Dog News

Pro Pac

by Lilly

Life With Dogs is reader-supported. We may earn a small commission through products purchased using links on this page.

Pro Pac is a family-owned business that produces dog and cat food. They are in their fourth generation of operation and are manufactured under Midwestern Pet Food INC. Pro Pac operates out of four different facilities throughout the Midwest and northeast: Monmouth, Illinois; Evansville, Indiana; Chickasha, Oklahoma; and Waverly, New York.

The brand is passionate about creating food for the health and wellbeing of pets. Pro Pac believes that animals are what they eat just as humans are and should be given a healthy, balanced diet. Their products are mainly plant-based, and many of them are gluten and grain-free.

Ingredients

Pro Pac does not define their food as human-grade but ensures its customers that they only use the best, natural ingredients for their food. All the ingredients have no preservatives, no artificial coloring, no by-products, and no artificial flavors. Common ingredients include:

  • Whitefish Meal
  • Chicken Meal
  • Lamb Meal
  • Beef Meal
  • Apples
  • Carrots
  • Blueberries
  • Cranberries
  • Spinach
  • Flaxseed
  • Chickpeas
  • Peas
  • Brown and white rice
  • Rice Bran
  • Dried egg product
  • Dried beet pulp
  • Ground yellow corn
  • And more
19 2

The majority of the ingredients are from suppliers within the United States. Pro Pac does receive some of their lamb meal from New Zealand and Australia, flaxseed from Canada, and tapioca from Vietnam and Thailand. All suppliers are subjected to many standards and guidelines that they must meet for Pro Pac to purchase their ingredients.

The ingredients are then tested again as they arrive at one of Pro Pac’s facilities to ensure freshness and quality. Finished products are subjected to more testing to ensure the food is safe for consumption. It is this reason that Pro Pac has never been involved in a food recall.

Products

All Pro Pac pet food is centered around a meat protein and balances it with carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, and healthy fats found in fruits and vegetables. Pro Pac has a good range of products for dogs and offers a couple of options for cats.

20 4

Their dog food comes in three categories: ultimates, grain-free, and super-premium. Ultimates is their largest line of products and are formulated for dogs at different life stages. The grain-free line of products has four different protein fueled foods that are safe for dogs who cannot have grain. Lastly, the super-premium products are made to enhance dogs’ performance.

Ultimates products (dog):

  • Chicken Meal and Brown Rice
  • Puppy Chicken Meal and Brown Rice
  • Large Breed Puppy Chicken Meal and Brown Rice
  • Large Breed Adult Chicken Meal and Rice
  • Mature Chicken Meal and Brown Rice
  • Lamb Meal and Brown Rice

Ultimates grain-free products (dog):

  • Bayside Select
  • Overland Red
  • Meadow Prime
  • Heartland Choice

Super-premium products (dog):

  • Performance Puppy
  • Adult Chunk and Mini Chunk
  • High Performance

Grain-free food (cat):

  • Deep Sea Select
  • Savannah Pride

Pro Pac has three different types of treats for pets: moist dog treats, dog biscuits, and crunchy cat treats. The variety of treats are as follows:

Dog treats:

  • Bacon Flavored Jerky Strips
  • Beef Flavored Woof ‘Em Down Sticks
  • Smokey Sausage Bites
  • Smart Rewards Chick ‘N Chunx
  • Smart Rewards Chick ‘N Sticks
  • Smart Rewards Chick ‘N Strips
  • Nut ‘R’ Nipz (biscuits)

Cat treats:

21 4
  • Adult Smart Rewards Tempting Tidbit Crunchy Chicken and Liver Flavor
  • Tempting Tidbit Crunchy Salmon and Shrimp Flavor
  • Tempting Tidbits Crunchy Tuna and Whitefish Flavor

Sizing and Pricing

Pro Pac dog and cat food can be found online in five-pound, 14 pound, or 28-pound bags. The five-pound bags of dog food range between $12 and $15 depending on the recipe and the cat food costs $15. The cat food comes in the 14 pound sized bags and will cost $28 per bag. The 28-pound bags of dog food will cost between $35 and $40.

Is it Worth it?

Pro Pac says they are the ultimate in pet nutrition, a clear play-on-words of their ultimates food line. But is it true? The brand focuses on delivering protein-packed food to pets that are rich in antioxidants, Omega-6, and Omega-3 fatty acids. One look through their ingredient lists will show that they are living up to their promise of delivering these nutrients.

Pro Pac also clearly states that their products contain no corn, wheat, soy, and by-products. This statement can be argued as they use ground yellow corn (cornmeal) in some of their recipes.

Pros

22 3
  • Pro Pac has never been involved in a dog and cat food recall
  • Allow customers to email information about their pet to get an expert opinion on which one of their products will suit their animal the best
  • Has food for various life stages of pets: puppy, adult, and mature
  • Offer 100% satisfaction guaranteed and will accept returns

Cons

23 3
  • Does not use human-grade ingredients
  • Offers very little cat products
  • Are not transparent with their ingredients, their suppliers, and cooking process
  • Only offers dry food at the time being
  • There is a misconception that the brand does not use any corn, but this is not true as their super-premium line has ground yellow corn as a main ingredient
  • Products cannot be bought directly from the brand- only through select distributors and online retailers
  • They use a few controversial ingredients such as rice bran and beet pulp

Pro Pac has had loyal customers for several decades despite not being a largely-known brand. The brand is dedicated to the quality of their ingredients and products, had has high customer ratings on popular retail websites such as Chewy.com.

The lack of information regarding how they manufacture their ingredients may deter some pet-owners. Although customers do not know much about where Pro Pac ingredients are coming from and how they are processed, their zero recall record is proof enough that the company is doing something right.

The company says they are actively trying to find the ultimate pet food recipe and be the ultimate brand on the market. Currently, Pro Pac is an average-quality food brand, but there is a reason they are still on the market. They do produce good pet food, and they are an affordable option for the sizing of the bags available.