Highly Recommended
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Our Verdict
freshpet Deli Fresh product range is made up of three recipes, each of which receives the Dog Food Advisor’s rating, 5 stars.
Gently steam-cooked to retain essential nutrients, fresh food made with real non-GMO chicken or beef, combined with either antioxidant-rich cranberries and spinach or vitamin-rich carrots.
Pros
- Transparency about where the ingredients are sourced
- Responsibly sourced & sustainably made
- No preservatives or fillers
Cons
- Short shelf life due to refrigeration
The table below shows each recipe in this range including our rating and the AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
| Product line | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| freshpet Deli Fresh Beef Recipe with Carrots and Brown Rice | 5 | A |
| freshpet Deli Fresh Grain Free Chicken Recipe with Cranberries and Spinach | 5 | A |
| freshpet Deli Fresh Grain Free Chicken Recipe with Spinach and Potato | 5 | A |
Recipe and Label Analysis
freshpet Deli Fresh Beef Recipe with Carrots and Brown Rice was selected to represent the other products in the line for a detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
freshpet Deli Fresh Beef Recipe with Carrots and Brown Rice
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Beef, beef broth, beef liver, carrots, brown rice, rice bran, ground oats, carrageenan, natural flavors, calcium carbonate, celery powder, minerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, calcium iodate), choline chloride, vitamins (vitamin E supplement, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid)
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 1.5%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 8% | 5% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 34% | 23% | 35% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 27% | 44% | 28% |
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient is beef. Beef is defined as “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered cattle” and includes skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus.1
Beef is naturally rich in all 10 essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is beef broth. Broths are of only modest nutritional value. Yet because they add both flavor and moisture to a dog food, they are a common component in many wet products.
The third ingredient is beef liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.
The fourth ingredient is carrots. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
The fifth ingredient is brown rice, a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) can be fairly easy to digest. However, aside from its natural energy content, rice is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
The sixth ingredient is rice bran, a healthy by-product of milling whole grain rice. The bran is the fiber-rich outer layer of the grain containing starch, protein, fat as well as vitamins and minerals.
The seventh ingredient is ground oats. Oats are naturally rich in dietary fiber, B-vitamins and low in gluten.
From here the list goes on to include a number of other items. But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of the product.
This recipe has one notable exception.
This food contains chelated minerals, which have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, freshpet Deli Fresh Beef Recipe with Carrots and Brown Rice looks like an above-average fresh product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 34.6%, a fat level of 23.1% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 31.5%.
As a group, the brand features a protein content of 41.6% and a mean fat level of 27.6%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 20.7% for the overall product line, alongside a fat-to-protein ratio of 66%.
This means this freshpet product range contains near-average protein, above-average carbohydrate, and above-average fat, when compared to typical fresh dog food.
freshpet Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to freshpet through December 2025.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of freshpet Deli Fresh Dog Food
This product range certainly deserves the 5 stars it has received in our review. freshpet is transparent about where it sources its ingredients. All meat, fruits, and vegetables are reared and grown in the USA and are prepared to FDA and USDA standards.
About
freshpet was founded in 2006 by a group of three former pet food execs with their headquarters in Bedminster, New Jersey.
The company began in Secaucus, New Jersey, and expanded into Pennsylvania, then acquired a second facility in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, just seven years later. 2014. In 2020, another factory was opened in Texas to meet demand for the products.
Compare freshpet Deli Fresh Dog Food
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A Final Word
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