Yarrah — Interview

You may not have heard of this organic pet food company, since it is not well known among Spanish consumers. But we have had a few questions about its quality, so we decided to go straight to the source and talk to the manufacturer itself.

What better way to get to know a product than by examining its ingredients, assessing its composition and talking directly to the manufacturer to answer our questions?

Yarrah is a company from the Netherlands that makes organic food for dogs and cats, in dry and wet format. It also has a vegan option for pets with some kind of intolerance to animal protein.

Want to find out more about this novel pet food company? Don't miss their website and videos.

• Yarrah's official website

— Interview With YARRAH —

How and When Did the Idea of Creating Yarrah Come About?

Yarrah was founded in 1992. Yarrah's owner had a dog and wanted healthier, organic food for his pet. Since he could not find anything similar on the market back then, he decided to make it himself.

So we are the first pet food producer in the Netherlands whose product range is entirely organic. Yarrah was founded out of frustration with the abuses in the pet food market. For us, being organic is not a passing fad: it is a conscious choice to make the world a better place for animals.

We source our ingredients from like-minded farmers and livestock breeders who also want to make the world a better place. It's good to trust people, but inspection is still needed!

So our quality manager visits every supplier in person to make sure the animals really do have a better life. Our focus on animal welfare has earned us the Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals' Better Life Quality Mark, with the highest three-star rating.

On top of that, no laboratory animals are used to test our products. All our products carry the organic quality mark, which guarantees they meet the strictest requirements and are genuinely organic.

The result is a pure product, free of chemical antioxidants, artificial additives, refined sugars and GMOs. It is not only better for your pet, but for every animal and the planet.

What Is Yarrah's Philosophy When It Comes to Dog Food?

We want to help build a better planet by making healthy, organic pet food. Using high-quality ingredients and taking the time needed to create the optimal recipe, we can offer the best-quality dog food (and therefore organic).

So the dog owner can be sure they are buying a good product, for themselves, their dog and the planet.

What Can You Tell Us About Your Products and What Type of Dogs Are They Aimed At?

Yarrah's dog food range consists of dry food, wet food and snacks. Our dry dog food range is split into two lines:

• One for the different life stages: Puppy, Adult, Small Breed and Senior
• And the other for special needs, such as grain-free dog food, food for dogs with digestive sensitivity, and two vegan dry food variants.

Vegan dog food is perfect for dogs who have trouble digesting animal protein. Dogs suffering from leishmaniasis also seem to benefit from our vegan food.

Our wet dog food is available in tins and tubs, as pâté and chunks in gravy, and in different flavours, such as chicken, pork, chicken and beef, as well as a vegan option.

The range of Yarrah dog food includes different types of snacks, such as chew sticks, vegan biscuits for small and large dogs, and organic chicken necks.

The chew sticks are the perfect snack, and can even be broken into smaller pieces. The organic biscuits are ideal for dogs who cannot eat animal protein, and our organic chicken necks are a 100% pure product that also scrubs the teeth and removes bacterial plaque. So there is a perfect organic treat for every dog!

Where Do the Ingredients Used Come From, and What Parts of the Animal Are Used to Make Yarrah Products?

Killing animals to feed other animals is a step too far for us. So we only use the meat left over once the good cuts have been taken out.

Organic chops, ribs and steaks end up on someone's own plate (unless they are vegetarian, of course). The rest of the meat is not thrown away; it is used for our dog and cat food.

Yarrah also uses animal by-products in its products, such as stomachs, hearts, liver and kidneys. No feather meal or blood of any kind is used.

Why do we use these animal by-products? It would be a shame to throw away these useful by-products. After all, the heart, kidneys and liver contain many essential minerals and vitamins.

Stomachs contain plenty of protein and very little fat. By adding these products to our dog food, we avoid food waste and it lets us add an extra source of vitamins, minerals and protein.

What Do You Think of Grain-Free Kibble? Are Grains Necessary?

Grain-free food is the current trend. A starch source is needed to make a kibble piece the way Yarrah does. Many dry food manufacturers use wheat, because it is easy to get hold of.

What is more, wheat is a good protein source when it is soluble. Soluble means the grain has been well cooked (in effect, pre-digested), as a result of which a considerable proportion of the plant protein can be absorbed by dogs and cats alike.

So a healthy dog or cat will have no trouble eating kibble containing grains. If a dog or cat shows symptoms after eating wheat or other grains, though, it would be advisable to switch to grain-free food.

For these dogs and cats, Yarrah has a range of grain-free kibble and wet food. The grain-free dry food contains organic potatoes and peas instead of wheat. All the tinned pâtés and all the wet food tubs are made without grains.

Is Yarrah a Product That Can Be Used for Dogs With Digestive Sensitivity?

Some of Yarrah's dry food products are created with the possible digestive problems some dogs can have in mind. For instance, for dogs sensitive to grains and wheat, there is a grain-free kibble.

For dogs with sensitive stomachs or digestive problems, Yarrah offers highly digestible dry food, based on rice and organic chicken. And as mentioned earlier, for dogs who have trouble digesting animal protein, Yarrah offers vegan dry food.

The latest product added is Vega Wheat-Free dog food. The kibble is free of animal-derived products and also contains no wheat.

If We Feed Our Dog Yarrah, What Benefits Will We See?

Because Yarrah's products are 100% free of chemical antioxidants, artificial flavourings, colourings and aromas, refined sugars and genetically modified ingredients, it is the healthiest option for your dog.

In 2016-2017, Yarrah carried out research among more than 600 people who switched their dog's or cat's food to Yarrah organic food. 87% said they witnessed a positive change in their pet, such as a glossier coat, more energy, less or no itching and better bowel movements.

Here at SoyUnPerro we want to thank the Yarrah team for the time and help they gave us, to help us better understand how they make their products and what their philosophy is.