Big Country Raw
CanadaPetPicks.ca Aggregate Score: 4.5 / 5 | Based on 7 independent sources | Smithville, Ontario | Made in Canada | HACCP-certified | Zero recalls | Canada’s largest raw selection
Location: Smithville, Ontario | Founded: 2012 | Family-owned | CFIA-inspected facility | Visit Official Website
What is Big Country Raw?
Big Country Raw was founded in 2012 in Smithville, Ontario as a family-run business with a clear mission: make raw feeding accessible, affordable, and safe for Canadian pet owners. In just over a decade, it has grown into one of Canada’s most widely distributed and best-known raw pet food brands — with a product catalogue offering the largest raw food selection in Canada, now expanding into the United States through a distribution partnership with Frontier Distributing announced in early 2025.
BCR operates its own CFIA-inspected processing facility in Smithville, giving them full control over ingredient sourcing, production, and quality testing. The facility has held HACCP certification since 2023 and has received an “Excellent” rating — the highest available — in every third-party Bureau Veritas audit conducted. All proteins are sourced from Canadian farmers: pasture-raised beef, lamb, and buffalo; free-range poultry (chicken, turkey, duck); and wild-caught Canadian fish. Products are flash-frozen at below −20°C immediately after production to lock in nutritional integrity. In late 2025, BCR expanded their Smithville facility with a 30,000 sq ft cold storage addition to meet growing national and international demand.
Aggregate Review Scores
| Source | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dogs Naturally Magazine | 9.0–9.4 / 10 per line | Pure 9.4/10, Signature Blends 9.2/10, Dinners 9.2/10 — all low risk |
| DogFoodReviews.com | High across all lines | Consistent scores; CFIA inspection noted as key credibility factor |
| DogFoodAuthority | Highly recommended | Human-grade sourcing, HACCP certification, diversity of options |
| Cricket & Company | Positive | Coat quality, allergy improvements widely reported by owners |
| Homes Alive Pets | Top recommended | One of their top-stocked raw brands; strong retailer endorsement |
| Moonlight Pet Store (raw ranking) | Top 5 in Canada | Ranked among top 5 Canadian raw brands for beginners and experienced feeders |
| Owner reviews | Strongly positive | Coat, digestion, energy, allergy improvements consistently reported |
Why Raw Frozen?
Raw frozen food is uncooked, minimally processed meat, organ, and bone — the nutritional format that a carnivore’s digestive system evolved to process. It is high in protein, high in fat, and contains near-zero carbohydrates. Pet owners who switch to raw feeding consistently report improvements in coat quality, digestion, muscle tone, energy, and reduction in allergy symptoms. BCR’s approach makes raw feeding more accessible than it has historically been: their pre-portioned, flash-frozen products eliminate the need for owners to source and prepare raw ingredients themselves, while maintaining the nutritional integrity of a whole-food raw diet.
Product Lines
| Line | Animal | Format | Score | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pure | Dog | Frozen raw — single protein | 9.4 / 10 | Elimination diets, sensitive dogs, DIY feeders. 8 proteins incl. rabbit, kangaroo, lamb, duck |
| Signature Blends | Dog | Frozen raw — 2-3 proteins, no produce | 9.2 / 10 | Prey model feeding, protein rotation |
| Dinners | Dog | Frozen raw — complete with produce | 9.2 / 10 | Beginner raw feeding, complete balanced meal |
| Trek Dehydrated | Dog | Dehydrated | 8.0 / 10 | Travel, camping, convenience |
| Fair Game Complete | Cat | Frozen raw — complete | High | Complete balanced raw cat food |
| Fair Game Pure | Cat | Frozen raw — single protein | High | Cat elimination diets, DIY feeders |
| Meaty Bones | Dog | Frozen raw bones | N/A | Dental health, enrichment |
| Goat Creamery | Dog & Cat | Frozen treats | N/A | Hydration, digestion support, summer treats |
Safety and Quality Controls
BCR’s food safety programme is among the most rigorous in the Canadian raw pet food industry. Key measures include: CFIA-inspected facility; HACCP certification (since 2023); “Excellent” rating in every Bureau Veritas third-party audit; FDA registration and CFIA export certification; partnership with Clean Works to deploy a waterless bacteriophage decontamination process during mixing; and a test-and-hold programme where all product is independently tested for pathogens (Salmonella, E. coli) before shipment. Zero recalls on record.
Raw Feeding Basics
New to raw? BCR’s Dinners line is the recommended starting point — complete, balanced, and the simplest to serve. Keep products frozen until 24 hours before use. Thaw in the refrigerator, never at room temperature. Do not feed raw and kibble in the same meal — feed at separate sittings. Transition gradually over 7–14 days. BCR publishes a detailed beginner’s guide on their website covering portion sizes, transition schedules, and protein rotation.
Our Verdict
Big Country Raw is the most complete and accessible entry point into raw feeding for Canadian pet owners. The combination of CFIA inspection, HACCP certification, independently verified “Excellent” safety ratings, Canadian sourcing, and Canada’s widest raw product selection makes BCR the benchmark raw pet food brand in this country. The practical requirements of raw feeding — freezer space, thawing planning, higher cost than kibble — apply equally to all raw brands and are trade-offs inherent to the format, not specific to BCR. For owners committed to raw or curious to try it, BCR is the natural first choice.
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Ingredient quality | 5.0 / 5 |
| Canadian sourcing | 5.0 / 5 |
| Safety certifications | 5.0 / 5 |
| Product variety | 5.0 / 5 |
| Value for money | 3.5 / 5 |
| Canadian availability | 4.5 / 5 |
| Recall history | 5.0 / 5 |
| CanadaPetPicks Aggregate | 4.5 / 5 |
Where to Buy Big Country Raw in Canada
- Big Country Raw store locator — Pet Valu, Global Pet Foods, independents nationwide
- Amazon Canada — search for Big Country Raw
Big Country Raw Reviews & Product Coverage
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Big Country Raw Cat Food
Summary of Big Country Raw Fair Game frozen cat food. HACCP-certified, Smithville ON. Complete and single-protein raw frozen formulas for cats. CanadaPetPicks: 4.5/5.
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Big Country Raw Dog Food
Summary of Big Country Raw frozen dog food. HACCP-certified, Smithville ON. Pure, Dinners, Signature Blends, Trek lines. Canada’s largest raw selection. CanadaPetPicks: 4.5/5.
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