Eight years ago, Carolyn Robb-McDonald began cooking dinner for her dog. She found herself with time on her hands and a yellow labrador who loves to eat anything, whether he should or not. That’s when she got the idea for Yellow Dog Deli. Wanting to provide her dog with a healthier alternative to commercial kibble, she wondered if other pet owners might feel similarly.
It turns out, they did.
Drawing on advice from vet nutritionists, plenty of research and recipe ideas, Robb-McDonald rented out commercial kitchen space in Madison and began making meals such as beef and potato, chicken and rice, turkey and pasta, and fish and barley for her adult dog. She also offers a beef and sweet potato combination for puppies.
Yellow Dog Deli started with home deliveries but grew to include retail sales at select Woodman’s Food Markets after the store’s pet food buyer called Robb-McDonald about the opportunity.
She loves connecting with people and educating them about the benefits of feeding their dogs fresh food, noting that not everyone understands what the traditional dog food (kibble) is made from: feed grade ingredients that are processed at high temperatures that ultimately reduce the nutritional value and digestibility of the ingredients.
Not so at Yellow Dog Deli. The food is cooked slowly on a stove (a process that increases digestibility), and they start with higher-quality, human-grade ingredients.
Understanding that feeding one’s dog nothing but fresh, homemade food may not be an option for everyone, Robb-McDonald suggests using it as a food topper, blending it with other food or just replacing a few meals each week. “Dog owners find a combination that works best for them.”
Yellow Dog Deli offers home delivery subscriptions and is available at select Woodman’s Food Markets as well as at their store at 611 E. Main St., Evansville.
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