Optimum

Optimum Information

Optimum is an Australian pet food brand that is best known for being endorsed by the celebrity vet Dr. Chris Brown.

Dr. Chris Brown is popular in Australia and is best known for his TV series Bondi Vet which has been produced for over a decade.

You can find some popular videos and clips of Dr. Chris Brown while on Bondi Vet on their Youtube Channel.

However, despite this endorsement, many consumers have become concerned with the decreasing quality of Optimum recipes in recent years.

In many cases, they have chosen to change ingredients to inferior alternatives or reduce the nutritional values (such as protein or fat) of their recipes.

In addition to being associated with Dr. Chris Brown, Optimum also is associated with the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition.

The Waltham Centre has been a leading authority in pet care and pet health for over 65 years.

Based on our research, we believe that Optimum pet food recipes are manufactured within Australia and are not outsourced to an overseas facility.

If you are interested in purchasing Optimum pet food products, they are widely available throughout Australia, including at hundreds of pet food stores and large retail stores like Woolworths, Costco, Coles, and more.

You can also purchase Optimum pet food recipes online at several of Australia’s biggest pet food websites like Pet Circle and Pet Barn.

Optimum Product Range

Dog Food

Optimum has a relatively broad range of dog food recipes that are split evenly between dry recipes and wet/canned recipes.

This range includes a lot of specialist recipes such as those for puppies, large breed dogs, small breed dogs, and older dogs.

This specialization is a crucial advantage for Optimum as many dog food brands only tend to focus on adult dog food.

Cat Food

When we first reviewed Optimum, they had a relatively small range of cat food recipes. This range consisted of only dry cat food with no wet/canned recipes.

However, despite this, they did produce some niche recipes such as those for Kittens, Mature cats, and those cats with furball issues.

However, more recently, Optimum has expanded its cat food range to now include some grain-free recipes and a moderate selection of wet cat food.

Optimum Nutrition

Dog Food

The nutrition provided by Optimum dog food recipes varies but is generally average to above average.

The nutritional profile includes above-average proportions of protein and fat and reasonably sized proportions of carbohydrates.

Below is an example estimate of the nutrition provided by an Optimum dry dog food recipe.

As you can see, the proportion of protein and fat in this recipe sums up over 60% of its nutritional content, whereas the carbohydrate proportion is just below 40%.

This mix of nutrition is fairly typical of above-average dog food and is not outside the norm.

If you’d like to learn more about canine nutrition, we’d highly recommend you check out our Dog Food Guide for a detailed discussion and analysis.

Cat Food

The nutrition provided by Optimum cat food recipes is average. It includes reasonable proportions of protein and fat but a somewhat large proportion of carbohydrates.

Cats are obligate carnivores and would better thrive on a diet with a lower proportion of carbohydrates.

If you’d like to read more about feline nutrition and what it means to be an obligate carnivore, be sure to head over to our Cat Food Guide to have all your questions answered.

Optimum Ingredients

High-Quality Meat & Fish Ingredients

• Chicken
• Beef
• Lamb
• Salmon
• Kangaroo

Optimum has a modest range of meat and fish ingredients in its recipes. This range includes many of the favorites of the industry, such as Chicken, Beef, and Salmon.

Sadly, much of this meat content is actually described in the ingredient list as Meat and Meat By-products.

Pet food brands use this term when they are not legally allowed to define the meat content they are using. Often it is a mix of multiple meat ingredients, and the proportions vary significantly.

While the use of named by-products, like Chicken by-products, can be acceptable and genuine in some circumstances, the use of “meat by-products” and “meat” is not, and these should be considered the lowest-quality of meat ingredients used in dog food.

Given that Optimum is an Australian brand, it will come as no surprise that they have some Kangaroo recipes. Kangaroo is often used in

“Novel Meat” recipes for dogs with allergies. However, Optimum’s use of Kangaroo is not for these purposes.

You can learn more about this concept and some of the best Kangaroo dog food recipes around in our articles Best Hypoallergenic Dog Foods Guide & Best Dog Food With Kangaroo.

Other Notable Ingredients

Optimum uses a range of grain ingredients in its recipes as the primary plant-based content, including Sorghum, Wheat, Barley, and Corn.

Many of these grain ingredients, such as Corn and Wheat, are frowned upon by some pet owners, and they often refuse to feed grain-inclusive food.

This lack of popularity is because these grain ingredients are very calorie-dense and a poor reflection of a dog’s natural diet.

However, there are others who strongly support the use of grains, especially those who feed brands like Purina Pro Plan or Royal Canin.

Regardless of opinion, these grain ingredients provide nutrition in the form of carbohydrates, plant-based protein, fiber, and some vitamins and minerals.

We’ve written specific articles about some of these grains where we go into more detail about their use and nutritional value. Be sure to check the links below.

Barley In Dog Food

Grain Sorghum In Dog Food

Beet Pulp is found in some Optimum recipes in small portions. Beet Pulp is widely used in the dog food industry as a creative source of providing soluble fiber.

While there are many sources of soluble fiber, getting a sufficient quantity can be critical to some dogs to ensure they can maintain regular digestion and stools.

However, there are concerns by some about the use of Beet Pulp, in particular when its present in high quantities.

You can learn more about Beet Pulp in our article Dried Beet Pulp In Dog Food.

Some of Optimum’s newest recipes include a portion of Canola Meal which is an unusual pet food ingredient.

Similar to Beet Pulp, Canola Meal is a by-product of the Canola industry. However, this by-product is not wasted and is often sold to include in livestock feed or pet food.

The reason for this is as it is surprisingly high in plant-based protein and is, therefore, a cost-effective solution.

However, Canola Meal can have an unpleasant taste which means it is rarely used in large quantities.

You can read more about Canola Meal in our article Canola Meal In Pet Food.

Optimum Animal Testing

At this time, we have no information on what type of animal Testing or trails that Optimum participates in, if any.

Many pet food brands avoid disclosing detailed information about their testing and trials for fear of backlash from their customer base.

However, this lack of transparency concerns many who believe that pet food may not have been sufficiently tested for long-term consumption.

We strongly believe that invasive or laboratory-style testing of animals is a cruel and outdated practice and one which we hope will see a significant decline.

Optimum Recalls

Based on our research (FDA, AVMA, DogFoodAdvisor), we have no information that leads us to believe that any Optimum products have ever undergone a recall which makes Optimum a recall-free pet food brand.

This is an impressive record, and there are many other pet food brands in Australia that can not claim the same accolade.

We hope that Optimum continues to take the safety and quality of their food’s production seriously and reduce the risk of any future recalls.

Regardless of this recall-free record, we encourage pet owners to always be on the lookout for future recalls of Optimum or any other pet food brand to ensure their pets remain healthy and safe.

Best of Optimum

Adult All Breed Dry Beef, Vegetables & Rice Review

Optimum’s dry dog food recipes are their most popular. This popularity is mainly due to their affordable pricing, which is appealing to dog owners on a tight budget.

The above Beef, Vegetables, and Rice recipe is a staple of their range. However, it doesn’t just contain Beef as it also has poultry and lamb present.

The mix of grain ingredients is the usual found in Optimum recipes and includes Rice, Sorghum, Barley, and others.

Adult Can Real Kangaroo & Vegetables Review

Optimum wouldn’t be an Australian brand without a Kangaroo recipe. The above wet dog food recipe from Optimum contains a small portion of Kangaroo that is mixed with other meat ingredients like Beef, Lamb, and Chicken.

The recipe doesn’t just contain meat ingredients but also contains a mix of vegetables, which can be seen on the can.

Adult Dry With Tuna Review

Optimum’s dry cat food recipes are very similar to their dog food recipes.

The above recipe includes a small portion of Tuna that is combined with poultry products. This combination provides a surprisingly high proportion of protein and fat.

These meat and fish ingredients are mixed with cereals that provide carbohydrates and fiber.

Optimum Featured Articles

At this time, Optimum has not been featured in any of our articles.

Optimum Full Product Range

Dry Dog Food

Grain Free Adult Active Chicken & Kangaroo

Grain Free Adult Sensitive With Real Fish & Vegetables

Puppy Dry Chicken & Rice

Puppy Large Breed Chicken

Adult All Breed Dry Chicken, Vegetables & Rice

Adult All Breed Dry Beef, Vegetables & Rice

Adult Dry Toy/Small Breed Chicken, Veg & Rice

Adult Dry Large/Giant Breed Chicken, Veg & Rice

Adult 7+ Dry Chicken, Veg & Rice

Light & Healthy Dry Chicken, Veg & Rice

Grain Free Adult With Beef & Vegetables

Grain Free Adult With Chicken & Vegetables

Grain Free Adult Toy/Small Breed With Lamb & Vegetables

Wet/Canned Dog Food

Puppy Can Chicken & Rice

Healthy Weight Management Can Chicken & Rice

Adult Can Chicken & Rice

Adult Can Lamb & Rice

Adult Can Beef & Rice

Adult Can Real Kangaroo & Vegetables

Puppy Tray Chicken, Rice & Veg

Adult Tray Chicken & Rice

Adult Tray Lamb & Rice

Adult Tray Grain Free With Real Kangaroo & Vegetables

Adult Tray Grain Free Salmon, Sweet Potato & Carrots

Adult Tray Salmon & Rice

Adult Tray Grain Free Chicken & Kale

Adult Grain Free Lamb & Green Beans

Dog Treats

Healthy Puppy Dog Treats With Chicken

Healthy Skin & Coat Dog Treats With Salmon

Healthy Weight Dog Treats With Lamb and Kangaroo

Digestive Health Dog Treat With Chicken

Joint & Mobility Health Dog Treat With Chicken & Salmon

Dry Cat Food

Grain Free Adult With Chicken

Grain Free Adult Sensitive With Ocean Fish

Kitten Dry With Chicken

Adult Dry With Kangaroo

Mature Dry With Chicken

Furball Dry With Chicken

Oral Care Dry With Chicken

Adult With Ocean Fish

Wet Cat Food

Adult Urinary Care Ocean Fish Chunks In Jelly

Kitten Salmon Chunks In Jelly

Adult Healthy Weight Chicken Chunks In Jelly

Adult Skin & Coat Salmon Chunks In Jelly

Mature Salmon Chunks In Jelly

Adult Natural Defences Chicken Chunks In Jelly