Oven-Baked Tradition

CanadaPetPicks.ca Aggregate Score: 4.2 / 5  |  Based on 6 independent sources  |  Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec  |  Made in Canada  |  2,000+ Canadian retailers  |  Zero recalls

Location: Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec  |  Founded: 1996 (Bio Biscuit)  |  Brand launched: 2006  |  Family-owned  |  Visit Official Website

What is Oven-Baked Tradition?

Oven-Baked Tradition is the flagship brand of Bio Biscuit Inc., a family-owned pet food manufacturer founded in 1996 in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec. The Lemieux family has run the business since 2006, when the Oven-Baked Tradition brand was launched. Bio Biscuit operates entirely out of its Saint-Hyacinthe bakery — the same facility that manufactures Carna4 — and has earned export certifications for the European Union, China, and holds SQF certification under the HACCP system. The company has also received Canada’s Exporter of the Year award from the Government of Canada.

The core differentiator is the manufacturing method. Standard pet food kibble is made by extrusion — a process using high-temperature steam and pressure that destroys many heat-sensitive vitamins and amino acids, requiring manufacturers to add them back synthetically. Oven-Baked Tradition uses a low-temperature slow-baking process more similar to air-drying than to cooking. This preserves the integrity of fresh meat proteins, naturally occurring vitamins, and the aromas that make the food highly palatable. The resulting kibble is denser, more aromatic, and lighter in texture than standard extruded kibble — and consistently earns high palatability scores even among picky eaters.

Aggregate Review Scores

SourceScore / RatingNotes
Dog Food AdvisorAbove-averageDry dog food reviewed positively; home-milled grains noted
Canadian Pet Connection#9 of 25 Canadian dog foods“Slow-baked, nutrient dense… loaded with flavour”
CatFoodDBAverage (dry)Dry food inherently scores lower than wet; no quality concerns flagged
Garden State Pet Center#9 of 24 Canadian dog foodsCited for home-milled grains, unique protein options (quail, boar)
Made in Canada DirectoryHighly recommendedRecognised for slow-baking process and Quebec manufacturing
Owner reviewsStrongly positivePalatability standout — picky dogs and cats accept it readily

The Slow-Baking Method

Oven-Baked Tradition’s slow-baking process operates at lower temperatures than extrusion, preserving more of the naturally occurring nutrients in the fresh meat ingredients. The computer-managed baking process guarantees batch-to-batch consistency. Importantly, this method allows a higher proportion of fresh meat to be incorporated into the recipe — conventional extruded kibble is limited in how much fresh meat it can handle because of moisture and structural requirements. The resulting product has a shelf life of up to 21 months and is available in resealable bags.

Ingredients Philosophy

All Oven-Baked Tradition recipes are free of wheat gluten, corn, soy, hormones, antibiotics, artificial flavours, and preservatives. The grain-inclusive line uses home-milled rye, barley, and oats — lower-glycemic whole grains absent from most competing kibble brands. The grain-free line uses potato and pea as the carbohydrate base. The brand sources ingredients primarily from local Quebec and Canadian farms. Most products are made at the Saint-Hyacinthe bakery; a small number of supplementary products (Entrées, Crèmia, some treats and fillets) are sourced from trusted partners in Thailand.

Product Range

LineAnimalGrainProtein options
AdultDogRye, barley, oatsChicken, turkey, salmon, lamb, duck, boar, quail
Grain-FreeDogNoneChicken, turkey, salmon, duck
PuppyDogRye, barley, oatsChicken, chicken small breed
Senior / LightDogRye, barley, oatsChicken
Large BreedDogRye, barley, oatsChicken
Dental Care Grain-FreeDogNoneChicken
AdultCatRye, barley, oatsChicken, turkey, salmon, boar, quail
Grain-FreeCatNoneChicken, turkey, salmon, duck
KittenCatRye, barley, oatsChicken
SeniorCatRye, barley, oatsChicken
Dental Care Grain-FreeCatNoneChicken

Recalls and Safety

Zero recalls confirmed across all sources consulted. Bio Biscuit’s Saint-Hyacinthe facility holds SQF certification under the HACCP system, is EU-certified, holds C-TPAT certification, and has passed China export accreditation. Strict quality control procedures include sanitary equipment inspections, preventive maintenance, pathogen testing, and full traceability from raw material receipt to finished product delivery.

Availability and Pricing

Oven-Baked Tradition is one of the most widely distributed Canadian-made premium pet food brands in the country — available in over 2,000 Canadian pet specialty stores. Use their store locator to find the nearest retailer. Approximate Canadian pricing:

ProductSizeApprox. CAD
Adult Dog (grain-inclusive)2.27 kg$22 — $28
Adult Dog (grain-inclusive)11.34 kg$75 — $90
Adult Cat (grain-inclusive)2.27 kg$22 — $28
Adult Cat (grain-inclusive)5.44 kg$45 — $55

Our Verdict

Oven-Baked Tradition is one of the most compelling Canadian-made kibble brands on the market. The slow-baking method is a genuine nutritional and palatability differentiator, the range of protein options is broader than almost any other Canadian brand (including novel proteins like quail and wild boar), and the distribution footprint is national. The main limitations are moderate pricing and the fact that the food is dry-only for most of the range — owners wanting wet food options will need to supplement from another brand.

CategoryScore
Ingredient quality4.0 / 5
Manufacturing method5.0 / 5
Canadian manufacturing5.0 / 5
Product variety4.5 / 5
Value for money4.0 / 5
Canadian availability5.0 / 5
Recall history5.0 / 5
CanadaPetPicks Aggregate4.2 / 5

Where to Buy Oven-Baked Tradition in Canada

Oven-Baked Tradition Reviews & Product Coverage

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