What assurance can you give me about quality and food safety?Updated 5 days ago
Great question — and one we love answering. At Years, food safety and quality aren't an afterthought; they're baked into every single step of how we make your pup's meals, from ingredient sourcing right through to the tray landing on your doorstep.
🏭 Made in Our Own Kitchen — By Us
Every meal is made right here in Years' own Nottinghamshire kitchen. We don't outsource production or rely on third-party manufacturers — which means we have complete, end-to-end control over every step of the process. No cutting corners. No surprises. Just us, your dog's food, and very high standards.
🧑🍳 Highest Quality Ingredients Only
We source all our ingredients from the human food chain. That means:
🥩 60% prime cuts of meat or fish (think matured steak and skinless chicken thighs — the good stuff)
🌿 Vibrant vegetables, fruits, seeds, herbs, and botanicals — all recognisable, all real
🚫 Zero by-products, nothing artificial, or mystery ingredients
✅ No added colours, flavours, or preservatives — ever
If it's not good enough for a human kitchen, it doesn't make it into ours.
🔬 Formulated by a experts in canine nutrition with Luke, our very own Michelin trained chef
Every Years recipe is approved by vets and nutritionists. This isn't just a sticker on the box. It means our recipes are rigorously reviewed to ensure they're safe, balanced, and genuinely beneficial for your dog's long-term health.
🔥 Steam-Cooked for Safety and Nutrition
We use a gentle steam-cooking method in sealed, airtight trays. This process does two important things at once:
- 🛡️ Eliminates harmful bacteria and pathogens — making every meal safe to serve straight from the tray
- 💪 Preserves nutrients, flavour, and aromas — so your pup gets the maximum goodness from every ingredient
- 🧫 Regular microbiological testing, including sampling for bacteria such as salmonella, carried out to verify every product line meets safety standards before it reaches your dog's bowl
- 📦 Full ingredient traceability throughout production, storage, and distribution — we know exactly where every ingredient comes from and where it ends up
Our new recyclable trays also improve steam distribution throughout the tray, cutting cooking time by 63% — which means even better retention of delicate micronutrients.
📦 Shelf-Stable by Design — No Preservatives Needed
Because of our steam-cooking and airtight sealing process, Years meals are naturally shelf-stable for up to 3 months unopened — with absolutely no need for artificial preservatives. Once opened, meals stay fresh in the fridge for up to 7 days. Safe food storage, sorted.
🌾 Grain-Free and Gluten-Free
Quinoa takes pride of place in our grain-free, gluten-free recipes, providing fibre to help support digestion as part of complete nutrition for your dog’s overall health and wellbeing. Plus, every ingredient is named and every percentage declared, so you know exactly what they’re tucking into.