Dr. Greg Aldrich on Minimally Processed Manufacturing and the Journey to the "Perfect Pet Food"

Dr. Greg Aldrich, Chief Operating Officer at Nulo Pet Food, recently joined Petworking host Peter Kenseth to discuss Nulo's latest innovations in minimally processed pet foods and the brand's philosophy on optimal pet nutrition.
Aldrich, who previously worked as an associate professor at Kansas State University studying pet nutrition, joined Nulo about 15 months ago after consulting with the company for over a decade. He has been working closely with Nulo founder Michael Landa on developing foods that align with an active lifestyle for both pets and their owners.
A key focus for Nulo is minimizing the processing and heat applied to their foods in order to maximize nutrient retention and availability. Aldrich explained that traditional manufacturing processes like extrusion for kibble and retort canning subject all ingredients to very high heat, which can damage nutrients and create undesirable chemical interactions.
Nulo is exploring techniques like cold pressing, gently cooking, air drying, and freeze drying as alternatives that apply lower temperatures for shorter periods. "We're trying to find the perfect time and temperature for each component," said Aldrich.
He positions Nulo's approach between raw diets, which have food safety and shelf-life challenges, and highly-processed kibble and cans. The goal is pasteurization to control pathogens while minimizing nutrient loss.
In line with the idea that dogs and cats are carnivores, Nulo has adopted a nutritional philosophy focused on high animal protein and low carbohydrates from low-glycemic sources like miscanthus grass fiber. Aldrich cited research linking high protein to better lean body mass and concerns that highly-digestible starches may contribute to obesity and diabetes in pets.
To emphasize the nutrition and performance connection, Nulo has partnered with elite athletes like Simone Biles and plans to feature more Olympians heading into the Paris 2024 games. The idea is that consumers will be more receptive to nutritional advice from the athletes they admire.
Nulo's latest innovations include the new cold pressed diet, gently cooked shelf-stable pouches, rebranded freeze dried, and new canned cat foods. At SuperZoo 2024, the brand plans to unveil new treat products aligned with their nutritional principles as well as updated packaging.
Aldrich is aiming for continued progress toward the "perfect pet food" through optimal ingredient selection and processing tailored to each nutrient type. However, he emphasized the need for more research funding specifically for pet nutrition to advance knowledge in this area.