Yumwoof Review 2024: Healthy Kibble?

Overview

Yumwoof offers a lofty promise of nutritious kibble. It’s understandable to be wary of dry dog food – much of what’s available on the market today isn’t all that healthy. I set out to learn if Yumwoof really can provide the convenience of kibble with the nutritional benefits of fresh food.

I researched the brand thoroughly to find out all there is to know. From ingredient quality to selection, meal variety, allergy accommodation, what you get in a box, pricing, and ease of use, I’ve looked at it all. I’ve gone ahead and done all the legwork to help you decide if Yumwoof is the right choice.

Overall, I find it to be a worthy competitor if you’re looking for a healthy, shelf-stable dog food. It doesn’t require any prep, and it’s soft, chewy, and full of natural, healthy ingredients. But that’s not all – the company also offers Perfect Dog Food Mix (PDFM), a nutrient blend you can use to make your own dog food along with a selection of probiotics.

Yumwoof's Meals: Choose Between Kibble & Dog Food Mix

Right now, the main products are the Perfect Kibble and the Perfect Dog Food Mix. The slow-cooked Perfect Kibble is soft, chewy, and will stay shelf-stable for up to 6 months, making it a very practical choice. It doesn’t need to be refrigerated, freeing up more space for your own food.

Plans & Recipes: 2 Types of Kibble, DIY Recipes & Toppers

The Perfect Kibble comes in 2 varieties: Coconut Chicken and Beef Pot Roast. Both are suitable for dogs of all ages. However, each could especially benefit elderly dogs because of the high levels of antioxidants and mono-chain triglycerides (MCT). These are said to help brain function and reduce the risk of dementia.

Both recipes are also low-carb, with zero fillers like wheat or rice, making them super nutritious. Fresh meat is always the number-one ingredient, in line with your dog’s carnivorous needs. 

Unfortunately, you can’t customize the kibble recipes, but they should be beneficial for most dogs. This includes those with food allergies or sensitivities, since they don’t contain any artificial additives and only have 14 ingredients each. 

The meals have been designed with the help of a veterinary nutritionist and a culinary chef to be both balanced and yummy for your dog. Everything – from the choice of ingredients to the macronutrients – is backed by scientific evidence to be the best for your pet.

Yumwoof’s Perfect Dog Food Mix can be thought of as “Betty Crocker for dogs.” By following the recipes on the website and adding your own protein to the DIY mix, you can serve up a nutritionally-balanced, homemade meal for your pup. Naturally, this involves buying the ingredients yourself.

In addition to these 2 main products, Yumwoof also offers a pre- and probiotic food toppers, with other products in the pipeline available for pre-order – including dehydrated dog food and sustainably sourced salmon oil.

Ingredients: Nutritious Meals With Fresh Meat & Superfood Components

Coconut Chicken

Fresh cage-free chicken, whole eggs, organic coconut oil, organic coconut glycerin, organic flaxseed, carrots, gluten-free oats, blueberries, cranberries, chia seeds, seaweed, beef liver, pumpkin, sea salt, natural flavor, vitamins, and minerals.

Beef Pot Roast

Fresh pasture-raised beef, whole eggs, organic coconut oil, organic coconut glycerin, organic flaxseed, carrots, gluten-free oats, blueberries, cranberries, chia seeds, seaweed, beef liver, pumpkin, sea salt, natural flavor, vitamins, and minerals.

Nutrition: Plenty of Essential Nutrients & Zero Fillers

Let’s take a look at the Guaranteed Analysis of the Perfect Kibble:

Yumwoof’s minimum crude protein is comparable to other premium healthy kibble brands, such as Spot & Tango, but the moisture levels are higher (16% compared to 4%). 

This means your dog is getting higher amounts of essential nutrients with Yumwoof. And since the recipes are free from high-carb fillers, your dog will benefit from a diet that’s specially made for its needs as a primarily carnivorous animal.

What Makes Yumwoof Different

There isn’t a whole lot that differentiates Yumwoof, with the exception of pro- and prebiotics. Not every dog food delivery service offers these. It’s also working on releasing Perfect Feast around September 2023, which is its air-dried hypo-allergenic food. Keep your eyes out for that.

The company also offers DIY nutrient blends. Again, not every dog food delivery company offers that, so this is somewhat unique.

Unboxing: Shelf Stable Food in a Standard Package

Ordering from Yumwoof is just like ordering your usual dog food from a pet store. Since it doesn’t require refrigeration, there are no ice packs or insulation – it’s just a standard package.

The food is shelf-stable, so you can just store it in a cool, dry place for up to a year. Your kitchen cupboard is a perfect choice for this. You can purchase the kibble in either 3.5lb or 14 oz bags – the latter is if you’re only using it as a topper or a treat. 

You can either store open bags in an air-tight container or place it back into the cupboard as usual. Just make sure to close the bag properly. If you expose it to air for a long time, it will dry out and lose its chewy texture. The food stays fresh for up to 6 months unopened, and up to 30 days once opened.

When it comes to serving, just tip the kibble into your pup’s bowl and watch them enjoy. There will be some dust left at the bottom of each bag, but you can mix it with a little water and feed it like that to avoid any waste.

Prices: Yumwoof Is a Pretty Expensive Choice

Both the Coconut Chicken and Beef Pot Roast 14 oz topper bags cost $19.99. The Coconut Chicken 3.5 oz full bag costs $59.99, and the Beef Pot Roast full bag costs $62.99. A bag of Perfect Dog Food Mix costs $39.99. The salmon oil costs $29.99 for a 16 oz bottle, and the pre- and probiotics cost $32.99 for a 2.5 oz bottle.

Spend over $80 to get free shipping, over $160 for 5% off, $240 for 10% off, and $320 for 15% off. This applies to the total value of your order, before taxes. 

You can also get Yumwoof baseball caps that cost a whopping $49.99, which is absolutely absurd in my opinion. That’s exceptionally expensive for one of those.

Overall, Yumwoof is a super expensive service. In my opinion, I think something like Spot & Tango could serve you much better. It’s a trusted brand in the space and delivers exceptional quality fresh dog food and kibble at reasonable prices, as our reviewer discovered – but the choice is completely yours.

Shipping & Delivery: US-Wide Shipping & Starter Pack Options

Yumwoof ships to the entire US including Alaska and Hawaii. You can set deliveries to 1, 2, or 3 months apart, depending on how much food you need for your pup. If you change your mind later, it’s easy to cancel or amend your subscription when you log into your account.

If you want to test the products first, you might want to start with the Picky Eater Starter Pack, which contains a bag of each type of kibble, plus a bag of the dog food mix.

Your order will arrive within 4 to 7 days of purchasing if you live in the US, but you can also request expedited shipping to get it faster.

If you want to change your order, it really depends on where your order is in the system. If Yumwoof hasn’t yet started getting it ready to ship, you should be able to make any changes you want. But if your order is already getting prepared for delivery, there might be some changes that just can't be made.

It’s always a good idea to contact the customer service team if you need to make changes. That way, you can get a definitive answer to whether or not it’s still possible.

How Yumwoof Works (Step by Step Guide)

You can place one-off orders, or sign up for auto shipments – the choice is yours. It’s easy to order from this company.

How to Sign Up (5 Simple Steps)

1. Click on Our Food in the top menu bar. 

2. Choose the type of food you want. 

3. Decide how much you want to order. Then, begin adding your selection(s) to your cart.

4. Click the shopping cart icon in the top right. Once you’ve added everything you want to your order, it’s time to check out.

5. Enter your personal information. Then, choose your shipping method and complete the checkout process by entering your payment information.

Managing Your Subscription

To review your orders and make changes, login to the web portal, and click the “person” icon. From there, you’ll see links for Subscription and Your Orders. It’s easy enough to find what you’re looking for in here – and if you need any help, check out the Customer Service section below, which will guide you through contacting a member of the team.

Customer Service: Helpful & Responsive Email Support

You can contact Yumwoof’s customer support team by phone, live chat, or email. The team is available Monday to Friday, from 9 am to 4 pm (CT). You can also ask questions even if you’re not a customer just yet.

Something odd is that I didn’t find a very extensive general FAQ section. There is an FAQ section, but you have to take a bit of a roundabout way to find it. The way to do it is to click on Our Food in the top menu navigation bar, select your preferred product type, then scroll down to the bottom of the page that appears. There, you’ll find a section called FAQ.

So, I took it upon myself to test out the live chat support experience. Though I did not receive an immediate reply, that’s my own fault because I had to leave the chat early. Someone got back to me pretty much immediately via email though, which I found great. 

Overall, the email response was thorough, professional, and courteous. I couldn’t have asked for a better response. 

Yumwoof Recalls: None to Report

There are currently no Yumwoof recalls.

How Yumwoof Compares to Other Pet Food Services

• Yumwoof vs. The Farmer’s Dog: The Farmer's Dog has some perks when compared to Yumwoof. For one, it offers fresh dog food, not kibble. Plus, there are different types of meals available like turkey. All the food is human-grade and is prepared in USDA facilities as well. It’s also all developed by veterinary and industry professionals.
• Yumwoof vs. Ollie: Ollie can be a better choice than Yumwoof in some ways. For instance, Ollie gives you 4 different fresh meals to choose from: Turkey, Chicken, Lamb, and Beef. Also, it has meal plans that mix fresh food and baked dry food. If you want to give it a shot or are thinking of saving money by combining it with dry food, Ollie also has a plan that offers half fresh food too.

The Bottom Line: Is Yumwoof Worth It?

Short answer: yes. Yumwoof is a balanced, scientifically-backed, vet-approved meal for your pup, not to mention devised by a pro chef! All the ingredients are natural and human-grade, plus it's super convenient and doesn’t take up space in the fridge.

But there certainly are better options out there if you want more variation, prefer fresh food for your dog, or simply want a more affordable alternative. The Farmer’s Dog, for example, offers 4 different fresh food recipes, plus a similar DIY mix for home-cooked meals.

FAQ

What is Yumwoof Perfect Kibble?

Yumwoof’s Perfect Kibble is a soft, chewy, shelf-stable food for dogs. It combines the benefits of a fresh, high-protein diet with the convenience of kibble. The 14 ingredients are cold-pressed and slowly cooked at low temperatures to retain all the nutrients  

How long does Yumwoof last?

You can keep Yumwoof in your cupboard for up to 6 months. Once it’s opened, it’ll stay fresh for 30 days. Thanks to the innovative formula, you can store it in a cool, dry place without any fear of spoilage – just be sure to keep the bag closed to prevent it drying out! 

How much does Yumwoof cost?

Yumwoof’s prices start at $19.99 for a 14 oz bag of Perfect Kibble. Though the price doesn’t change per-bag for larger dogs, keep in mind that you’ll need to order more per month. This, in turn, will increase your monthly price by default.