Blog The history of Carnos.
We’ve been in the pet food business for 26 years – since 1998 – but we’ve always been animal lovers. That’s where it begins and ends for us – caring for our pets and wanting the very best for them. And we want the best for your pets too which is why we’re here today, but let’s dive into how it all started.
Back to the beginning.
Carnos is a family owned and operated raw pet food company located in Maryland on the east coast of the US, but our origin story begins in the Netherlands. We didn’t always work in the pet food industry. In fact, we come from 7 generations of Dutch butchers: we’re raw meat experts. Our family has spent decades learning the ins and outs of the meat business – how to get the perfect cut, what it takes to achieve a high-quality standard, how to weave sustainability into our operations – perfecting our craft. And when we’re at the butcher’s block, nothing goes to waste. That’s where our dogs come in. While the meat that we work with is of course human-grade and suitable for human consumption, there’s a lot of an animal that humans won’t consume and throughout so much of the meat industry – in the United States especially – those parts often go to waste. Our family has always made use of the whole animal throughout the butchering process, feeding the “discarded” bits – organs, bones, etc. – to our dogs. Now, this method of feeding is certainly not revolutionary; dog owners have been feeding their pets raw meat and whole foods for centuries before the invention of kibble. And while we’ve been made to believe for decades that kibble is best for our pets, the reality is that if we want to feed our pets a diet with adequate nutrition to enable them to be their healthiest, we need to put kibble back on the shelf.
Kibble isn’t cutting it.
The majority of the nutrients and minerals that our pets need to thrive are lost during the high-heat processing that is used to make kibble, and any synthetic nutrients that are added back in are not absorbed by their bodies in the same way. But since its creation in the 1950s, kibble has been pushed as the best, most convenient, easiest way to feed our pets.
In the 1980’s our founder, Peter Beukers, emigrated to the US and it didn’t take long for him to realize that there was something very wrong with the pet food industry and the options available to pet owners. Overwhelmed with misinformation and anti-raw scare tactics in marketing, consumers are backed into a kibble corner when the reality is that the most readily available option to feed our pets isn’t actually the healthiest option for them. Not to mention the few healthier options that are available are often out of reach for so many because of their high price points.
Peter wanted to change this. He wanted to take his knowledge of meat and animal protein, coupled with the ways his family had been feeding their dogs for generations, and develop a product that would be healthiest for pets, responsibly produced with sustainability in mind, and accessible to as many pet owners as possible.
Top Quality Dog Food is born.
With this, Top Quality Dog Food was born. A line of truly raw pet food products made with all-natural ingredients from responsible sources. With a no BS approach, we make our own real, raw food that will support your pets in living their healthiest lives and eating a diet that is ancestrally appropriate. All of our products are made in-house at our production facility with only the highest quality ingredients, never any fillers, grains, gluten, nitrates, or preservatives. Our motto is to keep our recipes as close to as nature intended – truly raw.
Why is a raw diet best for our dogs?
By feeding dogs truly raw, we’re giving them the nutrition that they need to thrive, in the way that their bodies were built to process. A raw diet is often referred to as a biologically-appropriate or species-appropriate diet for dogs because it is intentionally designed to mimic the diet that they would naturally consume in the wild – the way their ancestors ate before dogs were domesticated. Just as a fresh food diet is best for our health, the same is true for our dogs. From a shinier coat to better digestion, you can see the changes for the better in your pet’s health once they transition to a fresh food diet.
Truly raw food at a truly raw price.
We genuinely believe that premium quality ingredients should be affordable to all pet owners who want to feed a healthier and more adapted diet to their pets. We could make the best quality pet food in the world, but we would have failed if no one could afford it. We believe that premium quality food for our pets should not come with the sticker shock of a premium price tag. Since the beginning, our mission has always been to make high quality raw pet food that is accessible and affordable so that all dogs and cats can have access to the type of diet that they were meant to have: truly raw.
Becoming Carnos.
In 2024, it was time for a change. But not a change in the fundamentals of who we are, how we do business, or the quality of our products. Top Quality Dog Food just got a facelift – we became Carnos. Over the past 19 years and counting, our business has grown, and we wanted that growth reflected in a refreshed branding for our company. The same independently owned family business you know, producing the same high-quality truly raw products you love, just with a different look.
Where we’re going.
Now that you know our past, we’re looking straight ahead towards the future. We’re always striving for the best – to bring your pets the highest quality products at accessible prices to help them be their healthiest. Whether it comes to improving our manufacturing processes, developing new product offerings, or earning the latest and greatest in safety certifications, there is no finish line. Our promise on this journey is that you can continue to expect the best from us for your pets, and we’ll continue to provide the raw food that they need at the raw prices that you love.
Want to join us for the ride but not sure where to start? Get in touch for a consultation call and learn your best path forward to transitioning to truly raw.
Disclaimer: This blog is intended for educational purposes only. You are responsible for your pets’ health and safety. We encourage you to research topics further and consult with your Veterinarian or Pet Nutritionist before modifying your pets’ diet. If you’d like more one-on-one guidance, we offer consultation calls with our in-house raw feeding experts.
