A Rawlly Impawtant Story
Dogs aren’t like family members; they ARE family members and that is precisely why a group of top-shelf chefs have developed Rawlly Pet Food – to pamper our pooches as we do our people. Carlie Wacker hounds the creators of this PAWsome local business to find out more.
Rawlly good humans, Chris Clark, Matt Zuccaro and Ash Murn are the cool cats (sorry, not sorry) behind a whole new world of food for our favourite fur friends – Rawlly Pet Food.
This human-grade food is handmade in Noosa by superstar chefs, developed by dog nutritionists, recommended by vets and coveted by canines.
Chefs Matt and Ash have collectively 40 years’ experience within the culinary industry both locally and internationally. They have worked at popular Noosa establishments including Wood Fire Grill, Locale, Village Bicycle and Land & Sea – then one day they had a cracking idea.
“It’s that old tail (intentional pun) – a conversation on one hot, glorious Noosa summer’s day,” says Chris. “The dogs and kids were playing by the pool; we were in the kitchen with a cool drink in hand preparing a feast for family and friends, including the fur kids.
“Our friends were amazed at how the same ingredients that were on their plates were also in the dogs’ bowls, each perfectly proportioned. The kids were actually stealing from the dogs’ bowls,” he adds.
Rawlly Pet Food (the extra ‘L’ is for love) was born on that magical day, and the team have been hand delivering their handmade deliciousness to doggos in the Noosa community ever since.
“Our food is created as nutritional medicine founded on the knowledge that everything in our universe consists of yin and yang, two forces that are opposing yet complementary when in balance, create life-giving energy and optimal health,” explains Chris.
“We’ve worked alongside pet nutritionists and vets to create four recipes that support optimal health alleviating troubling symptoms such as scratching, hot spots, diarrhoea, restlessness, pain and weight gain, providing our best mates with increased energy and long-term health.”
When Rawlly was established, it was important for the team to be completely transparent in an industry that has held some questionable practices including inhumane ingredients, fillers, additives plus an exorbitant amount of plastic going straight to landfill. Not to mention that more than 80% of all pet food sold in Australia is owned by giant overseas confectionery companies. There are also no laws governing pet food safety in Australia – it’s only voluntary.
So, it’s by choice that Rawlly’s human-grade dog food meets both AAFCO (complete and balanced) and NRC (optimal) dog nutrition standards.
“We knew the importance of bringing Rawlly to the community after learning the subpar dog food regulations in Australia,” Chris said. “We thought we’d bring a chef’s quality approach to an industry that needs it most. The Noosa community has welcomed Rawlly like a doggy cuddle, in particularly people like Andre from Noosa Junction Seafood Market who inspired our fish based ‘We Chillin’ recipe,” Ash adds.
They take pride in using fresh locally-owned and sustainably-sourced ingredients wherever possible to hand produce every delicious bite for our fluffy family members.
“We source local, fresh and only the highest quality produce from grass fed beef from Darling Downs, free range chicken and eggs from Beerwah, fresh vegetables from Gympie farmlands and even our homegrown wheatgrass. It’s all about using quality ingredients to nourish our dogs for a healthier, longer life,” says Ash.
“Our aim is to create premium dog food that isn’t just good for dogs, but good for our wider community,” Matt says. “We all have our part to play, which is why we have chosen to use only compostable and recyclable packaging and run a paperless order and delivery system, ethically source our premium ingredients from sustainable local farmers and minimise delivery days to our local area.
“We believe it’s about those small changes that businesses make that will contribute to a greener world, and while Rawlly is a young pup now, we are setting the bar of what sustainability should look like within the pet industry. This is something which we will never compromise on.”
The cleverly thought-out range includes:
Ankle Biter – Did you know a two-year-old dog is as smart as a two-year-old human understanding up to 250 words and phrases? Make sure your puppy is eating to learn. This blend is suitable for pups from 8-weeks-old to adults with all the essential vitamins and minerals for learning, growing and playing.
Balanced – The best option for Noosa dogs that love walkies, swimming and action with the perfect combination of yin and yang food energies for doggos already loving life. Inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine practices, this meal provides perfect harmony for your doggo with both cooling and warming foods.
Walking On Sunshine – If your dog child is a bit like a couch potato, old and stiff or spends most of the day soaking up the sun, the little chiller may need to warm up from the inside out. These are the tell-tale signs that your bestie may be too cool for school – loose poops, watery eyes, joint pain, arthritis, turning away from food. Reignite the doggy’s internal flame with this yummy food.
We Chillin’ – Hot diggity dogs need to chill from the inside out. If your pupper seeks out tiles instead of that designer plush bed you just bought them, then the cooling foods in this blend is the bomb! Hot to trotters often pant excessively, are restless and hot to touch. They also may be itchy and have digestive issues.
