Bowls of ingredients like raw chicken, salmon, beef and turkey.

Why Should You Go Beyond the 1st Ingredient?

When it comes to ACANA® pet food recipes, we go beyond the first ingredient. Rather than just focus on the first ingredient on any pet food, we think it’s important to look at the entire recipe in order to make an informed decision about what pet food is best for your dog or cat.

So what does it mean to Go Beyond the 1st IngredientTM with ACANA pet food?

The first TWO ingredients are fresh or raw animal ingredients

ACANA pet food is rich with animal ingredients that your dog or cat craves. This includes high quality fresh or raw animal ingredients like free-run* chicken and turkey, ranch-raised beef and wild-caught or sustainably farmed fish. The only exceptions to this are our ACANA Classics Recipes line and our New ACANA Cat Recipes, which have animal protein as the first ingredient. Our Enhanced ACANA Cat Recipes (see below) also have animal ingredients in the first THREE ingredients.

What are fresh or raw ingredients?

ACANA works hard to provide pets with ingredients of the highest quality, and this includes using fresh or raw animal ingredients. Our fresh ingredients meet the AAFCO standard of refrigeration as the sole method of preservation. Our raw ingredients are the same as our fresh, but are frozen at the peak of freshness to preserve nutrients.

Cats get even more animal ingredients

Our Enhanced ACANA Cat Recipes include fresh or raw animal ingredients in the first THREE ingredients. Because cats are obligate carnivores, we pack these cat recipes with animal ingredients so they get the most benefit and nourishment.

ACANA recipes are balanced with whole fruit, vegetables and botanicals

With nutrient-rich whole fruit and vegetables like pumpkin, collard greens and carrots, ACANA recipes balance out high animal protein content with wholesome produce.

Our Wholesome Grains recipe line includes only the best grains

Our grain-inclusive recipes only include grains that are higher in fiber, protein and vitamins when compared to wheat and rice. This means we include grains like oats, sorghum and millet.

There are no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives added in our kitchen

By only including the wholesome ingredients your pet needs—and leaving out what they don’t—we can provide premium nutrition for your dog or cat.

When we say we Go Beyond the 1st Ingredient™, we want you to look at our ingredients panel to see our commitment to ensuring every ingredient matters when it comes to nourishing your pet. We hope you’ll see the dedication we put into ensuring your pet gets the nutrition they need to live a long and healthy life by your side.


*Our free-run chickens and turkeys are not housed in cages and are able to move in a barn without outdoor access.