likely the biggest difference between human-grade and feed-grade foods are the ingredients that go into them. NewRoad Foods uses only human-grade ingredients, whereas most all other commercial pet foods are made with feed-grade ingredients. Below are a just a few examples of how different these two types of ingredients can be:

  • Contaminated or adulterated ingredients originally intended for human foods can be diverted for use in feed-grade foods once they have been compromised

  • Feed-grade ingredients can include parts from ‘4D’ meats (dying, diseased, disabled or deceased animals) or contaminants from filth or industrial chemicals

  • Animal proteins (beef, poultry, pork & lamb) can only be used in human-grade foods after they have been inspected and deemed safe to consume, whereas these feed-grade animal proteins are not required to be inspected

Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs)

The cGMPs associated with making human foods are more stringent than cGMPs associated with making feed-grade foods. The FDA outlines these cGMPs in detail in the Food Safety Modernization Act for Preventive Controls for Human Food and the Food Safety Modernization Act for Preventive Controls for Animal Food.

Where are NewRoad Foods made?

We craft our foods at Hana Kitchens in Huntington Beach. With additional locations in New York and Los Angeles, Hana Kitchens provides resources for culinary entrepreneurs in a FDA-compliant facility.

How long will it take for the food to be delivered?

Your first order will ship 1-2 weeks after you place your order. After your order ships, it will arrive within 1-3 days based on your location. You can access your shipping schedule in your NewRoad Foods account after your first order is placed.

Do you take returns?

We guarantee 100% satisfaction or your money back. We are confident that you and your dog will love our food. If you are unsatisfied for any reason, please let us know right away. Simply return the unused portion to us for a full refund or replacement.

How will I know if my dog’s food is expired?

We craft our food to be consumed within 60 days of when it’s baked. Our hand-stamped production stickers note a “made on” and “best by” date.

To give your dog the best possible nutrition and taste, we strongly encourage you to pay attention to the expiration date, just as you would for the food you feed the rest of your family.

What is the best way to store my dog’s food?

We recommend you store NewRoad recipes in their original packaging, in a cool dry place.

How do I transition my dog from eating its current food to NewRoad food?

We recommend transitioning over a 7 to 10 day period. Start by mixing in a small amount of NewRoad food with your dog's current food, then each day slowly increase the ratio of NewRoad food while decreasing the amount of your dog's old food until you’re feeding NewRoad exclusively. Read our guide for more details. 

Can I mix NewRoad foods with others?

All our recipes are formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles. This means they are complete and balanced on their own but can also be fed in conjunction with other products.

How do I adjust my order volume and/or frequency?

Our feeding guideline calculations are based on your dog eating NewRoad Foods exclusively for a 4-week period. Of course, the amount of food needed can vary depending on your dog's unique requirements given their activity level, appetite or any supplemental feeding. To meet your dog's individual needs you can adjust your subscription in two ways:

Pack Size Adjustment: If you find that your dog is going through their monthly pack size more quickly than expected, you may want to adjust your subscription to a larger pack size. Alternatively, if you find your dog is eating less than expected, you might want to go down in size.

Frequency Adjustment: If you find that your dog is going through their monthly pack size more quickly than expected, you may want to adjust your subscription to 3 weeks. Alternatively, if you find your dog is eating less than expected you might want to adjust your subscription to 5 or 6 weeks.

Adjustments can be made directly from your account login. If you have specific questions, please contact us here and we'd be happy to walk you through the best option.

Nutrition

What are animal meals and why are they not included in NewRoad Foods?

Animal meals are manufactured during a rendering process that produces feed-grade animal protein and fat-based ingredients not fit for human consumption.

Rendered animal meals such as chicken meal and chicken fats are used extensively in the pet food industry in the United States because they are an inexpensive source of protein and fat.

At NewRoad Foods, we only use human-grade or food grade animal proteins and fats in our products. Combined with our unique baking techniques, we believe that makes our food uniquely “family grade.” We go to these lengths because we believe using ingredients that are human-grade make our foods cleaner and safer.

Why is ash level a value measured on most pet food analyses? Why is it important?

Ash is composed mainly of minerals. It’s what’s left over after food has been completely incinerated (after all the protein, fat and carbohydrates have been burned away). Typically, ash comes from the bones in the animal meals and the mineral supplements. 

The ash content in our products is very low because we use human-grade proteins, which have very few bones. In fact, almost all of the ash in our products comes from the minerals that we add to the diet – we add these to meet the AAFCO requirements for nutrients such as calcium and phosphorous.

The newroad difference

Why is baked dog food better?

We take great care to bake our foods slowly, in small batches, at optimal temperatures. Doing so protects the ingredient nutrients and delivers better tasting food for your dog.

This is in stark contrast to how the vast majority of commercial pet foods are made; large manufacturers typically use industrial-sized, high-output extruders that cook products in less than a minute with large amounts of heat and pressure.

We bake our food the way we do to achieve far superior quality and freshness.

Why is a 60-day shelf life beneficial?

The typical mass-produced commercial pet food has a shelf life of 12-18 months, allowing it to travel through traditional, multi-tiered distribution and retailer systems. Our foods arrive at your door days after we make them. Minimizing the time between when your dog’s food is made and when your dog eats it means better taste and nutrition.

Why do you use the packaging you do?

We package our food to ensure that every time you feed your dog, they are enjoying the freshest food possible. After each kraft paper bag is opened and exposed to air, the food in it should be consumed within 7 days or less.

Each shipment you receive should be eaten within 60 days of the date it was made.