Evanger's: As Natural As It Gets by The American Dog Magazine

Evanger’s Dog and Cat Food Company
AS NATURAL AS IT GETS!
[excerpt from American Dog Magazine]

The American Dog reports
Article by: Jamie Downey, American Dog Magazine

VIEW THE ENTIRE ARTICLE ONLINE HERE

What are you feeding your dog? By-products, additives, and preservatives lace the ingredients of most dog foods on the market shelves. Now, when dogs are more than ever considered part of the family, why would anyone choose low-quality food to sustain them? Holly and Joel Sher, the owners of Evanger’s since 2002, can only think of reasons why people should feed the family dog food made of the highest-quality, most wholesome, and nutritious ingredients. “Many people today cook for their pets,” says Holly Sher, “and we believe that using human-grade meats is essential to keeping our pets happy and increasing their longevity.” Evanger’s, a company that was started in 1935 by Fred Evanger, has always been devoted to canine health. “[Evanger] started making his own pet food for his champion Great Danes in the 1930s because he was not satisfied with the commercial pet foods that were available to him at the time…. We strive every day to maintain Fred Evanger’s commitment to quality and quest to keep pets healthy and happy.”

Evanger’s is the only privately held and family-owned canned pet food manufacturer in the country. In fact, the Shers say that all of their ingredients are sourced from the United States, with the exception of some New Zealand lamb meats that must be imported because it is required for their overseas business. Not only that, but nearly 70% of their raw materials are sourced locally in the Chicagoland area. “Our company-owned refrigerated truck picks up the raw materials from our local suppliers on a daily basis to be used in our pet food production within 24 hours of reception,” explains Holly. That means the faster they get the ingredients canned, the fresher it will be for the dogs at home.

And the dogs at the Sher home will not eat anything less. “Of course they eat our products! They formulate our products,” says Holly. Lilly, their Siberian Husky, and Yukon, their Samoyed-Chow mix, were the reasons they invented Hunk of Beef, which is Evanger’s best-selling product today. Since Yukon was a puppy, the Shers had difficulty getting him to eat. Then they developed Hunk of Beef, which is a large piece of premium beef in a can, and Yukon went nuts for it. “Our dogs would probably go on a hunger strike if we downgraded their food. That’s one of the reasons we stay so committed to the quality of our products. We are taking the food home to our own pets.”

Over the years, the selection has grown. They have just launched a line of new products. Many customers put in requests for specific doggy dishes, and Evanger’s listens, does their research, and creates new meals. For example, canned sweet potato options have been a popular request. After noting that it’s a terrific source of many vitamins and minerals, including Beta-Carotene, Vitamins C and B6, Manganese, Copper,Potassium, and disease-fighting fiber, they decided to launch 100% Sweet Potato, which just hit the market. They also just added 100% Raw Freeze Dried Beef Hearts and 100% Raw Freeze Dried Beef Lungs to their Nothing but Natural treat line. “I have wanted to offer a freeze-dried treat for a long time because it is the healthiest treat a pet can have if it’s minimally processed, which our treats are.”

This is just the tip of the freeze-dried iceberg. Evanger’s offers a wide selection of grain-free, kosher, organic, and premium selections for your pooch. “Whether you want to make a suggestion for a new pet food line, you want to ask a question about a particular ingredient we include, or you just want to talk about your dogs and cats, we love hearing from our customers.”

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