It is great to see that more people are becoming aware about our environment and food packaging. Here at RAW 4 PAWS, we are no different. 

Since we started making our dog and cat food back in 2009, we have been searching for packaging options that keep the product fresh, don’t leak, are easy to open, can be closed again (for larger quantities like the 1kg containers), but still can be recycled. We have experimented with several options that didn't make it into our production and packaging lines.

One example are the sugar cane options that are now more widely used, mostly for take away/short term use. But in the early days, they were not leak-proof and needed some sort of paper put inside. Today many of the sugar cane options don’t leak anymore because they have a food grade plastic layer built in, which unfortunately means this initially environmentally-friendly option has become difficult to recycle. Sugar cane packaging is also not suitable for the freezer for long periods.

Another example would be aluminium cans as aluminium can be completely recycled and reused. However, they are not freezer-suitable as the metal can cause a negative chemical reaction with the meat when frozen. To avoid this, the cans, like the sugar cane packaging, need an extra plastic layer which makes recycling very difficult.

Cornstarch containers are made from renewable composites but again, are not suitable for the freezer as this material becomes very brittle in below zero environments.

Paper based packaging would once again need an extra plastic layer to be leak-proof. Plus it does not have the necessary air barrier needed for meat to be stored and frozen to keep nasties out.

All of this experimentation left us with the containers we have been using for a long time now. They were chosen for a few reasons: the material is a mono plastic material which means it can be completely and easily recycled and made into new containers, bottles etc. if the used containers are put into the recycle bin.

Yes, our containers are plastic, but they are tested and proven to be food safe, safe for the freezer, they keep the meat fresh and can be recycled. You can rinse or wash them out, stack them and put them into the household recycle bin without guilt. And, as many have done, the containers can also be used at home for storage (of dog treats, for example) or as plant/seedling pot.

Of course, we will continue to keep an eye out for any new biodegradable, recyclable and environmentally-friendly packaging solutions that may become available, meet our quality standards, as well as safe food standards and can also safely be used in a freezer.

Thank you for your understanding and if you have any further questions, please reach out here.