[beaglemom]

Anyone (in PA, NJ, NYC area, MD, or VA) have any experience feeding food from Raaw Energy? This is the primary source of raw food used by my local co-op and I was wondering if others had any feedback. I’m picking up my first order next week 🙂

[FreeholdHound]

I believe I’ve seen a few good reviews on a raw thread on Yahoo. I’m curious about them too as I live less than 10 min from them. I would pick up from them as no co- op. I need to look at their food list again.

[FreeholdHound]

Please let me know how you order is when you get it 🙂 I assume the others in your co-op are pleased there seem to be quite a few co-ops that use them if I recall.

[beaglemom]

Ooh you’re fortunate to have them so close 🙂 I drive ~35 mins to Bensalem to pick up. I did get my first “haul” today and it looks good! I have a 2 lb chub of their turkey/chicken/lamb medley thawing in the fridge so that’ll probably take at least 2 days… I only wish his menu was a little more diverse, but I know it’s a smallish business. Their products are definitely priced very competitively though so I’m hoping this works out to be a long-term source of good meat for us. They do seem to supply a wide range of co-ops (all the way down to Virginia) so I interpret that to mean people are pleased 🙂

[FreeholdHound]

Yes, the menu is limited and since I don’t have a separate freezer I need to study it a bit more. I’m at capacity w/ my Hare Today order. I love the idea of the individually wrapped tripe patties though- since I mix with kibble that would be so convenient (and pure laziness on my part LOL).

[beaglemom]

I know what you mean.. I’m currently waiting on a new freezer (on order) because since starting raw, our fridge freezer has been maxed out for weeks now with little to no room for people food, lol. I’m not so sure it’s going to get here before my Hare order on Wednesday though, eek. Fingers crossed for a miracle 🙂

[marmarx89]

I actually placed my first order from raaw energy and picked it up the 19th. I’m very pleased with the quality and the price was very affordable. I placed my dogs first meat order on hare today and I got nailed with the shipping it was nice to just pay 8 dollars to go pick it up at the co ops house ten minutes away. Their selection is nice but definitely not as large as hare today or my pet carnivore. But definitely worth it in my opinion.

[theBCnut]

Hare Today is a dollar a pound for shipping for me, so it My Pet Carnivore and Darwin’s.

[InkedMarie]

Patty, hush.

<G>

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hare is $1 per pound for me too, MPC is around $1.20 though 🙁

[FreeholdHound]

Marmarx: glad to hear you were pleased with your order. The RE menu is a bit limited for me since I avoid poultry, salmon, & fish. When I have room in my freezer I’ll definately be dropping by for the tripe patties & some beef. I love the options w/ Hare Today but yes, avoiding shipping costs is a plus

[beaglemom]

Marmarx, do you mind sharing what you got? I tried a case of the lamb/chicken/turkey medley in my first order and while the dogs enjoyed it just fine, it was just a little “mushier” than I was expecting (and it sortof came out the other end that way too). I’m comparing it to what I’m used to with Darwin’s/Hare for example. I’m going to try some of their beef grinds for my next order… I’m not giving up because like you said, the prices are just too good to pass up and I really want to find something from him that works well for us.

[raawenergy]

Hello, we are proud to be part Raaw feeding, our goal is to make simple food, fresh all from USDA plants. I have been in the meat business for 25 years most of the time serving people.
Raaw Feeding is the best thing that has happened for me. I love the meat industry since i was 17 years old. Although 4 years young we carry over 30 different products. We are also adding new items and discontinuing items all the time depending on sales. Contact me directly if you have a question at [email protected] . We are Happy to help.

[sue102dal]

Raaw Energy has limited products and will substitute without notifying you. If you have to feed a special diet I would make sure they know not to change your order without notifying you first.

[FreeholdHound]

I live within a few blocks of them so I will be picking up what I need once I get some freezer room opened up.

[Brittany Mom]

A co-op is being formed in my area. I am curious as to where their meat is sourced from. I can’t find it any where on their website. Does anyone know? I’m very particular about the meat I feed my dogs.

[sue102dal]

He does not properly label his food in accordance to USDA laws is not licensed by USDA to manufacture pet food. Will substitute if out of something you ordered without contacting you. Changes recipes without notifying you this can be a problem if your pet has food allergies or medical issues restricting certain proteins. He refuses to say where he gets his meats from. does not have an employee stay at any delivery site to handle any issues with orders. Also heard some complaints that they do not follow acceptable delivery times deliver when they want not at prearranged time.

[beaglemom]

Hi Brittany Mom – I, like you, am very picky about what I feed my dogs. I never got a straight answer from him as to where the meat comes from or even who processes it (“local NJ butcher” is not an acceptable answer). Not recommended…

[sue102dal]

Brittany Mom & Beaglemom I run co-ops in five states and in the last month have had over a dozen complaints from my members. I stated above he does not have a USDA license to manufacture pet food which is what he does at his game butcher facility. Members placed orders he replaced items without telling them and they then were stuck with food they could not feed their pet. Here are his words from an email sent to me about the substitution without notifying the member:
“Weather your all happy or sad its my responsibility to “get it right”
Its Just dog food, Substitutes are possible but i do not want it to happen either, you can not control this.
Its the meat business that’s something i have leared.”
He does not care that if out of what you ordered what he sends may not be acceptable by you or a protein your pet can eat. When I stated he must contact the member first to ensure the replacement is acceptable he cancelled all ordering for my co-op. Bottom line is he is not licensed to make and sell pet food so steer away from him.

[Melissaandcrew]

Its really just easief to hook up with a restraurant supply company and make your own. There are very fee of the ones that sefvice most co ops that I would use. Human quality in bulk is imo the best option.

[Brittany Mom]

Thank you for all the feedback. I thought something might not be right when I searched and tried to find his facility. I’m always cautious when it comes to feeding my Britts. This forum is a great resource and I really enjoy reading all the posts and learning as much as I can.

[InkedMarie]

Wow, that’s one illiterate shady business owner. He’s someone that everyone should steer clear of.

[sue102dal]

What is sad is I tried to help him from the start to get into the pet food business. My co ops helped him develop his product line. All along I was trying to get him to understand he must follow the needs of the customer but would not listen . I now have a great supplier that offers blue ridge beef plus other products and treats al natural.

[InkedMarie]

I can understand running out but you contact the customer: ask if they want a substitution, money refunded or wait for the product to come in. I’d be upset if Chewy.com ran out of the canned one of mine eats & sent me a different food. No, just no.

[Melissaandcrew]

Hi sue.. please look up blue ridge beef here on this forum in the search engine. Can you please tell me why you trust that food? I am just not comfortable with the Info presented

• This reply was modified 10 years, 8 months ago by Melissaandcrew.

[sue102dal]

Melissa thanks for the concern I went to NC saw the facility for pet food is completely separate for Lea Way facility the rumors are that just rumors. Prices are not on the main website as the dealers set their own prices based on what they order. I am more comfortable with the person I am dealing with than with Raaw Energy.

[Melissaandcrew]

I recently looked at a price list from a dealer of it and it seems dirt cheap even for proteins such as rab and duck. I read its denatured meat using charcoal. Is that accurate? And lastly have you tried the product and does the meat appear pink and fresh or old and gray?

[sue102dal]

it is red and fresh denatured is so use is only for pet food not humans remember this is in the south were cost of living is lower dealers buy at a price and then price for their customers co-ops get a good price for bulk purchases.

[Kenneth N]

I am not far from his facility and have purchased from him a few times. Very friendly person, but I have special need diet for one dog. He got sick and it took two months to correct his digestive system. Other 3 dos were sick also. I will stick to Darwins and Hare Today because the shippin is less than vet visits.

[Linzey Z]

I started switching my dogs (10 ranging in size) to Raaw Energy from kibble in February and have had no product switches, no issues with the sanitation, or anything what so ever. I know my Co-Op leader has had 2 months with communication issues. I have ordered multiple varieties of the medley, turkey necks, beef knuckles and ground turkey necks. I believe for the price it is very worth it.

[jennifer b]

I placed my first order with Raaw energy for July. There has been so many issues that I won’t be using them again. The website is aweful. Orders delivered to the wrong place & blamed on the customer even though his site changes the delivery location automatically after adding each item. The worse part, I found pieces of blue & pink wrapper in my dogs food AND a piece of plastic. The food is a water, mushy mess. If I wanted my dog to eat shit I ‘d buy alpo

[marmarx89]

I apologize, I never saw the messages directed to me to relay my order. I am very nervous now ordering food from here after reading everyone’s responses. I typically order the bulk Turkey necks and green tripe. I have alternated through purchasing the American Bully mix, Chip’s agility mix, Beef and Turkey Grind, and the Beef, Chicken, Lamb grind. I personally have never had an issues with my order or picking up my food, but I am most concerned about the quality of the food. The website states: ALL OUR FOOD SUPPLYS ARE FROM USDA FACILITYSS.
OUR FACILITY WAS and STILL IS A BUTCHER SHOP, CITY AND STATE APPROVED.
YOU WILL NOT FIND A BETTER PLACE TO GET YOUR DOG FOOD FROM.
FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED PROUD TO BE MADE IN THE USA. I have never found anything wrong with the meat, foreign plastic pieces or poor quality… as far as I could tell. Should I discontinue purchasing food from them? Ughhh

[FreeholdHound]

I live within 5 min of his place & have debated going in for the Tripe Patties many times. There’s not much on the menu that Harry can eat besides that, so I just order my Tripe with the rest of my stuff from Hare Today & now trying Reel Raw.

[Bashli C]

i think the food is very good I’m using and my dog, a Cane Corso is so happy. I never have make him eat and he will finish EVERYTHING in the bowl and the floor , rim , surrounding area making sure it’s all gone…LOL

Really this man Kitt is the truth and he will help with his knowledge of food and the process creating variety for your dog / cat if you will….lol

2014 October Post.

[sue102dal]

Bashi,
He is not licensed USDA approved pet food manufacturer. He does not notify customer if out of item they order just replaces with whatever he wants without saying anything to the customer. he is a game butcher that thinks he knows it all about raw feeding. I have a degree in animal nutrition and mentored him to create his product line. Now all he does is bad mouth me to anyone that will listen. He sells his food cheap because he does not follow all USDA regulations!! He caused several dogs in my co-op to get sick because of his lack of concern for keeping the food as stated on his website he changes ingredients and dogs with food allergies got sick costing owners thousands in vet bill. So continue with him at your owm risk just make sure your pet has good health insurance!

• This reply was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by sue102dal.

[Bashli C]

Hello sue102dal, it sounds like your hating here? I see that even melissaandrew can see this as well, you must now be in bed with blueridge. My understanding is that that he is licensed even for human consumption and feeds his own dog the products that he sells to others.

As I stated my Cane corso he very happy with the food, devours it all every time. Just Hype blueride if you will and stop putting down others , blueridge is not perfect either.

[Bashli C]

About bluridge form another user:

“This product is sketchy. The company is connected by family to a Lea-Way Company which is a collection facility for dead, diseased, and dying animals. Coincidence? Perhaps, but not likely.

The price is too cheap to be the quality they claim. The product also includes charcoal, which is used to absorb noxious smell and taste components. Furthermore, if you write BRB, their representatives respond with lies and anger to questions that could be answered reasonably and politely. The lies included a bogus USDA license number

No way, no how, will I feed this product.”

[Bashli C]

Another User: I’m just saying sue?
“July 12, 2014 at 1:09 pm #46787 Reply | Report

macsmommy
Member

I have been feeding my dogs Blue Ridge for about 5 years, but have recently switched to Primal Raw because I had noticed my dog’s feces looking really black and soft and was somewhat concerned. At that same time, I read some comments on Dogfoodadvisor.com that Blue Ridge Beef’s Owner, Steven Lea, owns a collection facility that picks up dead, diseased, and dying animals. The mailing address is the same for both companies. I was mortified when I read that. So I did some research and found more information regarding same. So then I contacted Dee at Blue Ridge Beef’s office and she could not adequately put my fears to rest. She told me that “anyone that has common sense would realize there would be no future in us selling diseased food to our valued pets.” Now, mind you, I have been a customer of theirs for 5 years!! She did not directly address my question regarding rendered meat being in their products other than referring to what my common sense should tell me which was quite offensive and infuriating. To me owning a pet food company and a collection facility for dead, diseased, and dying animals is a HUGE conflict of interest. In addition, apparently the owner, Steven Lea, applied for a permit to build a Rendering Plant, but the city commission was not keen on the idea, so Steven Lea withdrew his application. Needless to say, I am not feeding my dogs Blue Ridge Beef anymore. I have switched to Primal Formula. They have a freeze dried formula that my dogs love. It is 100% human grade raw meat and I feel safer with this product. It’s a little more expensive, but well worth it.”

[Bashli C]

sue102dal also I am not trying to start a fight or anything , I do thank you for your information.

[sue102dal]

Bashli C
I have been to BRB facility was very impressed with their processes and the charcoal is added to prevent human consumption as they make pet food the facility for dead and diseased animals is a separate facility away from the facility that makes the pet food. I also went to the USDA and saw the license for BRB kept in their files. So many rumors are spread I deal in facts and that is how my co-op has safe USDA licensed suppliers to buy their food from. Kitt is only USDA inspected not licensed as a game butcher big difference. Also I have several members that items they ordered and paid for were switched without their knowledge when confronted Kitt said “so what it’s my company I’ll do what I want.”
Not for me or my members, by the way did he tell you it was thru MY guidance and help of MY co-op that helped him expand his product line when he started he only had six items.
So don’t tell me I’m hating him & his business I deal with safe food suppliers I have certifications in food handling also a degree in Animal Sciences so I am not stupid I know what the law require he failed and is no longer doing business with my co-op which covers six states!!!

[Bashli C]

sue102dal Great! I’m very happy for you. I never said you were stupid at all. Additionally. I have a degree as well in Telecommunication Science. I’ve been in the industry prior to the divestiture of the phone company as we knew it. So!

Like I said I’m not trying to pick a web fight or anything.

Thank you.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by Bashli C.

[Breann A]

Hi I thought I’d add my review about Raaw energy.

I’m a poor college student. Look the meat in the grocery store are expensive per pound, and need to feed balanced, so Raaw energy is cheaper pound for pound, plus gives the variety. Kit, who runs the deliveries, has always been courteous. He does mess up on orders though and makes no excuse for it except “it happens”. He will try to fix it though. I have not had a problem with any of that.

I’ve ordered tripe, chip’s agility, organ blend, terrestrial blend, etc. I feed it frozen or my dogs would eat too fast, and they actually prefer it frozen.

My dogs have done very well. I feed them Raaw at night, and Sojo dehydrated raw in the morning, and I add Springtime Inc.’s Longevity for extra nutrients.

One problem, which I’ll update if this gets fixed, and why I’m writing here: Kit packed my car and gave me a wrong box of food. It was a $40 error. My order was given to someone else, and what I got is a cheaper product and one that I don’t care to feed. I’ve contacted him and not heard back yet. I’ll update if he does fix this though.

However, if you need to save money, Raaw energy is a great way to do it and still feed your dogs quality and variety. No it’s probably not as good as Hare Today which is a lot more $$ but while I’m in college I have to sacrifice on many things, and am just thankful I can give my dogs balanced raw food.

[sue102dal]

Breann A,

Go to Bringhurst Meats he has much better meats and priced fairly reasonable. I would not recommend staying with Raaw Energy as he drops loads at delivery sites unattended food spoils gives no notice when changing ingredients in his mixes that alone caused dozens of dogs to get sick and thousands in vet bills. I state BUYER BEWARE RAAW ENERGY IS A SHADY COMPANY!!

[Melanie L]

I am replying to all this talk about what Kitt does with his deliveries and how he doesn’t care about his customers. I have known him for a very long time and have been doing business with him. He is probably the most compassionate business owner I have ever met. He is a one man show. Does he make mistakes sure everyone does he’s only human. I have never hard from anyone about food being left unattended to spoil. If he is sending a delivery the person knows well in advance so they should be there to receive it ( or at the very least arrange for someone to receive the delivery) Is it not your responsibility to make sure YOUR CO-OP is receiving their food safely?? Remember you are treated the way you treat people. So if you don’t like way you’re being treated maybe you should think about the way you talk to and treat people. No one has to take abuse not even a business owner from a client.

[sue102dal]

Melanie L,
Let me state all the FACTS: I was approached by one of my CO-OP members that RAAW ENERGY would like to get into supply pet food thru our group. I spoke extensively with Kitt created polls for my members to provide him with feedback to build a variety of products to offer. He was starting with just six items and grew in one year to 25 items. I had told him he needed to be consistent with the labeling of ingredients in his food and that he needed to advise well in advance any changes so people could either stay with that product or switch to another that their pet would eat without issues as many pets have food allergies or cannot eat certain ingredients he was using. For example my breed should not eat organ meats or red meats. He changed ingredients and many dogs got sick I know of 12 dogs that their vet bills were in the thousands of dollars. Kitt just laughed “Oh Well they’re just dogs.”
He also refused to get USDA inspected as pet food manufacturer which is required by law.
He delivers multiple orders to a site and leaves it exposed to elements fully aware that people may not be able to get to it immediately. His response “Not my problem” not good business!! He is a nice person but a very poor businessman. I have run my Co-Op for over ten years members in NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, DC, VA over 10,000 members and I am certified Animal Nutritionist in all this time have removed only two suppliers from my Co-Op. Kitt was removed after I was inundated with complaints and his bad attitude when these issues were brought to his attention. Nothing I have posted here is fabricated, all facts, you may not like it and neither does Kitt but that’s the facts!!

[Nadine t]

Sue,
You mentioned you have a co-op serving NJ. Can you tell me where your located, I’m interested in Blue Ridge.
Thanks

[sue102dal]

Nadine t join PA_NJrawfeedingnetwork on Facebook our next Blue Ridge delivery is Dec 31st you can see where she delivers in NJ there

[Sherrel C]

I’ve been using Raaw energy for a year with two dogs. I have read some of the comments and was surprised. I pick it up myself and have seen orders of meat delivered and it was usda meats. i always mix my meat with my hands when i mix in vitamins etc and have never found plastic or seen charcoal and it smells fresh. There are some varieties my dogs like and some they don’t. That’s normal i would think. My dogs have never gotten sick from the meat. I would not say anyones experience is not valid but a year of use and i have had no problem. Kitt has a healthy looking dog that he feeds his food to also. He seems to care about what he is doing and has always been very nice. I notice all the negative comments (and there are many) are from one person. Perhaps it’s personal.

[Cheryl Y]

Blue Ridge Beef Pet Food
/dog-food-recall/blue-ridge-beef-pet-food-recall/
and another
/dog-food-recall/blue-ridge-beef-pet-food-recall-january-2017/

[Lisa C]

Hi Sue,
Can you recommend a Co-op in upstate NY (Saratoga Springs) that I could get in contact with?

Thanks!

[Author]

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