The logic behind Lyka’s recipe design 

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Woman unpacking Lyka box

As a commercial leader in wholefood, we’re on a mission to make incredible meals for dogs everywhere. Fresh food is a powerful preventative medicine — that’s why our recipes are made from a rainbow of meats, fruits, vegetables and bioactive superfoods.

Not only are our recipes minimally processed: they’re each made from 85-95% Australian ingredients, sourced locally and sustainably. Every inclusion is chosen with intention: all with the purpose of boosting your pup’s health with every meal.

Our recipe design reflects this commitment.

Pet-grade offal? Not good enough.

We live to serve as many pups as possible, which means sourcing ingredients that are available regularly, and in large amounts. All without compromising on quality.

For example: organ meats are nutritional powerhouses, featuring in three of our six recipes — but some offal doesn’t come from a reliable or safe source. Every morsel of our meals is proudly human-grade — even the offal.

Above and beyond nutritional standards for dogs

Our team of Integrative Vets, Veterinary Nutritionists and Pet Food Formulators add extra nutrients to surpass AAFCO minimum recommendations (which outline the levels required for dogs to survive).

To help your pup thrive, we look to European regulators like FEDIAF where requirements are stricter: with higher amounts of nutrients recommended.

Compared to Australian requirements, Lyka’s range has 3.8x more vitamin D; 4x more vitamin E; and 7x more vitamin B3. Read on to learn more about our nutritional content, and how we surpass the industry standard for pet food.

Targeted supplements to go beyond the nutrients found in wholefoods

At Lyka, wholefoods are the star of the show — with some targeted nutrient fortification. This means we optimise our recipes with additional nutrients, using gentle cooking methods to give your pupper the highest possible health benefit.

Most of our added nutrients are naturally derived, and for safety reasons, few are synthetic. While natural is always our preference and our vitamins and minerals are as naturally sourced as possible, there are some instances where your pup’s safety takes priority.

Our use of isolated nutrients is highly strategic — not all nutritional supplements are created equal! Here’s how our strategy factors into the meals your pup knows and loves.

Safe calcium sources for dogs

Biologically speaking, ground bone is the closest wholefood source of calcium for your dog.

Under advice from our Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionists, the calcium in our recipes comes from Tricalcium Phosphate (TCP). We use this because:

  • Ground bone is not safe to use in cooked foods, or for puppies.

  • The naturally occurring version of TCP comes with a risk of heavy metal contamination.

  • It offers tight, consistent control over nutritional balance in our products.

How do Lyka recipes compare to Australian minimums?

  • Thiamine (or vitamin B1) keeps your dog’s nervous system healthy, and is found in high proportions in offal. On average, our recipes contain 3.6x the AAFCO minimum.

  • Vitamin A supports immunity and eye health, and is found in liver, carrots, sweet potato, eggs and fish. On average, our recipes contain 7.57x the AAFCO minimum.

  • Vitamin B12 aids mood, energy, bone and gut health. Our recipes contain an average amount 3.29x higher than the AAFCO minimum.

  • Calcium is essential to bone and muscle health, and contributes to healthy teeth. On average, our recipes contain 1.17x the AAFCO minimum.

  • Iodine promotes thyroid health for your dog: which is crucial in everything from breathing and heart rate to digestion and stabilising body temperature. On average, our recipes contain 2.6x the AAFCO minimum.

  • Iron is key in your dog’s bodily functions, transporting oxygen in the blood and boosting overall growth and development. On average, our recipes contain 1.49x the AAFCO minimum.

  • Magnesium supports mood, muscles, and nerve function. On average, our recipes contain 1.67x the AAFCO minimum.

  • Potassium is required by all tissues in the body, assisting with nerve and muscle function — as well as urinary and heart health. On average, our recipes contain 1.67x the AAFCO minimum. As lamb is naturally low in this nutrient, we supplement this recipe with additional potassium.

  • Zinc is crucial for immune system function and your dog’s metabolism. On average, our recipes contain 1.4x the AAFCO minimum.

  • Vitamin D2 and D3 improves absorption of calcium and phosphorous. Deficiency of this vitamin can contribute to many diseases — which is why together, our recipes contain 3.84x the AAFCO minimum — for disease prevention. This is below the upper safety limit.

  • Riboflavin (or vitamin B2) is an antioxidant, which helps to prevent free radicals. On average, our recipes contain 1.92x the AAFCO minimum.

  • Niacin keeps your pup’s nervous system, skin and gut healthy. On average, our recipes contain 7.41x the AAFCO minimum.

Lyka contains many plant compounds, like curcumin, sulphoraphane, quercetin, and proanthocyanidins. These have been shown to improve dog health, even though they are not considered essential by AAFCO or FEDIAF.

Formulated with your pup’s safety front of mind

Safety and consistency are paramount to all we do at Lyka.

Matthew Muir quote
Our human-grade kitchens are HACCP certified, which means we meet rigorous standards for commercial food production: from safety protocols to ethical ingredient sourcing and packaging.

If you have questions about wholefood nutrition and whether it’s right for your pup, get in touch with our friendly Customer Care team today.

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A picture our range of Lyka meals

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