Ziwi Peak Dog Food Reviewed: Pros, Cons, and Ingredient Analysis

Ziwi Peak Dog Food is a premium-quality pet food brand.

Ziwi Peak was founded in 2002 by Peter Mitchell – a free-range deer farmer who supplied meat to large dog food producers but was disappointed to find out they were blending his premium meat products with cheap ingredients like low-end grains and gluten.

He started ZIWI Peak as a reaction to this disappointment in his home country of New Zealand. In 2021, FountainVest Partners, a Chinese private equity firm, bought Ziwi Peak but has promised to continue to make the same freeze-dried, wet & dry food, cat food, chews, dog treats, and bones.

Ziwi Peak Dog Food is made in New Zealand in small, family-owned kitchens, but the exact site at which their products are made is not made clear.

Ziwi Peak Dog Food only partners with farmers and fishermen who use ethical treatment of animals and understand that ”if you take care of your animals, your animals will take care of you,” according to their website.

They do not partake in typical factory-style manufacturing that relies on frantic pacing to produce the highest yield possible. Instead, they choose to take a more systematic approach to maintain the ability to control quality.

To maintain high-quality nutrients, the Ziwi Peak ingredients are gently air-dried using a twin-stage air dryer system that gently circulates air around the ingredients. First, the ingredients are blended in small batches of raw or fresh meat, seafood, organs, bones, and superfoods.

Then, the mixture is poured into trays and placed onto their dryer. Once the mix is dry, it is cut and tested to meet the international food standards.

Yes, ZIWI Peak Dog Food is good.

The ingredients they use are from local farmers and fishers who adhere to the strictest ethics when caring for their animals and harvests.

Over 90% of the ingredients in their recipes are animal products that provide the highest possible bio-available nutrients, meaning each ingredient is easy to digest, so the nutrients are quickly delivered and absorbed.

Ziwi Peak Dog Food also avoids using grains, growth hormones and rendered meals to make sure each ingredient serves a purpose without the use of fillers to complete any given recipe.

The Ziwi Peak Dog Food brand offers a variety of formulas for dogs. To help owners find the right recipe for their pets, we have reviewed some of the brand‘s best-selling dog foods.

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Summary: Comprised of high-protein and all-natural ingredients, this food delivers bio-available nutrients without the use of additives or fillers. The air-dried dog food comes free from artificial preservatives, glycerin, or growth promotants meaning every ingredient serves a purpose. The limited ingredient kibble is made with 96% animal sources for optimal nutrition. This food recipe is available in various flavors and bag sizes.

Type: Air-dried dog food

Best for: Dogs of all life stages

Flavor Options: Beef; Chicken; Lamb; Mackerel & Lamb; Tripe & Lamb; Venison

Price: $25.59/lb

Ingredient Analysis: The first ingredient in the flavors of this formula is real meat like grass-fed beef and lamb. This is a great source of protein and minerals necessary for healthy muscle function. Organ meats like heart, lamb tripe, liver, and kidney are included for extra minerals, vitamins, and protein, while kelp helps to add fiber and extra vitamins. Bone and New Zealand green mussels provide glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health. Overall, this is a very natural and balanced ingredients list.

Review: Most of the over 4,000 reviews on Amazon are from satisfied customers. Praise came in the form of compliments and good stories about ZIWI Peak’s customer service and dog owners’ dogs enjoying the food. However, even 5-star reviews were questioning Amazon sellers. The condition customers received their dog food was the most common complaint about this food.

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Summary: This wet canned dog food is made with over 90% authentic whole-prey ratios of animal ingredients to provide complete nutrition from natural sources. It is grain-free limited ingredient dog food that uses no fillers, so it is less likely to upset the stomachs of sensitive dogs. It can be used as a meal topper or a complete meal for dogs at any life stage and is available in a case of twelve 13.75-oz cans.

Type: Wet dog food

Best for: Dogs of all life stages

Flavor Options: Beef; Chicken; Lamb; Mackerel & Lamb; Tripe & Lamb; Venison

Price: $6.71/can

Ingredient Analysis: Muscle meat is the first ingredient in any of the flavors in this formula. Organ meat like liver and heart, as well as bone from the animal, are included for extra protein, minerals, and vitamins that support proper organ function, while other vitamins, such as folic acid and vitamins E and B5 supplements, are added to provide complete nutrition.

Review: Nearly 90% of total reviews praised this food for its quality, with reviewers stating their picky dogs enjoy it, and their old dogs can digest it easily. Meanwhile, critical reviews were varied in their reasons. Some consumers complained of damaged cans, suspected outdated food, and that their dogs wouldn’t eat it, while others complained about the inclusion of chickpeas.

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Summary: The ZIWI Peak nutrition formula in this product is made with 96% meat, organs, and bone to provide highly bio-available nutrition found in a single region of New Zealand. It is made with no fillers or added carbohydrates while still providing the fiber and micronutrients a dog needs. Superfoods add the final touch of vitamins and minerals to this food that is suitable for dogs of all life stages.

Type: Air-dried dog food

Best for: Dogs of all life stages

Flavor Options: Otago Valley; East Cape; Hauraki Plains

Price: $23.74/lb

Ingredient Analysis: Meat, organs, and bone make up much of this recipe, with meat being the first ingredient and providing an excellent source of protein. Lung, tripe, and liver from each animal in the ingredients list are added for further mineral and vitamin density. In contrast, amino acids, salt, and vitamin supplements make this food a complete nutrition source. Vitamins supplemented include vitamin D3, riboflavin, and folic acid.

Review: Many of the positive reviews of this food come from owners of small breed and senior dogs. These owners were happy to see their dogs enjoy this food, and some claimed it had cleared up some allergy symptoms in their pets. Negative remarks about ZIWI Peak now being owned by a Chinese corporation.

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Summary: The ingredients in this wet food are sourced from a single region in New Zealand. It contains 96% meat, organ, and bone for nutrient density and uses superfoods for vitamins and minerals. It is a grain-free and low-carb formula that uses no fillers like potatoes or peas. The recipe can be used as a meal-topper or a complete meal for dogs at all life stages.

Type: Wet dog food

Best for: Dogs of all life stages

Flavor Options: East Cape; Hauraki Plains; Otago Valley

Price: $4.49/can

Ingredient Analysis: The primary ingredient in any of the flavors of this formula is a mix of 5 sources of protein such as lamb, mutton, goat, kahawai, and tripe. This helps to make this food a source of high-quality protein while organ meat like liver, heart, and lung provide vitamins and minerals. Minerals are also supplemented with things like dipotassium phosphate and magnesium sulfate, while vitamin supplements include vitamin E and B5.

Review: Positive reviewers state this food is “worth the money,” with one consumer saying her dog eats the napkin she serves it on because her dog likes the food so much. Most positive reviews state their dog loves the food, while critics complain it gives their dog diarrhea. The only common complaint, in fact, was that it made their dogs sick.

Ziwi Peak Dog Food offers a range of premium-quality recipes. Here is a list of the brand’s lines and formulas:

No, ZIWI Peak Dog Food has not been recalled since its founding in 2002.

Yes, Ziwi Peak Dog Food is worth it.

Although it is now a China-owned company, all of the ingredients in Ziwi Peak pet food come from local farmers and fishers.

The manufacturing process is minimal, so its foods are as close to a raw diet as a dog owner can get without feeding raw dog food. Each recipe is made without the use of growth hormones, preservatives, or fillers.

Ziwi Peak Dog Food is committed to being plastic neutral and uses green forms of energy. It offers premium-quality pet food without compromising its pledge to green production practices.

When you buy a Ziwi Peak Dog Food product, you support a green brand committed to protecting the environment and providing high-quality food to your pet.