Open Farm

Open Farm Information

Open Farm is a Canadian pet food brand based in Toronto, Ontario. The development, formulation, and distribution of their recipes are all done within Canada.

However, their manufacturing facility resides in the United States in Minnesota. This is because most of Open Farm’s suppliers are in the United States.

You can learn more about the brand on its FAQ page, which you can find here.

Unlike many other pet food brands, you can purchase Open Farm’s products directly from their site and do not have to go through a 3rd party.

They offer subscription services and discounts like many of their competitors. This is a growing trend as pet food brands attempt to provide convenience to consumers.

Despite the ability to purchase Open Farm products directly from their site, they can still be found on popular sites such as Amazon and Walmart or at local pet food stores.

You can also use Open Farm’s store locator tool to find out if there are any local sellers of their products.

Open Farm Product Range

Dog Food

Open Farm has an expansive range of dog food products that is larger than most of its competitors. This range includes traditional dry dog food, wet dog food, fresh dog food, freeze-dried dog food, dog treats, and dog supplements.

You can see a sneak peek below or find the full range here.

The size of Open Farm’s dog food range is impressive, given the current climate. Many other pet food brands consolidated or reduced their offerings due to covid-related supply issues, but Open Farm seems to have done the opposite and expanded several of their product lines.

When we first reviewed Open Farm, the brand had a fairly limited selection of niche recipes, but they slowly expanded these to include several puppy recipes, a senior dog food recipe, and a small breed dog food recipe.

However, this smaller offering shouldn’t be a major concern as Open Farm believes its standard range is suitable for almost all dogs.

Open Farm’s “fresh” range is worthy of discussion. It is known as Gently Cooked and is very similar to products produced by the big “fresh home-delivered” brands.

Some of the most popular examples of these brands include The Farmer’s Dog, Ollie, Nom Nom, and Spot & Tango.

This type of dog food usually is freshly produced, frozen, and then shipped directly to consumers. These brands also usually run on a subscription model where the size and regularity of the deliveries are optimized.

However, in Open Farm’s case, direct shipping is not yet available, and you must purchase the products from physical stores.

Cat Food

Open Farm’s cat food product range is significantly smaller than its dog food range. It only includes dry cat food and wet cat food, which means there is no freeze-dried or fresh dog food available.

Despite this, there is still some variety in their recipes, and they use a mix of meat and fish ingredients, one of which will surely appeal to most cats.

Open Farm Nutrition

Dog Food

The nutrition provided by Open Farm varies significantly. This variance is particularly true between the different types of products.

For example, their freeze-dried food provides significantly better nutrition than their dry dog food.

Despite this variance, Open Farm dog food tends to provide nutrition that is above average.

The nutritional profile tends to include above-average proportions of protein and fat but a reasonably large proportion of carbohydrates.

Below is an example of the nutrition offered by an Open Farm dry dog food recipe.

If you are interested in learning more about canine nutrition, we highly recommend you check out our Dog Food Guide.

Cat Food

The nutrition provided by Open Farm cat food recipes is similar to their dog food recipes. Generally, it is above average and includes above-average proportions of protein and fat.

However, there are still significant portions of carbohydrates present. Cats do not need a high proportion of carbohydrates in their diet as they are obligate carnivores.

You can learn more about what Obligate Carnivore means in our Cat Food Guide.

Open Farm Ingredients

High-Quality Meat & Fish Ingredients

• Chicken
• Turkey
• Beef
• Lamb
• Pork
• Salmon
• Whitefish
• Herring
• Mackerel

Open Farm uses a broad range of high-quality meat and fish ingredients. This range includes many of the industry favorites like Chicken, Beef, and Salmon.

These ingredients are so popular because they can provide excellent nutrition at a relatively low price.

However, other ingredients see less use, such as Pork, Herring, and Mackerel. Despite their lower use, these are still high-quality ingredients that can provide high proportions of protein and fat.

While we weren’t sure if we could categorize it as meat, one interesting recent inclusion by Open Farm is an insect-based dog food recipe.

This utilizes Dried Black Soldier Fly Larvae as its primary ingredient, which replaces typical meat or fish ingredients. You can see an extract from their website mentioning this ingredient below.

While utilizing insects in pet food is still in its infancy, Open Farm is certainly at the cutting edge, and we watch curiously to see if this expands over time.

If you’d like to see more details about this recipe, you can find it here.

Other Notable Ingredients

Open Farm uses all three of the popular legume ingredients. These are Peas, Chickpeas, and Lentils. These are widespread in grain-free dog food as they are inexpensive and can provide above-average nutrition.

However, in recent years, there has been growing concern about a link between high legume consumption and canine heart disease.

Read more about this in our articles Best Dog Foods Without Peas & Peas, Pea Protein, Pea Flour, and Pea Fiber in Dog Food.

However, Open Farm has responded well to this concern and now has a range of grain-inclusive products that utilize high-quality grain ingredients.

These recipes can be used by dog owners who are concerned or think their dogs are susceptible.

However, not all of Open Farm’s dog food recipes are grain-free, and some are grain-inclusive. These recipes make use of grains such as Oats, Sorghum, Quinoa, and Brown Rice.

Grain ingredients such as these can be controversial additions to pet food recipes with some pet owners strongly against their use.

However, others, especially those who feed brands like Purina Pro Plan or Royal Canin, are strong supporters of grains.

Regardless, all of these grains are considered to be the higher-quality options as they are not as highly processed as others like Corn or wheat and can provide additional nutrition beyond their carbohydrate content.

If you are curious to learn more about one of the least common grains used in pet food, check out our article Grain Sorghum In Dog Food.

Pumpkin is a less common plant-based ingredient in pet food but can be found in some Open Farm recipes.

Pumpkin is a fantastic addition to dog food and can provide several beneficial vitamins and minerals, as well as acting as an extremely effective source of fiber.

The dietary fiber can be particularly potent to dogs who struggle with regular digestion and stools and will aid their digestion.

You can learn more about Pumpkin’s use in dog food and some of the best dog food recipes featuring Pumpkin, our article Best Dog Food With Pumpkin.

Flaxseed is an extremely regular addition to many dog food recipes, especially premium brands that include it as a minor ingredient.

The primary reason for this is that it is probably the best plant-based source of the Omega 3 Fatty Acids.

These fatty acids are believed to provide several health benefits to cats and dogs, including improving the condition of their skin, coat, and fur.

However, this isn’t the only benefit of this superfood, there are several more that are less well-known. Read more about Flaxseed and its benefits in our article Flaxseed In Dog Food.

Alfalfa, which is also known as Lucerne, is added to dog food recipes, including Open farm recipes, as it is believed to provide certain health benefits and some micronutrients.

However, these benefits are far from conclusive despite the large number of brands that utilize the ingredient.

Others suggest that Alfalfa could be included to provide cheap plant-based protein. Read more about Alfalfa in our article Alfalfa In Dog Food.

Open Farm Animal Testing

Unlike most pet food brands, we do have some information on what type of animal testing, if any, that Open Farm participates in.

In the FAQ section of their website, they state the following:

“Our number one priority at Open Farm is the health and safety of animals, from implementing standards to ensure the ethical treatment of farm animals to creating food for our pets with clean, nutritious ingredients.

We do not experiment on animals when testing our products, and you can rest assured that animal welfare is a top priority in everything that we do.”

This state is appreciated and sheds some light on Open Farm’s approach and actions.

We strongly believe that testing on animals in an invasive manner or in a laboratory setting is a cruel and outdated practice and one which we hope will be eliminated.

Open Farm Recalls

To the best of our knowledge and based on our research (FDA, AVMA, DogFoodAdvisor), Open Farm has no history of product recalls, which means that they are a recall-free pet food brand.

This lack of recalls shows that Open Farm takes the safety and quality of its manufacturing processes seriously.

This recall-free record is particularly impressive given the large range of products that Open Farm produces, including dry food, wet food, gently cooked food, and more.

We hope that Open Farm maintains these high safety and quality standards going forward to retain this recall-free record.

Despite this, we always encourage consumers to be vigilant of any future recalls of Open Farm or any other pet food brands to ensure their pets remain healthy and safe.

Best of Open Farm

Wild Caught Salmon Review

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Open Farm’s dry dog food recipes are their most popular, and from the extensive range they have on offer; our favorite is the Salmon recipes. The recipe makes use of a mix of Salmon, Whitefish, and Herring as its core fish offering.

Salmon is a fantastic ingredient to be found in dog food. It can provide high levels of protein and fat, which should be at the core of every dog’s diet. Also, Salmon is one of the best sources of the Omega 3 Fatty Acids.

These fatty acids are believed to provide several health benefits, including healthier skin and coat and reduced risk of heart disease and other health issues.

The recipe uses a mix of plant-based ingredients, including Peas, Chickpeas, Lentils, and Pumpkin. These combine to provide a portion of carbohydrates and fiber.

Gently Cooked Grass-Fed Beef Recipe Review

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Open Farm’s Gently Cooked range is their fresh dog food offering. The products are freshly prepared and then frozen to keep them safe.

There are four recipes in the range, and the Beef recipe is one of the best. It offers fantastic nutrition that is high in protein and fat.

This nutrition would be suitable for the vast majority of dogs, including those who are very active.

This nutrition is thanks to a generous portion of fresh Beef and Beef Liver. Liver is the most common organ meat to be included in dog food, and for a good reason. It can provide many beneficial vitamins and minerals that traditional meat cuts lack.

This recipe also includes several fresh vegetable ingredients, including Carrots, Kale, Zucchini, Squash, and Pumpkin.

This combination consists of some less common additions. However, they should not be feared and are great additions.

Chicken & Salmon Rustic Stew Review

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While Open Farm’s Rustic Stew range may come in a box, it is, in fact, wet dog food. Traditionally this is stored in cans, but Open Farm has chosen to use more sustainable and recyclable packaging, which is appealing to consumers.

Most Open Farm recipes do not mix different types of meat and fish ingredients, but the above recipe is one of a few exceptions. It combines Chicken and Salmon ingredients to provide a unique flavor.

As we’ve discussed extensively, Chicken and Salmon are excellent additions to dog food and can provide high-quality protein and fat, including high levels of the Omega 3 Fatty Acids.

The wet dog food recipes from Open Farm contain a minimal amount of plant-based material. This particular recipe uses small portions of vegetables like Pumpkin, Carrots, Green Beans, and Spinach.

Catch of the Season Whitefish Review

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Just like their dry dog food range, Open Farm’s dry cat food range is their staple and is very popular.

Open Farm has a unique trait when it comes to its Whitefish recipes. The variation of the whitefish catch from the fishing industry means that the exact fish and the ratio of each in their Whitefish recipes vary.

This unique makeup means that each batch of the recipe that is produced is slightly different.

This variation could be very appealing to cats who would normally eat an almost identical meal every day.

Open Farm’s dry cat food contains a mix of legumes like Peas, Chickpeas, and Lentils, just like their dry dog food counterparts. While these ingredients are not ideal additions to a cat’s diet, the portion size of each is modest.

Herring & Mackerel Rustic Blend Review

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Most Open Farm recipes tend to stick to the same meat and fish ingredients regardless of whether it’s a dry food recipe, a wet food recipe, or a freeze-dried recipe.

However, Open Farm does have a few unique recipes, such as the above Herring and Mackerel Blend, which is only available as a wet food recipe.

Herring and Mackerel are oily fish and, as a consequence, are excellent sources of beneficial fats like the Omega 3 Fatty Acids. The high levels found in this recipe could improve cats’ fur and overall health.

Thankfully the vast majority of the recipe is made up of these two fish ingredients and moisture. However, there are small portions of some vegetable ingredients, including Pumpkin, Carrots, Spinach, and Lentils.

Open Farm Featured Articles

Best Dog Food In Canada –  Finding information on Canadian dog food can be a challenge, given that almost all pet sites seem focused on US pet food.

However, in this article, we break down those barriers and discuss some of the best Canadian dog food available.

Given Open Farm’s excellent recipes and Canadian roots, they make a well-deserved appearance.

Open Farm Full Product Range

Dog Food

Dry Dog Food

Homestead Turkey & Chicken Recipe

Homestead Turkey & Ancient Grains Recipe

Harvest Chicken & Ancient Grains Recipe

Grass-Fed Beef Recipe

Grass-Fed Beef & Ancient Grains Recipe

Wild Caught Salmon Recipe

Wild Caught Salmon & Ancient Grains Recipe

Puppy Recipe

Puppy Ancient Grains Recipe

Ancient Grains High-Protein Puppy Recipe

Senior Recipe

Small Breed Recipe

Small Breed Ancient Grain Recipe

Pasture-Raised Lamb Recipe

Pasture-Raised Lamb & Ancient Grains Recipe

Catch of the Season Whitefish Recipe

Catch of the Season Whitefish & Ancient Grains Recipe

Farmer’s Table Pork Recipe

Farmer’s Table Pork & Ancient Grains Recipe

New Zealand Venison Recipe

Kind Earth Premium Insect Kibble Recipe

Kind Earth Premium Plant Kibble Recipe

Freeze-Dried Raw Food

Grass-Fed Beef Recipe

Surf & Turf Recipe

Homestead Turkey Recipe

Harvest Chicken Recipe

Farmer’s Table Pork Recipe

Pasture-Raised Lamb Recipe

Wet Dog Food

Grass-Fed Beef Rustic Stew Recipe

Homestead Turkey Rustic Stew Recipe

Harvest Chicken Rustic Stew Recipe

Chicken & Salmon Rustic Stew Recipe

Wild-Caught Salmon Rustic Stew Recipe

Herring & Mackerel Rustic Stew Recipe

Freeze-Dried Raw

Surf & Turf Recipe

Grass-Fed Beef Recipe

Pasture-Raised Lamb Recipe

Homestead Turkey Recipe

Harvest Chicken Recipe

Farmer’s Table Pork Recipe

Gently Cooked Dog Food

Homestead Turkey Recipe

Grass-Fed Beef Recipe

Harvest Chicken Recipe

Surf & Turf Recipe

Puppy Recipe

Dog Treats

Dehydrated Cod Skins Treats

Dehydrated Chicken Treats

Dehydrated Turkey Treats

Dehydrated Beef Treats

Dehydrated Pork Treats

Dog Supplements

Probiotic Supplement Chews for Dogs

Hip & Joint Supplement Chews for Dogs

Calming Supplement Chews for Dogs

Skin & Coat Supplement Chews for Dogs

Immune Supplement Chews for Dogs

Bone Broth & Liquid Toppers

Grass-Fed Beef Bone Broth

Harvest Chicken Bone Broth

Homestead Turkey Bone Broth

Goat Milk Antioxidant Blend

Goat Milk Digestion Blend

Goat Milk Relaxation Blend

Organic Grass-Fed cow Milk Kefir

Certified Humane Goat Milk Kefir

Cat Food

Dry Cat Food

Wild-Caught Salmon Recipe

Catch of the Season Whitefish Recipe

Homestead Turkey & Chicken Recipe

Pasture-Raised Lamb Recipe

Kitten Recipe

Wet Cat Food

Harvest Chicken Rustic Blend Recipe

Homestead Turkey Rustic Blend Recipe

Grass-Fed Beef Rustic Blend Recipe

Wild-Caught Salmon Rustic Blend Recipe

Chicken & Salmon Rustic Blend Recipe

Herring & Mackerel Rustic Blend Recipe

Freeze Dried Raw

Harvest Chicken Recipe

Chicken & Salmon Recipe

Wild-Caught Salmon & Cod Recipe

Surf & Turf Recipe

Cat Supplements

Grass-Fed Beef Bone Broth

Harvest Chicken Bone Broth

Homestead Turkey Bone Broth

Goat Milk Antioxidant Blend

Goat Milk Digestion Blend

Goat Milk Relaxation Blend

Organic Grass-Fed Cow Milk Kefir

Certified Humane Goat Milk Kefir