Why I Started Ultimate Pet Foods: Real Dogs, Real Results, and How I Built a Better Grain-Free Dog Food

“I started Ultimate Pet Foods because I was tired of fancy packaging and confusing labels. I wanted real food, real science, and real results for dogs.”
– Glenn Bell, Founder of Ultimate Pet Foods

The Day It All Began

It all started back in 2012 with my first dog, Kirk — a funny, loving, ball-obsessed yellow Labrador named after Captain Kirk from Star Trek.

Like many new dog owners, I walked into Pets at Home ready to buy “the best” food I could find. But instead, I was faced with a wall of brands and bags, all shouting claims I didn’t understand. When I asked a staff member for help, their reply was:

“Anything from this wall will do.”

That moment stuck with me. Because for me — it wouldn’t do.

That was the day I decided to make it my mission to educate pet owners about what really goes int

o their dog’s food — and to create something better. Not based on fancy packaging or marketing buzzwords, but on real, science-based nutrition that genuinely improves dogs’ lives.

From Idea to First Bowl

Within just three months, Ultimate Pet Foods was up and running, delivering our very first sample packs. My focus was simple: use freshly prepared ingredients, gentle cooking methods, and transparent labelling so owners could finally understand what they were feeding.

The more I learned about nutrition, the more I realised something important — dogs don’t want to eat the same meal every day, and nutritionally, they shouldn’t. Just like us, they benefit from variety: different proteins, vitamins, and minerals that keep them balanced and excited about their food.

That’s why our range now includes 13 different flavours — from Grass-Fed Angus Beef to Italian Buffalo — each crafted to deliver the right nutrients with natural variety.

Real Dogs, Real Results

One of my favourite moments as a founder was receiving an email from a customer who’d recently had their dog checked by the vet. The vet told them their dog looked younger than their actual age — and the owner proudly said it was down to our food.

That’s the kind of feedback that reminds me why I started.

And it’s not just customer stories — I see it every day with my own dog, Ted, our little sausage dog. I change his food every few months to match his needs:

• He was recently on Digestive Care,
• Now he’s on Weight Control & Joint Care,
• And next month, I’ll switch him to Skin & Coat Care ready for the winter.

Ted’s coat literally feels like velvet — touch him once, and you’ll believe in our food.

Freshlock™ — The Science of Gentle Nutrition

I’ve always believed kibble can be healthy when it’s made the right way. Our Freshlock™ process gently cooks ingredients at 82°C, locking in nutrients and natural flavour without over-processing.

We use real, freshly prepared meat or fish — human-grade ingredients collected in our own fleet of trucks to guarantee freshness from farm to bowl. No cheap fillers. No hidden additives. Just honest, science-backed nutrition.

That’s why the first ingredient in every recipe we make is always real meat or fish — not “meal” or “derivatives.”

Educating Pet Owners — One Bowl at a Time

Most dog owners still choose food by looking at the packaging first — not the ingredients list. That’s why we built our interactive tools to help owners see the truth behind every bowl:

• What’s in the Bowl — explore every ingredient and understand why it’s there.
• Added Ingredients — learn how prebiotics, collagen, and natural antioxidants work together for health.
• Protein Sources — see how we source and prepare every meat and fish variety with care.

The wow moment for many new customers is seeing how natural and functional our ingredients really are — from sweet potato and linseed to prebiotics and collagen.

Once you understand what’s in your dog’s bowl, you’ll never go back to guessing.

What’s Next for Ultimate Pet Foods

We’re proud to announce that our Functional Health Benefit Range is now officially available — created to help support dogs through every stage of life and every health need.

Our first releases — Digestive Care, Skin & Coat Care, and Weight Control & Joint Care — have already made a real difference for dogs across the UK. Each recipe is crafted to deliver targeted support while remaining gentle, delicious, and suitable for all breeds.

These recipes can be fed anytime to improve your dog’s overall wellbeing or swapped between throughout the year to address specific needs and keep their nutrition varied and balanced. Many of our customers tell us their dogs feel happier, healthier, and need fewer trips to the vet.

And now, we’ve added two exciting new recipes to complete the range — our Dental Care and Healthy Living Dog Food, suitable for all dogs looking to maintain long-term vitality.

Because great nutrition doesn’t stop at feeding — it’s about supporting your dog’s health, happiness, and quality of life every single day.

A Personal Invitation

If there’s one thing I’ve learned since that day with Kirk, it’s this: every dog deserves real food that makes a real difference.

You’ll see the difference in their coat, energy, and happiness — often within days. Better food really does mean a better quality of life.

Glenn Bell
Founder, Ultimate Pet Foods
Science-backed. Freshly prepared. Made with love — because your dog deserves the best.