Last week, we discussed two stand out brands at Braxton's in the raw food category which you can read here, and this week we are going to continue looking at some of the other brands we carry. We are going to compare a well known brand versus a brand that has been growing within the Braxton's community; Bones & Co. and Stella & Chewy's.
Bones & Co.
Bones & Co. is a pet food company based in Austin, TX. They are a small, family owned company dedicated to pet metabolic health. They make their food in a human-grade kitchen with human-grade meat. They hand-pack their food which is only crafted in 250lb micro-batches. At Braxton's we carry all of the proteins Bones & Co carries; beef, chicken, duck, lamb, and turkey proteins. However, cat owners will be disappointed to learn, Bones & Co. currently does not offer diets for cats at this time. They source from small family farms in the U.S. that responsibly raise their animals. All of the Farm-To-Bowl ingredients are grass fed & cage free, and contain no antibiotics or added hormones.
Stella & Chewy's
Stella & Chewy’s (S&C's) was established in 2003 and started in founder Marie Moody's small kitchen in 600 square foot, one-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn, New York. She had just rescued Stella and Chewy who were very sick. She followed her Veterinarian's advice and started them both on a raw food diet. Both dogs quickly recovered from their ailments which Marie 100% contributes to their diets (and a lot of love and affection I'm sure). Marie was shocked at the lack of options for raw food at the time for pets, and started Stella & Chewy's Pet Food. They are now based out of Oak Creek, Wisconsin where they are committed to providing the highest quality natural pet food with emphasis on nutrition, palatability, safety, and convenience. They provide frozen raw, freeze-dried raw, treats, raw-inclusive kibbles, and much more.
The Difference
We have covered the basics of these two companies and their core values. Let's see how they stack up against one another.
Processing or "Kill Steps"
Both brands just like Primal and Answers in our last blog, are processed and manufactured in USDA certified facilities to help eliminate risk of food contamination. S&C's uses High Pressure Pasteurization or HPP on their poultry proteins. Bones & Co. produces their food in small batches in human grade kitchens with human grade ingredients that are tested prior to mixing for any harmful bacteria. Since they are a smaller operation, this makes it easier to do.
Nutrition
Both brands produce AAFCO certified complete whole diets and use organic fruits and vegetables. They also use grass-fed, cage-free, wild-caught and farm-raised proteins. Here is a side by side look at their crude macro analysis of their beef formulas for us to compare the different levels of macro nutrients. With S&C's on the right, you can easily see these two brands are neck and neck when it comes to protein content. Perhaps if you are looking at a less fattier diet for your pet, S&C's might be the better choice for you.
Value
When it comes to value, S&C's and Bones & Co. are both great options. At Braxton's, the S&C's Beef Patties is a 6lb bag at $38.29 which makes it $6.54 per pound. Braxton's also participates in S&C's frequent buyer program which is buy 12 get 1 free which cuts the overall cost per pound to $5.89. Bones & Co. Beef Patties is a 6lb bag for $39.29 which makes it $6.54 per pound. Since Bones & Co. is a smaller operation, they do not offer a frequent buyer program at this time. They do however offer a bulk option of an 18lb box with 36 patties inside which is $5.59 per pound and we can special order that for you at Braxton's.
So, what’s the verdict? Stella & Chewy’s and Bones & Co. are both great brands of raw food, but they do have their differences. Ultimately, it depends on your dog’s specific nutritional needs and your budget as to which brand is the best fit for you. Try out a few different samples from each company and see which one your pup prefers – that will be the winner in terms of nutrition! And don’t forget: switching to a raw diet can have some amazing benefits for your furry friend, so if you think your dog could benefit from making the switch off of dry food, go for it!
(Disclaimer: Price analysis is as of 6/15/2022 and is subject to change)