Our Quality Story
We thought long and hard about how to tell the world our quality story. It’s a tough one to describe because it means so much to us, and rather than being something that stands on its own it is deeply ingrained in everything we do. Of course, we have obtained the highest quality and safety standards according to the industry’s food safety and processing guidelines. Of course, we pay close attention to our ingredient suppliers, handling and storage. But, our founder and the heart of our company is our head chef, Amy, who just so happens to be a microbiologist.
Let that sink in. Humans in this line of expertise are those who actually do the testing for quality and food safety, so you can see how her recipes and processes very truly started with quality and safety first. It’s just how her brain works – starting with the highest quality product in mind, and therefore with hand-picked ingredients and intense oversight for process and recipes. Our pet celebration products started with Amy baking in her home kitchen, for her own beloved family (humans and animals). When you meet Amy, you can quickly understand her uncompromising nature when it comes to the care and level of dedication that she has to these animal family and friends. She, herself, is dedicated to healthful eating, and understands what is needed on a scientific level to produce the absolute best products to share with others from her kitchen.
You might be wondering why it’s so important to Amy, and now the whole team at The Lazy Dog Cookie Co., that there be so many “healthful” options when we are talking about treats and desserts. In the world of celebratory food items in the human world we don’t worry much about the nutrition facts. Not many people ask about the ingredients in their birthday or holiday desserts.
However, here at The Lazy Dog Cookie Co. we envision a world where every single day includes a celebration. There is always, always, always a reason to celebrate with our pets. Whether it’s the best tail wag welcome, or a return home from a military deployment, or the joy that comes with a great walk together on a sunny afternoon- let’s share in a celebration. Humans, and our animal companions, connect in the most interactive way, many times, with the sharing of treats. So, we want you to treat more. We want you to celebrate with them more. And, since we want you to treat more, it’s important to Amy and the team that the products are natural and don’t contain anything “junky” so that you can feel good about more sharing.
It's also important to Amy and the team that everyone is included in these celebrations. When you attend a human celebration, for example, there are often needs that differ among the partygoers. Maybe someone is sensitive to dairy, or soy, or wheat, or corn, or grain or egg – so there are products within our lineup that suit these needs. If you look, you’ll find something so that everyone can be included in the desserts of the celebration. If you have a special need that is not addressed, please reach out to us and Amy will get to work!
In addition to ensuring that all pets can celebrate with us, it’s important to us that ALL our products are free of preservatives, fillers and anything artificial. With this, Amy encourages you to celebrate more!!!
Now for the facts about the high-quality standards that our bakery, production and handling teams strictly follow: Production and handling is managed in the highest quality way by following the Safe Quality Food (SQF) code. Safe Quality Food (SQF) code is achieved when a company demonstrates exceptional quality control and food safety practices. A qualified inspector conducts third-party audits to evaluate the food safety program, including personnel practices, plant maintenance and cleanliness, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plans, and food safety programs. SQF code provides validation to many national and international retailers and foodservice providers that a company has established food safety programs and that those programs are followed. SQF code is a globally recognized food safety management system and is administered by the SQF Institute. Additionally, we utilize good manufacturing process (GMP) which is a strict set of guidelines for managing each aspect of production and testing that can impact product quality, GMPs are part of a quality system that covers the manufacture and testing of ingredients and finished products. Our quality assurance (QA) follows a prescribed series of steps and processes a manufacturer puts in place to ensure that the final product is safe to eat. Our bakery and production team adheres to a rigorous QA process following Safe Quality Food (SQF) code. Every product goes through our pet industry-leading safety, quality, and nutritional checkpoints. Of course, we have a clear set of standard operating procedure (SOPs), which includes step-by-step instructions compiled to help each of our team members carry out complex routine operations, SOPs aim to achieve quality outputs because everyone know exactly what goes into each recipe and safety guideline. |
If your veterinarian has questions about our ingredients or food quality and safety, please ask them to reach out to us at info@lazydogcookies.com