Champion Petfoods Today
Our ORIJEN and ACANA brands were born from a desire to make the world’s best pet food
Talented experts craft our award-winning foods
Passionate about being Trusted By Pet Lovers EverywhereTM
Donated over 3 million meals to pets in need
Champion Petfoods
From the Start
In 1979, Reinhard Muhlenfeld began producing dog food in his small but thriving feed mill in Alberta, Canada.
With second-hand equipment and a single bagging unit, Champion made its first dog foods, which were sold to local farming and ranching communities.
ACANA
Alberta-born Greatness
Named for its home in Alberta, Canada, and grounded in Reinhard’s belief in supporting the local economy, the ACANA brand was created with a strong focus on fresh, quality ingredients from the region.
Champion quickly became recognized by Pet Lovers as an innovator in pet specialty foods.
Our First Kitchen
NorthStar
In 1990, we opened our first Kitchen in the nearby town of Morinville, Alberta, providing the scale we needed to enter the pet specialty market as a leader.
ORIJEN
Our Biologically Appropriate Nutritional Philosophy
Reinhard’s son Peter, and wife Yona, had a beloved Dachshund named Lucky. They wanted to find the best diet for him, but most pet food companies back then focused on cheap ingredients and marketing rather crafting great tasting, healthy pet food options.
Peter’s desire to create a diet that best allowed Lucky to eat the way nature intended led to the development of our Biologically Appropriate nutritional philosophy, inspiring the creation of our ORIJEN brand. Built on animal-based, protein-rich foods for dogs and cats, the Biologically Appropriate philosophy revolutionized the pet food industry.
ORIJEN
Freeze-Dried Food & Treats
In 2011, we demonstrated our commitment to innovation when we bought a Kitchen where we could make new ORIJEN freeze-dried food and treats.
DogStar Kitchen
Dedicated to Innovation
Located in the rich, fertile farmland of Kentucky, our DogStar Kitchen opened in 2016. Built to our own industry-leading standards and to handle the large quantities of fresh and raw meats our foods are known for, DogStar has won significant awards in the pet food industry. With the highest food safety achievements including the 2017 Global Food Safety Initiative Award, DogStar reflects our commitment to be Trusted by Pet Lovers Everywhere.
Research & Innovation
Constant Progress
Our Research & Innovation Centre also opened in 2016 and is home to our team of highly qualified scientists and nutritionists. Pet Lovers themselves, they continuously advance our award-winning foods and create new recipes that provide their pets and yours with the absolute best food available.
New State-of-the-Art NorthStar Kitchen
A Steadfast Beacon of Excellence
Our new NorthStar Kitchen, widely recognized as the most advanced pet food facility in the world, helps us meet the global demand for ORIJEN and ACANA brands. Situated among the rich farmlands of Alberta, NorthStar Kitchen gives us access to an abundance of fresh, trusted ingredients.
We pioneered Biologically Appropriate, which means our recipes are crafted with purpose and reflect our commitment to mirror the diet nature and evolution intended dogs and cats to eat. Fresh or raw meat, poultry or fish are always the lead ingredients in ORIJEN® and ACANA® recipes to provide pets with peak nutrition, optimal nourishment and ultimate flavor.
We pioneered Biologically Appropriate, which means our recipes are crafted with purpose and reflect our commitment to mirror the diet nature and evolution intended dogs and cats to eat. Fresh or raw meat, poultry or fish are always the lead ingredients in ORIJEN® and ACANA® recipes to provide pets with peak nutrition, optimal nourishment and ultimate flavor.
We collaborate with a specially curated group of leading farmers, ranchers, and fisheries that we have had relationships with for decades. Our strong network enables us to source only the best, and no matter what, every ingredient we choose is selected for its nutritional value, digestibility and superior flavor.
Our kitchens are some of the most advanced in the industry. They are purpose-built and custom-designed specifically for our unique recipes that take advantage of the inclusion of fresh and raw ingredients. We locate them in agricultural heartlands so they can be closer to many of the sources of our ingredients.
As makers of award-winning pet foods our passion for the health and happiness of pets has always inspired us to meet the highest expectations.
