It has been a while since I last wrote, and much has happened at Doggybag Kitchen Sdn. Bhd. We are back in full production — but this time, at a higher standard than ever before.
We have officially engaged a consultancy to guide us toward GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) and HACCP certification. The process will take approximately seven months — and we welcome it. It’s about process control, food safety systems, traceability, documentation and accountability.
Our DVS (Department of Veterinary Services Malaysia) submission has been made. Our recipes have been laboratory tested for Guaranteed Analysis. What used to require multiple supplements and powders in a bowl is now streamlined into a scientifically balanced dog food premix — ensuring consistency and nutritional accuracy in every batch.
Every workflow is now being reviewed and refined to maximise space, efficiency, hygiene and cross-contamination prevention. Because scaling fresh dog food production requires discipline — not just passion.
Fresh dog food in Malaysia is no longer a luxury trend. It’s becoming a necessity. Birth rates are declining globally — including in Malaysia and more people are choosing pets over children. And because our time with them is short, pet parents are choosing to give them the very best — starting with what goes into their bowl.
I understand this deeply. I have no children. But over the last 20 years, I have rescued, rehomed, laid to rest a few and adopted close to 30 dogs. I am not just the co-founder of Doggybag. I am my own customer.
And today’s customers want more than dry kibble. They want transparency. They want clean ingredients. They want food safety. They want science. That is why certification matters.
Recently, we voluntarily placed our frozen fresh dog food through a shelf life stability test to determine microbial safety over six months in freezer storage. This is not mandatory. But we chose to do it. After three months, we are happy to report that our food passed with excellent results. We are now progressing toward the six-month mark. Once validated, this gives customers scientific backing that our frozen fresh dog food can safely last up to six months in proper freezer conditions — without microbial growth or loss of integrity.
We do not want to stand behind our product with love alone. We want to stand behind it with data as well.
Not all fresh dog food makers pursue this level of compliance. It requires time, investment, documentation, laboratory testing, and operational restructuring. But if fresh dog food is going to become a long-term standard in Malaysia — not just a passing trend — then Doggybag Must evolve: Backed by science and made with heart.