An uncompromising approach to every meal
At ESSENTIAL FOODS, heritage defines who we are. It runs deep, rooted firmly in British origin. That's why we proudly call our British kitchens Our finest British Heritage Kitchens.
We celebrate the English countryside way of life, and the exceptional quality found in local produce, which is why most of our ingredients come from England, Scotland or Wales, a standard we uphold with great care.
It carries through every meal, from the finest British ingredients to a single, unwavering dedication to improving quality of life and lifespan for dogs and cats.
Serve our first-class meals, thoughtfully created from carefully selected, natural ingredients. No grain. No fillers. Nothing but the very best.
Because extraordinary dogs deserve extraordinary meals
A menu prepared in our traditional English kitchens, Our finest British Heritage Kitchens.
Every meal in Our finest LIVING MENU begins its journey among Britain's finest local farms and the cold Scottish waters. A premium menu made with human-grade ingredients, with no shortcuts.
Switch freely between ESSENTIALS LIVING MENU variants, and let your dog enjoy our delicate flavours across different protein sources, entirely as you please.
Our finest
NAUTICAL LIVING
Did you know that Our finest NAUTICAL LIVING begins its journey in the cold waters off Scotland and Britain's coastal fisheries?
Our finest NAUTICAL LIVING is our ultimate grain-free meal, made with generous amounts of fresh Scottish salmon, trout and the season's finest fish, alongside our signature blend of fresh berries and herbs.
A meal for those with high standards when it comes to taste. It's also naturally rich in omega-3, which is no coincidence, as this meal remains one of our absolute bestsellers.
Our finest
SUPERIOR LIVING
Every meal in Our finest SUPERIOR LIVING is sourced directly from Britain's finest local farms and the cold Scottish waters.
Our finest SUPERIOR LIVING is our original luxury grain-free meal, enriched with local and regional delicacies including free-range British chicken, British farmed duck, Scottish salmon and fresh trout. The recipe also includes our signature blend of fresh berries and herbs.
Our finest
ESTATE LIVING
Our finest ESTATE LIVING begins its journey on Britain's finest local farms and is our truly special grain-free meal, prepared with local and regional delicacies including fresh, grass-fed free-range British lamb, free-range venison, egg and Five Freedom turkey. The recipe is also enriched with a blend of fresh berries and herbs.
A luxurious taste experience for dogs who love lamb and game.
Our finest
HIGHLAND LIVING
Our finest HIGHLAND LIVING originates from Britain's finest local farms and the cold Scottish waters, inspired by the Scottish Highlands and prepared with the finest regional delicacies, including fresh free-range turkey, fresh Scottish salmon, Aberdeen Angus beef, and wild quail, pigeon, pheasant and guinea fowl. Naturally grain-free.
A delicate taste experience, even for the most discerning.
Our finest
ETERNAL LIVING
For Our finest ETERNAL LIVING, we've carefully selected egg from free-range British hens as the animal protein source, a natural, nutrient-rich ingredient of human-grade quality sourced from the very same supply chain that serves the human food industry.
Everything is brought together with digestion in mind, alongside a taste dogs and cats genuinely enjoy. Prepared with brown rice, free-range egg, flaxseed, potato, chickpeas and lentils. Our finest ETERNAL LIVING also delivers exactly the same nutritional benefits as our meat and fish-based meals.
Fun fact: the carbon footprint of ETERNAL LIVING is up to 80% lower than our meat-based meals. All without compromising on quality.
Our finest
BEGINNING
Our finest BEGINNING MENU is our luxurious, tailored grain-free meal for puppies, packed with local and regional delicacies including free-range British chicken, British farmed duck, Scottish salmon, fresh trout and whole egg.
Serving Our finest BEGINNING MENU gives your puppy exactly the nutrition needed to support every stage of growth.
Our BEGINNING MENU also comes as a Nautical edition: Our finest BEGINNING PÂTÉ Nautical edition, a creamy pâté made with the sea's finest ingredients, and Our finest BEGINNING LARGE BREED Nautical edition, a complete and nutrient-rich fish-based meal. Both tailored to support the youngest through life's earliest stages.
Try serving the pâté on top of your puppy's daily meal, introducing new flavours right from the start.
Our finest British Heritage Kitchens
We're constantly striving to do better, but we never compromise on quality. Our meals are made in Britain to our own unique recipes, with at least 90% British ingredients and a future-proofed supply chain.
In our British kitchens, we prepare exceptional, grain-free meals using local, regional and free-range ingredients. With refined, almost handmade craftsmanship and a cooking temperature of no more than 82°C, we preserve each ingredient's natural character for an exquisite taste experience.
Human-grade, a standard without exception
At ESSENTIAL FOODS, everything starts with one simple question. Would we put it on our own table?
That's why we choose only human-grade ingredients, held to the same standard as food made for people. Nothing else is considered.
We don't settle for what the industry often accepts as good enough. Instead, we choose only the parts of each ingredient we'd consider worthy of our own meal.
It's a standpoint that shapes every recipe we create. We believe extraordinary dogs and cats deserve extraordinary meals, built on the right, natural nutrition and prepared with the same care we'd expect for ourselves.
Because we believe dogs and cats deserve the same uncompromising standard we'd demand for ourselves.
Did you know ..
Together, this means our meals support health, balanced behaviour and long-term wellbeing in dogs and cats.
Our BOF principle, behind every bowl
At ESSENTIAL FOODS, we prepare our meals, pâtés and treats according to the Behavioral Optimizing Foods (BOF-principle), which helps stabilise blood sugar. This supports balanced energy levels and strengthens mental wellbeing.
Our meals are high in protein and cooked at a maximum of 82°C, giving your dog or cat exceptional nutritional value compared with other commercial brands.
Some notice a marked difference with ESSENTIALS meals, others notice changes in their dog's behaviour. Either way, that improvement comes from meals always created according to the Behavioral Optimizing Foods (BOF) principle.
At ESSENTIALS, we believe in variety across protein sources
FREE-RANGE TURKEY: More space. More daylight. More time to grow at their own pace. Slower growth gives a richer flavour and a firmer texture. Turkey is a lean protein source, rich in essential amino acids and important nutrients such as riboflavin, potassium and selenium. Meets or exceeds Red Tractor standards.
ABERDEEN ANGUS BEEF: The finest beef in our range. Angus cattle are known for their fine marbling, with fat evenly distributed through the meat. This gives a tender, juicy texture and a rich flavour in every bite. Angus beef is also rich in amino acids, vitamins and minerals.
GRASS-FED BRITISH LAMB: Born and raised in Britain, free to roam green pastures. Fresh grass produces leaner meat with a higher concentration of valuable omega-3 fatty acids. Lamb is also an easily digestible protein source, rich in nutrients such as vitamin B12 and iron. Meets or exceeds Red Tractor standards.
SCOTTISH SALMON: Scottish salmon is farmed less intensively, with more room to swim freely and access to better-quality feed. Salmon is naturally rich in essential omega-3 fatty acids, including DHA and EPA, which help support healthy joints and a glossy coat.
FREE-RANGE BRITISH COUNTRY DUCK: British farmed country duck, free to roam, raised under Farm Assured welfare standards. Duck meat is lean and naturally rich in iron, selenium, B vitamins and zinc, supporting everyday health and wellbeing. Meets or exceeds Red Tractor standards.
FREE-RANGE BRITISH CHICKEN: Free-range chicken has a higher protein content and a richer flavour, thanks to a calmer, lower-stress life. The meat is lean, rich in essential amino acids and a good source of vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins and iron. Meets or exceeds Red Tractor standards.
TROUT: Our trout comes primarily from British waters, where it lives freely in its natural environment. Trout is naturally rich in essential omega-3 fatty acids, supporting healthy skin and a glossy coat.
FREE-ROAMING VENISON: British venison from deer that have lived freely across the British countryside. The meat is high in protein and naturally rich in iron and B vitamins, supporting steady energy and everyday wellbeing.
FRESH EGG: An important source of protein, essential amino acids and nutrients including lutein and choline (a B vitamin). Our eggs come from free-range British hens and are prepared with care.
ESSENTIALS' SIGNATURE BERRIES AND HERBSE: Every recipe is finished with our signature blend of fresh berries and herbs, contributing vitamins and antioxidants.
Meet our local fisheries and farms
For generations, our British fisheries have farmed salmon, trout, cod, herring, coley and whitefish. The philosophy is simple. Give the fish the best conditions, and quality follows naturally.
Where more conventional meals often rely on cheaper ingredients and fillers, we prioritise generous amounts of fresh fish with documented origin. That means better flavour, but also easily digestible protein and valuable omega-3, which supports strong muscles, healthy skin and a glossy coat.
The same philosophy applies on land. Our free-range British country ducks, free-range chickens, Aberdeen Angus beef, turkeys and free-roaming game are given time, space and a natural upbringing. That's no accident. An active lifestyle and slower growth produce meat with deeper flavour, juiciness and character.
For us, and for our fisheries and farms, it's never been about producing as much as possible. It's about rearing animals with respect for welfare, nature and craftsmanship. An exceptional meal, then, doesn't begin in our kitchen. It begins with them.
Our commitment to animal welfare
At ESSENTIAL FOODS, we never compromise on quality. Every ingredient we choose reflects our unwavering commitment to animal welfare and our ambition to give dogs and cats nourishing, delicious meals of the very highest quality.
We've held ourselves to a high nutritional standard from the very beginning. And we always strive to do better still. How? In 2025, we upgraded the standard chicken, duck and turkey in our meals to free-range, responsibly reared meat. These animals are given more space and freedom to move naturally, resulting in meat with a higher protein content, richer flavour and greater nutritional value.
It's another step in our ongoing mission, to make every meal a responsible, life-improving choice, and to build a better world for the animals behind our ingredients.
BEYOND ESSENTIALS CHARITY
At the heart of our charitable work is the ESSENTIAL CHARITY PROGRAM. The programme grows year on year, and today we're proud to support more than 18 charitable organisations worldwide, all working to improve animal welfare and protect nature.
Each year, we contribute a minimum of 214,200 € to charitable causes. For us, ESSENTIAL FOODS is about more than running a successful business. It's our founders' vision of making a difference for animals, their habitats and the natural world they're part of.
We're a purpose-driven company, working every day to make the world a little better for animals and nature.
What does "human-grade" mean, and why does it matter?
Human-grade means we only use the parts of the animal that could be served to a person, never more, never less. That's why we never add animal by-products to our meals, such as slaughterhouse waste. In other words, the same supply chain that serves human food. For us, it isn't a buzzword. It's the starting point for every meal we create.
Why do you cook your food at a maximum of 82°C?
In our British kitchens, Our finest British Heritage Kitchens, we cook using refined techniques and an almost handmade approach. By keeping the cooking temperature of the meat to no more than 82°C, we preserve each ingredient's natural character, flavour and nutritional value.
What is the BOF principle, and how does it affect my dog or cat?
At ESSENTIAL FOODS, we prepare our meals, pâtés and treats according to the Behavioral Optimizing Foods (BOF) principle, which helps stabilise blood sugar. This supports balanced energy levels and strengthens mental wellbeing.
The high fresh meat content stimulates natural instinct. The low cooking temperature preserves nutritional value. Berries, seeds and herbs mirror the contents of prey, and the size of the kibble encourages proper chewing rather than gulping.
How do you ensure food safety in your food?
From first delivery through to finished meal, we track every ingredient closely. We test continuously for salmonella and avian flu, among other things, with samples taken at every stage of production. This is how we ensure every single portion meets the uncompromising standards for food safety, quality and traceability that define ESSENTIAL FOODS.
Do you use animal testing?
No, we don't use animal testing. We only use ingredients already recognised as suitable for human consumption, and none of our meals contain GMO ingredients. Palatability is traditionally assessed through feeding trials, but we've chosen a different path. We believe that when ingredients are truly exceptional, great taste follows naturally, not from tests carried out on animals. Real ingredients. Real flavour. No animal testing.
How do you approach animal welfare on your farms and fisheries?
Our British free-range ducks, chickens, beef, turkeys and game are given time, space and a natural upbringing. For us, it isn't about producing as much as possible. It's about rearing animals with respect for welfare, nature and craftsmanship, the same craftsmanship our farms and fisheries have refined over generations.
5 benefits of serving a meal that satisfies
Meals, made with care
At ESSENTIAL FOODS, we don't follow industry standards. We set our own. Because your dog or cat deserves the finest. Nothing less.
That's the philosophy behind everything we do, that meals of uncompromising quality can support balanced behaviour and preserve optimal health, year after year.
In the end, it comes down to this. The finest natural ingredients, carefully selected from our local, regional British farms and fisheries, who, like us, never compromise on quality.
No shortcuts from origin to bowl. That's the essence of what an extraordinary meal should be.