From Kibble to Raw: Understanding the Evolution of Pet Nutrition with Caroline Griffith

Clayton welcomes Caroline Griffith, a seasoned pet nutritionist and former consultant at Nature's Menu. Caroline shares her extensive journey in the pet nutrition field, beginning with her early experiences in a kennel cattery and her passion for canine nutrition. The conversation delves into the evolution of pet food, particularly the resurgence of raw feeding, and the importance of understanding whole foods versus processed options. Caroline discusses the benefits of fresh, lightly cooked diets, the role of supplements, and the significance of maintaining a healthy microbiome in dogs. The episode also addresses common criticisms of raw feeding, including concerns about bacteria and the practicality of raw diets for pet owners. Promotional offer: petbd10 KEY TAKEAWAYS Importance of Canine Nutrition: A strong emphasis is placed on the significance of understanding canine nutrition, particularly the benefits of raw and fresh foods compared to processed options.  Raw Feeding and Health Risks: While raw feeding has its advocates, concerns about bacteria such as salmonella are prevalent.  Supplementation: When feeding raw or processed diets, supplementation may be necessary to ensure dogs receive all essential nutrients.  Choosing Quality Pet Food: When selecting shelf-stable pet food, it's crucial to look for high meat content as the primary ingredient and to be wary of excessive additives, particularly those in less bioavailable forms.    BEST MOMENTS "I started working in a kennel cattery when I was 16... the dogs and the cats taught me the most because I saw them heal." - Caroline  "If raw doesn't work, people hop straight back to processed food without trying the middle option, which could actually be the way forward for the dog." - Caroline  "There's a lot to say about this side of things... there's actually no science that says that it will be transmissible even if it is in there." - Caroline  "You need bone broth... it starts to actually heal the epithelial lining, which is what starts to degrade if the microbiome changes." - Caroline "If the additives are high... that means there was less in the food to begin with. That's not necessarily good." - Caroline  HOST BIO Clayton Payne is an industry veteran of three decades of working in the pet industry. Brought up working in his parents' pet store, Clayton has seen the industry evolve over five different decades and has been on the cutting edge of the industry since the nineties. Building pet businesses from scratch, establishing multi-national distribution chains and having worked in every aspect of the industry, Clayton has a rare insight into the Pet Industry that is rivalled by few.  Clayton has been the spearhead of many of the industry's changes and has introduced numerous new concepts to market with a trail of success behind him. He has worked in numerous countries within the pet industry, speaks four different languages and has established both import and export relationships on all continents (excluding Antarctica). As well as being COO of one of the UKs fastest growing insect technology companies, Clayton is a Pet industry consultant who has consulted for many household brands and delivers sales training to pet trade professionals. https://www.linkedin.com/in/clayton-payne-a6772244/ https://www.tiktok.com/@petbusinessdisruptors https://www.youtube.com/@PetBusinessDisruptors