Why Freeze-Dry
Raw feeding changed everythingābut freeze-drying made it possible for everyone.
Dr. Bessent fed raw before she ever freeze-dried a thing. She saw firsthand how fresh, whole food supported her patientsāhow better nutrition made all the difference. But she also saw the barriers: frozen delivery, complicated prep, high cost, short shelf life.
Freeze-drying offered a solution. It preserves the integrity of raw foodāits nutrients, its aroma, its functionāwithout cooking, without spoiling, and without the mess. It was a way to feed real food in a format that made sense for the average household.
So she didnāt just adopt freeze-drying. She made it better. Dr. B designed her own freeze-dryers and developed a unique pasteurization step that neutralizes pathogens without the use of irradiation or HPP (high pressure processing). That means food stays raw, safe, and shelf-stableājust by removing water.
Itās the reason our recipes exist today. Because raw food works. Freeze-drying makes it work for everyone.
It All Starts with the Ingredients
We donāt believe in fillerāand that starts with how we source. Every ingredient in our recipes is chosen for its nutritional value, not convenience. That means grass-fed, pasture-raised, wild-caught, or organic whenever possible.
Our meats come from USDA-inspected slaughterhouses and trusted suppliers that meet our safety and quality standards. Some cutsālike ground beef and chicken cutletsāare also sold for human consumption. Others, like calcium-rich necks or organ meats, are biologically rich foods that support your carnivoreās natural diet.
We use real fruits, vegetables, and herbsāand every vendor we work with is approved through our Supply Chain Qualification Program, which includes:
- Verified food safety certifications (SQF, BRC, or third-party audits)
- Refrigerated transit
- Full inspection on delivery, including temperature checks and documentation review
Itās not about checking boxesāitās about building better food, from the very first step.
From Delivery to Prep
Once the ingredients are inspected and approved, we blend them into complete recipes and form them into nuggets. Then theyāre frozenāready for freeze-drying. Every batch is logged, every step documented, and every ingredient kept consistent from start to finish.
Itās not just production. Itās food craftsmanship, scaled for pets.
What Freeze-Drying Actually Does
Itās raw. Itās safe. And it stays that way.
Freeze-drying is a preservation method that removes moisture without ever applying heat. Thatās importantābecause it protects nutrients that would otherwise be destroyed by cooking or sterilization. Put simply, the process keeps the food raw, shelf-stable, and packed with vitamins, fats, and amino acids your pet actually needs.
The process uses sublimation:
- Food is frozen solid
- Vacuum pressure removes water as vapor (no thawing, no cooking)
- The food stays raw and structurally intact
- It becomes shelf-stable, scoopable, and nutritionally complete
We follow with a light pasteurization stepādesigned by Dr. B herselfāto eliminate harmful pathogens without compromising delicate nutrients. It avoids the damage of irradiation or high-pressure processing.
According to the American Institute of Cancer Research, freeze-drying retains up to 97% of vitamins and mineralsāmaking it the most nutrient-preserving method available.
Itās the best of both worlds: the safety you expect from commercial food, and the integrity of whole food that still looks (and smells) like food.
Third-Party Testing & Traceability
Ā Every single batch goes through pathogen testing by a third-party lab. We screen for:
- Salmonella
- E. coli
No batch is released until it clears.
Once it gets the green light, retain samples and records of that batch are stored for 5 years post-manufacture. That gives us full backward and forward traceabilityāwe can tell you exactly which ingredients went into your dog or catās bowl.
Itās not a marketing line. Itās a system built into how we work.
What Goes Into Every Bag
Every recipe starts with real foodāand ends with a medley built for their species.
After freeze-drying, every medley is blended by hand, batch by batch.
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DOGS
For dogs, we create a nugget medleyāfreeze-dried pieces, air-dried nuggets, organ meats, fruits, and veggiesāeach one selected for taste, texture, and nutrition. The variety isnāt just for show. Itās built to match how scavenger carnivores actually eat.
- Freeze-dried nuggets
We combine all ingredients into one tasty morsel, and thanks to the freeze-drying process--theyāre brimming with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
- Dehydrated (AKA dry-roasted) nuggets
The same blend of meat-based proteins, fruits, veggies, seeds, legumes, and spices is dehydrated (or air-dried) and crumbled into little nuggets. This process makes for a nice, crunchy morsel of taste with that extra chomp dogs love.
- Freeze-dried organ meat
We order whole organs, like beef liver, and simply slice, dice, and pop it in the freeze-dryer. No processing, no altering. We prefer to keep it simple.
- Freeze-dried vegetables
We put a different combination of veggies in each of our recipes. The freeze-drying process retains all the natural vitamins and minerals in the vegetables and the taste, too!
- Freeze-dried fruits
Whole, freeze-dried fruits, like apples or cranberries, can be seen sprinkled in with the freeze-dried and dry-roasted nuggets. Bursting with vitamins and minerals, these additional ingredients round out a well-balanced diet.
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CATS
For cats, we simplify. Every recipe includes freeze-dried nuggets, sliced organ meats, and whole proteinsābecause obligate carnivores thrive on meat-first simplicity.
- Freeze-dried nuggets
We combine all ingredients into one tasty morsel, and thanks to that freeze-drying process, theyāre brimming with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
- Freeze-dried meat
Whole proteins like wild-caught whitefish are sliced and diced and head straight to the freeze-dryer, creating rather aromatic morsels to send carnivores reeling.
- Freeze-dried organ meat
Whole organs, like chicken liver is simply sliced, diced, and popped in the freeze-dryer. No processing, no altering. We prefer to keep it simple.
Small Batches, Big Difference
500 pounds at a time. Not 50,000.
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Most pet food is mass-producedāgiant mixers, mega runs, and limited oversight. We chose a different path.
Our batches range from 250ā500 poundsāsmall enough for our team to stay hands-on. Every blend is tracked, measured, and adjusted as needed. Every production record is tied to a lot code we retain for 5 years.
Small batches let us:
- Keep ingredients fresh and traceable
- Respond to seasonal or supply shifts without compromising
- Maintain better control of texture, nutrient balance, and safety testing
- Package with purposeāinstead of bulk bins with air exposure
Each recipe is hand-blended at the final stageābalancing dehydrated, freeze-dried, and organ components according to strict formulas. Itās the kind of precision you can expect nowhere but The Simple Food Project.
- Keep ingredients fresh and traceable
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Typical Production:
50,000 lbs per run
or an entire semi-truck packed to the roof with processed kibble
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Our Batches:
250ā500 lbs per batch
ours? You can carry it on a pallet.
Inside Our Vet Owned & Operated Facilities
No co-packers. No shortcuts. Built by Dr. B, still run by her.
Dr. Bessent built this facility when she realized no one else was doing it the way she believed it should be done.
We donāt license our recipes. We donāt ship ingredients off to third parties. From blending to freeze-drying to final packagingāitās all done here in Wisconsin.
- 2 GMP-certified facilities
- Registered with the FDA
- Operate under FSMA and HAACP guidelines
- 2 PCQI-trained team members monitor production daily
We built this infrastructure to keep our standards high, our sourcing transparent, and our safety measures rock-solid.
Nugget of Freeze-Dried Knowledge
Freeze-drying preserves up to 97% of nutrients.
- Preserves heat-sensitive nutrients
- Locks in real flavor and smell
- Makes real food shelf-stable without preservatives
Why We Pack in Small Bags
Because air is the enemy of nutrition
Hereās something you might not think about when it comes to food quality: oxygen.
Even with resealable packaging, once you open a bag, air starts to work against the nutrients inside. Thatās why we package everything in 24 oz bagsāeven if you order in bulk.
It's the same logic as keeping your broccoli crisp. Day 1 broccoli? Great. Day 14? Not so much.
Smaller packaging =
- Limited oxygen exposure
- Flavors, textures, and nutrients are more stable
- Better scoops, all the way through
This is one of those small choices that makes a big difference.
The Process Matters. But Ingredients Matter More.
What you freeze-dry matters just as much as how you freeze-dry it.
| Other Freeze-Dried | Simple Food Project | |
|---|---|---|
| Shelf-Stable | ā Yes | ā Yes |
| Processing | Often pre-cooked | Freeze-dried raw + air-dried |
| Ingredients | Mix of real & synthetic | USDA meats + organic produce |
| Synthetic Additives | ā Often used | ā None |
| Ease of Use | Varies | Scoop & rehydrate optional |
| Cost | š²š²š² | š²š² |
Freeze-drying can be a game changerābut only if you start with food thatās worth preserving. Weāve made it our mission to craft that food from the ground up, no matter the batch size.
Because itās not just about skipping the freezer. Itās about choosing betterābetter sourcing, better safety, and better nutrition, bowl after bowl.
With freeze-drying, pet parents donāt have to choose between raw food and convenience. You get all the benefits of whole foodāreal taste, real nutrients, real ingredientsāwithout sacrificing shelf life or sanity.