How Are Freeze Dried Treats for Cats and Dogs Made?
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Tiempo de lectura 5 min
They’re light. Crisp. Smell like fresh ingredients. No fridge required. No additives needed. Just clean, raw food and gently preserved. You might have seen freeze dried treats for cats and dogs before. Maybe even used them as a high-value training reward or a daily snack. But have you ever wondered how they’re actually made? In this blog we’ll take you down this process… Read along!
It’s easy to imagine a machine doing all the work. You load the ingredients, press a button and walk away. But the truth? It’s not that simple. Freeze drying is a slow, careful process. And when done right, it’s more than just preservation. It’s protection. Of nutrients. Of texture. Of what makes the food worth feeding in the first place.
At Hokuō® we believe that what stays in matters just as much as what’s taken out. And behind every one of our freeze dried treats for cats and dogs is a quiet kind of expertise. The kind you only build through years of doing things the hard way, on purpose. Let’s take you inside that process.
But before we step inside the process, there’s something else worth understanding...
Overview
Freeze drying = the closest thing to raw
Freeze drying is not simply a way to preserve food. It’s more than that. It’s the closest and cleanest alternative to a raw food diet - offering fresh, almost untouched ingredients, with nothing lost but moisture.
And even if you only use freeze dried as a topper or snack, they still add value to your pet’s diet.
While most pet foods go through heat and processing to ensure safety and shelf life, freeze dried food and treats stay true to their original form. No reshaping, no extra steps. Just raw ingredients, gently preserved. The infographic shows where freeze dried sits on the scale of processing - a simple way to see the difference.
This difference is worth understanding. Because while raw food nourishes by nature, ultra-processed products (even when labeled ‘healthy’) can quietly undermine your pet’s well-being over time.
Source: The Forever Dog | Intergraph: Martin Fredskov for Hokuō®
And that’s why we’ve chosen it. To preserve what matters , and to make it easy to bring species-appropriate treats into your pet’s life - in a way that fits yours.
Want to explore a little further?
Small steps toward fresher food can bring a lot of meaningful benefits. Whether it’s a full raw diet or simply adding freeze dried toppers and treats... Every bit of real, unprocessed nutrition helps. There’s no need for all-or-nothing thinking. We wrote more about this idea, for anyone curious about finding balance and doing what’s possible.
What is freeze drying?
So, what is freeze drying, really? In simple terms, freeze drying (or lyophilization if you want the scientific term) is a preservation method that removes moisture from food… without ever heating it.
Originally developed by NASA to preserve food for astronauts, the goal was clear: keep the food shelf-stable, lightweight and nutritionally intact - even in space. Turns out, those same goals apply beautifully to pets here on Earth.
Here’s how it works:
The ingredients are frozen, locking everything in place.
They’re placed into a vacuum, where the ice gently vaporizes. We’re skipping the liquid stage!
What’s left is the dry version of the original. Same shape. Same smell. Same nutrients.
Why does heat matter so much?
You might wonder why heat matters so much. The answer is simple but important.
Heat doesn’t just remove moisture. It also changes the food itself. When proteins, fats and sugars are exposed to heat, chemical reactions begin - a process known as glycation . These reactions can create compounds that the body struggles to break down.
Over time, they may quietly build up, contributing to inflammation, joint issues, digestive troubles and even chronic conditions like diabetes, early aging or certain types of cancer.
That’s what makes freeze dried treats for cats and dogs so different. No cooking. No shrinkage. No shortcuts. They’re not processed - just preserved.
How are our freeze dried treats for dogs and cats made?
Let’s take you with us - this is what the process looks like at Hokuō®...
We start with raw ingredients. Fresh duck hearts. Reindeer liver. Rabbit ears. Always sourced from trusted European suppliers - mainly in Norway, Finland, and Estonia. Places where transparency, animal welfare, and quality control still mean something.
And always of human-grade quality. The same standard you’d expect from food meant for your own plate. Because when the base is good, the outcome can be excellent.
A decade of quiet refinement
Then, we work with our European factory, which has spent over a decade refining the art of freeze-drying. They know - from years of experience - how to handle every part: muscle meat, organs, bones, even the furry parts . Each has its own moisture profile, structure, and drying needs.
How to dry venison without losing its scent.
How to preserve the delicate shape of a rabbit ear.
How to keep nutrients intact, batch after batch.
Each product is handled differently - depending on its moisture, structure, and size. Because not everything should be treated the same.
Once the process is complete, the treats are shelf-stable, lightweight and dry to the touch. However it is still biologically raw . No preservatives needed. No fridge required. And because the structure of the meat is preserved, the flavor and scent remain incredibly appealing to pets.
The result is a treat that’s as close to nature as possible. Just with the moisture taken out!
Why freeze dried treats for cats and dog matter
We’re not here to chase trends. We’re here to offer something that respects an animal’s natural diet - and does it with care.
Our freeze dried treats for cats and dogs offer:
Pure ingredients, nothing unnecessary.
Simple storage - no fridge, no fuss.
Honest nutrition, preserved without heat.
Biological safety - thanks to the quality of both the ingredients and the process.
But none of it matters without good ingredients. Even the best technique can’t fix what wasn’t right to begin with. That’s why we always start with sourcing. Everything else follows.
In the end?
Freeze drying isn’t just about removing moisture. It’s about keeping what matters - and letting go of what doesn’t. At Hokuō®, every treat we make begins with respect . For the animal it came from. For the pet it’s meant for. And for the process that makes it possible.
Simple, good food. Handled with care. That’s all it ever needed to be.
The Author: Marleen Meindersma
Freelance blog writer for Hokuō®