Open Farm: Pet food line, recycling program in Australia

Open Farm Pet Food’s commitment to sustainability has gained it ground in an emerging Australian market as more pet owners there look for premium pet foods with ethical standards.

Photo courtesy Open Farm Pet Food
Photo courtesy Open Farm Pet Food

Products of Toronto, Canada-based Open Farm Pet Food are now available in Australia. Known for its ethically sourced pet food, Open Farm has positioned its wet and dry food for dogs and cats in the premium category, which has seen a gradual market growth over the years and has recently started to appeal to more Australian pet owners.

One particular strength of Open Farm's pet food products, which should fit right into Australia's stringent farming standards, is their use of transparent or fully traceable ingredients that ensure a pet’s health and wellbeing.

“We only use ethically sourced ingredients from farmers who put their animals and the environment first ... We believe every pet owner deserves to know where our (pet) food is coming from, which is why we offer complete transparency on what’s in the bag,” said Isaac Langleben, Open Farm co-founder and CEO.

Without added flavors, preservatives or fillers, Open Farm's range of dry and wet pet food is now available at its Australian online store from AU$29.99 (US$21.21). Market research firm Mordor Intelligence said the Australian middle class, which traditionally supported the economic pricing segment and tends to buy pet food in bulk in supermarkets, is increasing its collective spending on premium pet food. 

“Moral brands” becoming more popular in Australia

The company, which has a manufacturing plant in the United States, joins the growing number of “moral brands” of pet food in Australia that are eyeing demand from consumers who prefer brands that treat their ingredients and labor responsibly. Moral brands are also expected to be environment-friendly and are leading the charge on recycling, something that Open Farm pursues.

According to Open Farm, they became the first pet food brand to partner with TerraCycle Australia which has zero waste boxes distributed nationwide to handle a wide range of objects or products for recycling. Consumers can collect and send their Open Farm pet food bags, boxes or pouches to TerraCycle, where the accumulated waste are mechanically or manually separated by materials before being composted.

In July 2020, Open Farm also kicked off a partnership with Loop, a shopping platform developed by TerraCycle which introduces consumers to reusable, refillable containers that have been collected, cleaned, refilled and reused. Open Farm's first product to be available in reusable packaging is the company’s freeze-dried raw dog food. Trials are limited to certain markets only.

Page 1 of 696
Next Page