Our Freeze-Drying Process

From Carefully Selected Ingredients to Cravings

We believe you should know how the products you give your pets are made.

Our freeze-dried products go through a carefully controlled manufacturing process, from ingredient preparation through to heat treatment, freezing, freeze-drying, quality checks and packaging.

Our products are not irradiated at any stage of production.

Here's what happens along the way.

1. Carefully Selected Ingredients

Every product begins with ingredients selected according to its individual formulation.

Ingredients are prepared and processed to the required specification before moving through the manufacturing process. Depending on the product, this can include cutting or preparing ingredients into suitable sizes for processing.

For our complete freeze-dried cat foods, the ingredients are combined according to the agreed recipe and nutritional formulation.

We work with our manufacturing partner to maintain consistency with the agreed formulations and production specifications.

2. Steam Heat Treatment

Before the product is frozen and freeze-dried, it undergoes a controlled steam heat-treatment cooking process at approximately 100°C for around 15 minutes.

This takes place before the freeze-drying stage.

The heat-treatment process is an important part of the controlled manufacturing process used for our products.

No irradiation

Irradiation is not used at any stage of production.

Our manufacturer has specifically confirmed that our products are not irradiated.

3. Rapid Freezing

Following heat treatment, the product is rapidly frozen at approximately -28°C for around 3–4 hours.

Freezing the product before freeze-drying is an essential part of the process. It prepares the product for the vacuum freeze-drying stage and helps maintain the structure and characteristics of the ingredients.

4. Vacuum Freeze-Drying

The frozen product is placed into a vacuum freeze-drying chamber, where the pressure is reduced.

Under these conditions, the ice within the frozen product changes directly from a solid into water vapour. This is known as sublimation.

The freeze-drying stage takes approximately 23–25 hours, depending on the product.

As the moisture is gradually removed, the finished product becomes lightweight and dry while retaining much of the original structure and characteristics of the ingredients.

The result is a low-moisture product that is convenient to store, portion and use.

5. Screening & Quality Checks

After freeze-drying, the product undergoes further processing and quality checks.

This can include:

- Mechanical screening and sieving

- Separation of unsuitable fragments

- Checking product consistency

- Manual visual inspection

- Checking the finished product against the required specification

These checks help ensure that the finished product is suitable for packaging and meets the required standards.

6. Careful Packaging

Once processing and quality checks are complete, the finished product is weighed and packaged.

Because freeze-dried products contain very little moisture, protecting them from environmental moisture is particularly important.

The packaging helps protect the product during storage and transportation.

Once opened, we recommend keeping the packaging properly sealed when the product is not being used.

7. Controlled Storage

Finished products are stored under controlled conditions at temperatures below approximately 15°C.

This helps maintain the quality and characteristics of the finished product before it reaches you.

Why Freeze-Dry?

Freeze-drying removes moisture from the product under vacuum after it has been frozen.

This creates a lightweight, low-moisture product that doesn't require refrigeration before opening when stored correctly.

For pet parents, this means our freeze-dried products are:

- Easy to store

- Lightweight

- Easy to portion

- Convenient for everyday feeding

- Convenient to take when travelling

- Easy to rehydrate where appropriate

- No Irradiation

- A Process We Want to Be Transparent About

 

We know that pet parents want to understand how their pets' food and treats are processed.

That's why we're making this clear:

Our products are not irradiated at any stage of production.

Our manufacturing process uses a controlled steam heat-treatment stage before the products are frozen and freeze-dried.

We don't use irradiation as part of the manufacturing process, and we want our customers to be able to see exactly how their products are made.

 

Our Approach to Quality

Quality doesn't begin when the product is packaged. It is considered throughout the manufacturing process.

From ingredient preparation and heat treatment through to freeze-drying, screening, packaging and storage, each stage has a specific purpose.

We work with our manufacturing partner to maintain consistency and traceability throughout production, while continuing to review our processes and documentation as our product range develops.

Transparency matters to us.

Watch the Process in Action 

Watch our freeze‑drying process in action — made to Cravings Pet Care™ standards for quality and safety.

Our Manufacturer Agreement

We work closely with our manufacturer to ensure every Cravings Pet Care™ product is made safely, to our exact specifications, and meets the highest quality standards.

Our manufacturer has confirmed that:

- Our products are not irradiated.

- A controlled steam heat-treatment process is carried out at approximately 100°C for around 15 minutes before freeze-drying.

- Products are subsequently rapidly frozen and vacuum freeze-dried.

We believe that being open about our manufacturing process is an important part of building trust with our customers.

Below are images of our agreement, showing the commitments we have in place. (Sensitive details such as names and signatures have been blurred for privacy and safety.)