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BarkChef Review


ConsumersAdvocate.org Rating: 3.5 / 5 (Very good)
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BarkChef is a monthly subscription service that delivers individually packaged, pre-measured dog food directly to the pet owner's home. It was started in 2007 and is based in El Segundo, California.
 
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How is BarkChef rated?

Breakdown

3.5/5
Menu Options
3.5/5
Services
3.5/5
Pricing
3.5/5
Customer Experience

Overall Rating: 3.5 / 5 (Very good)

BarkChef's main advantage is convenience - they will deliver the food to your door for free every month, making last-minute runs to the pet store less likely. They also claim to use quality ingredients in their products, and their recipes' ingredients do not show any of the "mystery" ingredients and fillers that sometimes appear in store-bought food.

However, their claim that they're "solving overfeeding" because most pet parents cannot portion kibble correctly is not backed by research. BarkChef's pre-measured portions are estimates based on age, weight, breed and activity level, considerations that are not that different from the feeding directions given in store-bought kibble. Pet owners could do better by adjusting the portions themselves or, if their dog is overweight, talking to their vets about correct portion sizing for their particular dog's health needs.

Lastly, BarkChef does not claim their recipes meet AAFCO's minimum standards, hence there is no guarantee that they are adequately nutritious.

BarkChef Recipes

Menu Options - 3.5 / 5

BarkChef offers four dry grain-free food options described as Chicken, Lamb, and Salmon. However, customers with dogs who suffer from allergies to a particular kind of meat should be careful - every recipe mixes different meats and fish hence they are not exclusively the named ingredient. Additionally, since they do not state that their recipes are approved by AAFCO, there is no guarantee that the recipes meet complete nutritional standards.

Formula Options

Type of Service
Original Recipes

Recipe Example One

All-Breed Adult Chicken & Potato Recipe: Chicken, Turkey Meal, Chicken Meal, Peas, Potato, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Citric Acid and Mixed Tocopherols), Pea Fiber, Tapioca, Menhaden Fish Meal, Tomato Pomace, Carrots, Brewers Dried Yeast, Natural Flavors, Blueberries, Fish Oil, Flaxseed Meal, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Dried Kelp, Calcium Carbonate, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Choline Chloride, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Sodium Selenite, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium lodate
Verified Primary Ingredient
Yes

Recipe Example Two

All-Breed Adult Salmon & Potato Recipe: Salmon, Turkey Meal, Chicken Meal, Peas, Potato, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Citric Acid and Mixed Tocopherols), Pea Fiber, Tapioca, Menhaden Fish Meal, Tomato Pomace, Carrots, Brewers Dried Yeast, Natural Flavors, Blueberries, Fish Oil, Flaxseed Meal, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Dried Kelp, Calcium Carbonate, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Choline Chloride, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Sodium Selenite, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium lodate
Verified Primary Ingredient
Yes

Recipe Example Three

All-Breed Adult Lamb & Potato Recipe: Lamb, Turkey Meal, Chicken Meal, Peas, Potato, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Citric Acid and Mixed Tocopherols), Pea Fiber, Tapioca, Menhaden Fish Meal, Tomato Pomace, Carrots, Brewers Dried Yeast, Natural Flavors, Blueberries, Fish Oil, Flaxseed Meal, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Dried Kelp, Calcium Carbonate, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Choline Chloride, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Sodium Selenite, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium lodate
AAFCO Compliant
No

BarkChef Services

Services - 3.5 / 5

BarkChef delivers monthly boxes with pre-measured individual servings of food for dogs, customized to the dog's size. According to BarkChef, dogs that eat store-bought kibble generally eat 20% more than they should since many owners cannot portion the food correctly, and that this has led to the obesity epidemic in household pets. It should be noted, however, that they do not provide research to support those claims.
Personalization Details
Target Weight
Breed
Recipe Details
No Fillers
Specialized Diets
There are no specialized options for allergies or specific health issues.
Nutritional Counseling
No
Delivery Area
They do not specify delivery area limitations.

BarkChef Pricing

Pricing - 3.5 / 5

BarkChef offers three pricing plans. One for dogs around 10 lbs, one for 25 lbs, and one for 50 lbs. They do not currently offer boxes for bigger dogs.
Introductory Period and Price
BarkChef currently has an introductory offer of $10 for the first month's box.
Shipping Cost
Free
Money Back Guarantee
No
Price Range per Month, 5-20 lb Shih Tzu
$24
Price Range per Month, 41-60 lb Basset Hound
$59
Price Range per Month, 61-100 lb German Shepherd
Does not offer boxes for dogs larger than 50 lbs.

BarkChef Customer Experience

Customer Experience - 3.5 / 5

BarkChef is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau and does not appear listed on Trustpilot. However, the company is very new, having only been created in 2017.
Date Collected
2018-05-08

Company Profile

Full Name
BarkChef
Company Website
https://www.barkchef.com
Headquarters
100 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Suite 1500, El Segundo, CA, 90245

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  • Formulated by board-certified veterinary nutritionists
  • Freshly cooked every week
  • Beef, turkey, chicken, and pork recipes
  • Pre-portioned for your dog's weight and nutritional needs
  • Free nutritional consultations
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