Gut Health to Longevity: Get Joy's Take on Fresh and Freeze-Dried Dog Food

While freeze-dried dog food has been available for over a decade, many pet parents are still discovering this minimally-processed option. Minimally processed diets were one of the biggest trends I observed at Global Pet Expo last March, as pet food brands focused on making the connection between minimally processed diets and greater nutrient retention/density/availability. However, somewhat surprisingly, the momentum in minimally processed diets seen at Global Pet did not carry over to SuperZoo. A key reason behind that stalled momentum may be the lack of consumer awareness that surrounds the category.

"I think we could stop right now and it would take a couple of years for people to figure out what is already here," said Patrick McGee , Director of Sales at Get Joy Food , when I asked him about the future of the freeze-dried category.

"And I say that because when you say freeze dried, I think that the consumer doesn't, and even honestly several retailers and distributors [don't get it]... there needs to be a strict class for someone new to the pet industry that goes through the differences of dehydrated, freeze-dried, air-dried steam-dried, cold pressed," he went on to explain.

For many companies making minimally processed diets, the focus has been on whole food nutrition, the quality of the ingredients, and the greater nutrient availability that is achieved by utilizing lower temperatures in the cooking process. As Dr. Greg Aldrich , COO at Nulo Pet Food said on an episode of Petworking earlier this year:

"We're starting to move more into the notion that the cooking time and temperature has an influence on both the nutritional bioavailability, as well as destruction of some, or reduction in some nutrients. We even get some cross-linking of some components that might be anti-nutritional." - Dr. Greg Aldrich, COO, Nulo Pet Food

However, while Get Joy is part of the wave of pet food companies focused on optimal nutrition through minimal processing, it is bringing Silicon Valley thinking to pet nutrition through innovative freeze-dried formulations. Founded by former Facebook executive Tom Arrix after his dog experienced health issues, Get Joy is differentiating in the minimally processed category through unique formulations incorporating pre-, pro-, and postbiotics for gut health, and by introducing digital tools for consumer and retailer education.

"We were the first ones using pre-, pro-, and postbiotics [in the freeze-dried space]," McGee explained. "And that was a really exciting conversation that we were able to have at Global. And it seems like we've been talking about probiotics for the last 15 years, while postbiotics is still an emerging conversation and emerging science in so many ways that gut health is still just being uncovered in terms of what it really is and how it dictates so much. So, it kind of goes to the idea of longevity, which I know we've kicked around a little bit as a brand, we're looking at how we engage in the dog wellness community in a unique way."

This focus on gut health ties directly into one of the most promising trends emerging in pet nutrition - longevity. During our conversation, I suggested that longevity would be one of the hottest trends in pet nutrition in 2024, and Patrick agreed, pointing to Get Joy's partnership with Dan Butner of the Emmy-winning Netflix series "Live to 100" about Blue Zones and longevity.

While many companies focus solely on lifespan, Get Joy emphasizes "health span" - ensuring pets not only live longer but maintain quality of life as they age. "We're not even talking about lifespan anymore, we're talking about health span," said McGee. "Because if you can get your dog to 10 years old or 20 years old, that's awesome. But if you're having to deal with the hard parts of seeing your dog living, it's not so great."

Get Joy's approach combines nutritional science with technology to promote longevity through gut health. The company is exploring partnerships with wearable companies like Whistle to better understand how diet impacts overall wellness and aging. This data-driven approach represents a shift in how pet food companies approach longevity - moving beyond simple ingredient claims to measurable health outcomes.

This focus on longevity appears well-timed. We're seeing an explosion of innovation in pet longevity, from NAD supplements ( Leap Years? , Zesty Paws (part of H&H Group) ) that promote healthy cellular aging, to therapeutic developments from companies like Loyal that aim to meaningfully extend pet lifespans. The trend ties into broader shifts in veterinary care toward proactive health management and early disease detection - all aimed at increasing quality time with our pets.

Yet, despite the meaningful health and longevity benefits that can be realized through the adoption of minimally processed foods, brands are struggling to educate consumers and retailers about this category. To address this challenge, Get Joy has developed tech-enabled solutions "that help elevate the conversation of the retail associate," along with consumers. For example, they created "fractional feeding guidelines" to help staff and consumers understand how to mix freeze-dried with other foods, making it more approachable for those new to the category.

Simplicity is a big part of the company's marketing strategy. "We don't want to get too complex that it's hard for the average dog owner to be able to be part of the brand or be part of the community. [...] We're just going to have whole fresh foods, minimally processed stuff, stuff that we know supports the gut stuff that we know makes a difference without convoluting it. [...] We're doing it in a way that's no pun intended, digestible and supporting the conversation in a way that makes it easy to become part of the community," McGee noted.

Despite the category's maturity, McGee sees substantial growth ahead: "We've watched it grow year after year. It's still growing...I just think we're still on the beginning. It's still early."

Judging by the amount of opportunity for consumer education and conversion that appears to exist in the space, I tend to agree. It will be interesting to see how the minimally processed category evolves in 2025.

Listen to the full episode of Petworking featuring Patrick McGee to learn more about Get Joy's approach to innovation in freeze-dried pet food and their vision for the future of pet nutrition.