This is Bil-Jac Foods Inc.’s 76th anniversary, making it the perfect time for the company to reflect on its unconventional beginnings.
“Bil-Jac began in 1947 just after my Dad (Bill Kelly) and my Uncle (Jack Kelly) returned from WWII,” says Bob Kelly, second-generation president of the family-owned company. “My Dad had asked to care for the German Shepherds being trained at the base he was at for boot camp. He then turned to my Grandpa to bring him fresh meat protein, vitamins and minerals so he could make food for the dogs. Having been raised on a farm, Dad knew the value of high-quality nutrition. It wasn’t long before the dogs were in tip-top shape. Later, when Dad and Uncle Jack came home from the war, Dad remembered the difference he made in the lives of those dogs. It was his dream to help more dogs, so they started making fresh dog food, preparing the food with animal-based protein. It wasn’t long before fresh turned into frozen Bil-Jac — the cornerstone of our nutritional philosophy. Use plenty of fresh ingredients with minimal cooking and processing to make a nutritious food dogs will enjoy eating.”
