What should I check before buying a raw pet food business?

A raw pet food business sells frozen product, so much of its value to you is in what keeps that product cold, steady and trusted by the people who feed it to their animals. Grooming and boarding businesses work very differently. Here is what a buyer of a frozen pet food business can look at before going further.

Freezers and temperature records

Walk through the freezers and the storage space. Ask how old each unit is, how often it has been serviced and what happens if power fails. Request the temperature logs and see whether they are kept consistently or filled in after the fact. A backup plan for a freezer failure matters more than the brochure suggests.

Meat suppliers and delivery routes

Ask who supplies the meat and bones and how long the relationships have run. A business that depends on one source is exposed if that source changes its terms. Follow a delivery route with the owner or driver, and look at vehicle condition, cold storage on board and how much of the route depends on one person. Our page on checking supplier relationships has more questions to ask.

Recalls, complaints and reorders

Ask whether the business has ever pulled a product, received a customer complaint about a batch or heard from an agency. Request any written records. Then look at reorder history: do customers come back on a regular pattern, and who are the largest accounts?

Rules that apply

A seller’s assurance is not enough for raw animal food. Have your lawyer confirm what permissions the business holds, whether they can be transferred and what must be done before you operate it yourself.