Hill’s Pet Food has just introduced a ‘fresh’ dog food, offering three new products.
The pet foods are not human grade, however the images on the label (steak, chicken breast, roasted lamb) give pet owners the impression human grade ingredients are included.
Mars Petcare and Blue Buffalo has previously produced fresh pet foods. While Mars and Blue Buffalo marketed their products to pet owners, Hill’s appears to be marketing their fresh pet food to veterinarians. The Hill’s press release stated: “Veterinarians want to feel confident when recommending fresh food and our Science Diet Single Protein Dog Food Rolls give them a science-backed option they can trust.”
Purina has not entered the ‘fresh’ pet food market yet, however they are marketing some Beneful Pet Foods as “freshly prepared”. Purina uses the term ‘freshly prepared’ in the product names.
FDA and AAFCO has not legally defined the term “fresh” in pet food. Because there is no legal definition or standard for the term, pet food manufacturers are free to use it in any manner they choose.
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Consumer Advocate
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food
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Tom Kirby
July 1, 2026 at 11:54 am
In my experience, many veterinarians get their nutrition information directly from the pet food manufacturers. Yes, some go out of their way to learn more, but veterinary medicine is a tough field and most don’t have the time. On top of that, vets are being exploited by the pet food industry. They’re being used to gatekeep these kinds of products so companies like Hills and Royal Canin can triple their prices.
Sandy M
July 1, 2026 at 1:22 pm
Hills is definitely one of the big Gorillas in room, and they are offering yet another product that is feed grade (does not meet human safety standards) for a premium price. To add insult to injury, on the packaging they are advertising an image of meat that you would see on your plate. Nope. Thank you Susan for getting the word out! Too bad our government representatives turn a blind eye. I’m going to send another message to my local Senator asking for their help to correct the packaging problem (gotta start somewhere). They won’t respond, but they are still getting a message.