AUSTIN, TEXAS — Nulo Pet Foods debuted its latest pet food innovation, a new “cold-pressed” pet food format, during Global Pet Expo from March 20 to 22 in Orlando, Fla. The new, minimally processed foods aim to fulfill a gap between conventional dry kibble and freeze- or air-dried formats. 

Dubbed Cold-Pressed, the new ultra-premium formulas were developed by pet food industry nutrition scientist Greg Aldrich, Ph.D., who was appointed chief operating officer of the company in 2023, and his research team. The format leverages a raw ingredient chilling system specifically designed to lock-in nutrient integrity, preserving higher levels of vitamins, minerals and amino acids that are often depleted using conventional, high-heat kibble manufacturing, according to Nulo.

“We have intentionally designed a unique pet food category, launching a new era of biologically appropriate nutrition for dogs and cats that provides 3-times the meat inclusions of conventional kibble diets,” Aldrich said. “Nulo’s Cold-Pressed technology optimizes the concentration of everything pet parents and veterinary physicians prefer in higher quality pet foods.”

According to the company, the production process also eliminates the need for starch binders by relying on gentle, low temperature, slower cooking.

“Our new Cold-Pressed product creation system eliminates the use of non-essential starches like sweet potato and oats,” he added. “Instead, we’re able to offer an exceptional high protein formula featuring 85% animal ingredients by weight, and 95% of protein from animal (versus plant) sources. We combine that with simple, bioavailable real food ingredients including apples and pumpkin. The raw ingredients are quickly chilled to 30 degrees and then compressed to form a high-performance nugget that remains shelf stable.”

The new recipes are produced through a low and slow smokehouse-style cooking method, using temperatures of around 140 degrees for less than eight hours. This, according to Aldrich, provides high digestibility. Feeding trials on the new diets reported more than 90% protein digestibility and 96% fat digestibility — a stark contrast to kibble, which hovers at around 80% digestibility, according to Nulo. The Cold-Pressed diets also use fresh sources of protein, meaning no rendered meat meals of chicken fat. 

“For animals with heightened sensitivities we’ve developed a proprietary blend of miscanthus grass, chicory root and pumpkin to support their specialized gut health needs,” Aldrich said.

The new Cold-Pressed format aligns with Nulo’s aim to provide high-nutritional performance formulas and recipes that mimic the same intentions of foods consumed by athletes. The line offers pet parents and retailers a “break-through” alternative to more highly processed pet foods. 

“We are determined to provide pet parents with the best nutrition they can serve their furry family members by changing the game in pet food production,” said Michael Landa, founder and chief executive officer of Nulo. “I am a former athlete. We have secured a team of highly respected Olympic athletes to advise us, including the legendary Simone Biles. These individuals push the limits of human athletic performance and know the importance of high-quality nutrition to fuel their competitive endeavors. We’ve applied their extraordinary dietary standards to this new and unique Cold Pressed category in Nulo’s minimally processed foods portfolio.”

The new Cold-Pressed ultra-premium dog foods will be available in four meat-based recipes — beef, salmon, chicken and turkey — in April. According to Landa, the diets answer a price segment gap between conventional kibble diets and the daily feeding costs associated with freeze- and air-dried formulas. 

“The most important point retailers should understand is Cold-Pressed technology delivers trusted nutritional benefits from ultra-high levels of meat proteins in a palatable format, he said.

In addition to the innovative Cold-Pressed line, Nulo also debuted new Gently-Cooked Homestyle Meals for dogs. The shelf-stable meals are minimally processed, include high levels of meat inclusions, and aim to provide additional convenience to pet parents.

Nulo's new Gently-Cooked Homestyle Meals. 

| Source: Nulo

“Consumers tell us they like the idea of fresh food nutrition but are less enamored with its shorter shelf life, storage in their cramped refrigerators, and ongoing commitments to expensive subscription programs,” Landa shared. “Our new line of Gently-Cooked meals provides the fresh pet nutrition people seek while eliminating those barriers, along with the ability to go from pantry to bowl without any messy clean-up.”

The Gently-Cooked Homestyle Meals are complete-and-balanced, served in 9-oz packages. Each recipe is formulated with high levels of premium shredded proteins, diced fruit and vegetables, and ancient grains. They are available in six flavors: Beef and Sweet Potato, Turkey and Green Bean, Salmon and Brown Rice, Duck and Quinoa, Pork and Apple, and Chicken and Quinoa. 

As consumers become more interested in minimally processed, premium foods for their four-legged companions, Nulo plans to continue to meet these demands. 

“We believe it’s essential for pet health and wellbeing to provide no-compromise nutrition that is low in carbohydrate and high glycemic ingredients and is also formulated with greater amounts of high-quality animal meat and functional ingredients that support enhanced wellness,” Aldrich said. “We’re pioneering low cooking temperature techniques designed to maintain nutritional integrity and density in a shelf-stable product.”

Nulo showcased these new minimally processed formulas, among other offerings, at booth #3036 during the tradeshow.

Read more about new pet food and treat products.