Phoenix Bark FAQs

Though it doesn’t always happen, sometimes never at all – we’ve learned through detailed research and comprehensive quality checks that moisture loss can sometimes reduce pack weight by up to 5% by the time it reaches the bowl.

Importantly, this does not impact the nutrient content or calorie value – it simply means a little moisture has evaporated.

Why does this happen?

We package our food in certified compostable paper, rather than plastic. While better for the planet, paper isn’t a complete barrier to evaporation. A small amount of natural moisture loss can occur as the food moves from our kitchen, through delivery, into your freezer – and even as it thaws for feeding.

How do we ensure that we ship accurate portions?

Every pack is weighed three times – during preparation, after wrapping, and before freezing. Our 24/7 monitored cameras, regular spot checks, and final checks before dispatch ensure absolute accuracy before packs leave the kitchen.

How can you minimise moisture loss?

For the most consistent experience, we recommend storing packs in a sealed container in the freezer to reduce exposure. If you notice a weight difference, we encourage you to weigh your packs upon arrival and before feeding – we’re always happy to review and discuss any concerns.

Transparency & Accuracy in Our Packaging

At Phoenix Bark, we pride ourselves in being the first fresh food company in the world to wrap our packs in certified compostable paper packaging. We ship thousands of packs each week and we know wherever the wrapper ends up, it’ll disintegrate quickly and can do no harm to the planet.

We also pride ourselves in gently cooking the highest possible quality food – every single nutrient comes from amazing wholefood sources. And because it’s fresh, the food is almost 70% moisture – another great benefit for the dogs we feed!

These two critical priorities are not easy to balance – that’s why no one else does it. But they matter to us a great deal.

Understanding Natural Moisture Loss

Unlike plastic – paper is not a complete barrier to evaporation, so there can be a small amount of natural moisture loss as it passes from our kitchen, through delivery, into your freezer – and each time that freezer is opened and closed – then again as the packs thaw for feeding.

Though it doesn’t always happen, sometimes never at all – we’ve learned through detailed research and comprehensive quality checks that it can sometimes represent a lightening of packs by up to 5% by the time they reach the bowl.

Importantly, this does not impact the nutrient content or calorie value – it simply results in a slight decrease in pack weight as some moisture has naturally evaporated.

How We Ensure You Receive the Right Portions

We’ve learned this over time and ensure that as weighed, the packs are definitely right – three times over! Every pack is initially weighed, then after wrapping, and then again before going into the freezer. We have two cameras over the wrapping line with 24/7 recording, and we spot check this process. We then spot check at packing and before dispatch too! Each of our sets of scales is regularly calibrated to maintain accuracy.

This means that we know as it leaves the kitchen, destined for the bowl – it’s certain to have the correct weight, and with it the perfectly portioned nutrients and calorie value for the dog it’s going to nourish!

Our Commitment to Transparency & Customer Experience

We understand that accurate portioning is essential for your dog’s nutrition and feeding routines. We are continuously working to improve communication and set clear expectations. We appreciate the feedback from our customers and are committed to ensuring every dog receives exactly what they need to thrive every day.

And we welcome (and involve) any input, feedback, or even offers to help us track and scientifically record and build up quantitative data from different homes. If you’d like to help, let us know and we’ll explain how you can give us more data to help us even better understand this interesting phenomenon!

We looked deeper and with the help of some wonderful dog guardians – including Muni, Charm, Bobbi and Pancho’s families – we confirmed that, over time, a small amount of moisture (up to 5%) can naturally evaporate. This doesn’t affect nutrients or calories but it can make packs feel slightly lighter. We should have been clearer about this from the start.

If you have any questions or concerns about pack weights, please reach out – we are here to help!

To give your dogs the very best and freshest produce, the meat, herbs, lentils and vegetables in our meals are very gently cooked in their own juices, for just 10 minutes. This kills any pathogens on the raw meat, while retaining as many of the nutrients as possible and maximising the health benefits of all the healthy ingredients.  Feeding a lightly cooked fresh dog food is genuinely the only food type close to feeding raw dog food. If a food is sold to you shelf-stable it is not fresh or close to raw.

The milled chia, flax and pumpkin seeds, along with fresh kelp and  sustainably-harvested seaweed calcium are added at the end, just before the food is portioned for you into perfect ready weighed, sustainably-wrapped packs for delivery! 

As dog lovers with backgrounds in nutrition, we came to realise the importance of knowing what was in our dogs’ dinners – which is why we came up with the wonderful Phoenix Bark recipes! The sad truth is that a lot of the time, dog food sold in the average supermarket is over-processed and full of ingredients we don’t recognise. But why should our dogs have to eat bland, poorly-farmed offcuts or processed meat-meals that have barely any health benefits? 

In our view, fresh food is without question best for dogs (and humans, of course). We use Ireland’s most sustainable farmers and health food suppliers, and always make sure that our recipes include the vitamins and nutrients your dog needs to live a happy, healthy life. 

Why not check out our reviews and read for yourself just how healthy and happy a Phoenix Bark dog is!

We cook and wrap all the meals in our Kitchen in Country Down, but we also have a base in Dublin from which we can complete personal deliveries across the city and neighbouring counties. The rest of Ireland and Great Britain is covered by couriers for deliveries.

Production & head office
Phoenix Bark Ltd
The Nautilus Centre
Kilkeel
Co. Down
Northern Ireland

UK VAT number 326740602
UK Registered Company 11987669

ROI VAT number 3683029RH

EU Regulatory approval numbers
GB NI/4654
PTF/782/19

Yes, we can include the majority of the UK in our free deliveries, but as a small business we are taking additional steps to ensure we can do this safely as we shift towards delivering on a larger scale. We need to ensure food is safely and sustainably chilled and packaged as it makes its way from Ireland to the UK to give you and your dogs the best possible experience!

Contact us directly if you have any queries about getting your dogs Meal Plan or Taster Pack delivered to you anywhere in England, Wales, Scotland or Ireland.