NEEDHAM, MASS. — Guardian Pet Food Company has introduced its first two product lines for dogs:  freeze-dried food bars and freeze-dried, limited-ingredient treats.   NOBL Canine Food Bars are designed for convenient, on-the-go feeding. They offer high digestibility and each of the complete-and-balanced formulas contain 22 ingredients.   “We offer them individually wrapped for people on the go and as an everyday feeding option in our 10 bar bulk bags,” explained Ryan Yamka, co-founder, chief operating officer and executive vice president of research and development at Guardian Pet Food Company.   “…you simply give them the bar, no bowl or rehydration required,” Yamka added. “We combine the benefits of kibble (easy storage and doesn’t take up fridge/freezer space) with the benefits of raw (no heat processing).”   The beef and chicken formula features beef, chicken, beef liver and chicken liver as the main animal-based ingredients. The turkey and duck formula includes turkey, duck, turkey heart and turkey liver. Both meat-inclusive formulas feature chickpeas, sweet potatoes and ground flaxseed following the main animal-based ingredients on the label.   NOBL’s treat products feature freeze-dried bits of diced animal meat, heart and liver. The treats are available in three meat-inclusive formulas — beef, turkey and chicken — as well as one vegan formulation. The vegan treats contain sliced carrots, diced sweet potatoes and green beans.   Later this fall, NOBL’s Canine Food Bar line will include a vegan option specifically formulated to include additional sources of calcium, taurine and carnitine.   “For our vegan meal bar, the challenge was making sure it was aligned with the meat bar portfolio from a nutrient and digestibility standpoint,” Yamka said. “We did a lot of homework to get it right.”   Guardian Pet Food conducts third-party digestibility studies for all NOBL complete-and-balanced formulas. Total digestibility for its beef and chicken Canine Food Bars is 90.1%, and digestibility for its turkey and duck formula comes in at 90.3%.   These digestibility studies are conducted for 10 days, with the first five days facilitating a proper transition to the product and the last five days for fecal collection and analysis. This process measures total tract digestibility, as well as protein, fat and energy, Yamka said.   “… all the analyticals and digestibility results will be on our website for everyone to see,” Yamka explained. “We believe in 100% transparency and education so consumers can make their own decisions.”   Additionally, NOBL products are eligible for recycling through TerraCycle. Consumers can download and print a free TerraCycle label from Guardian Pet Food’s website, which can then be applied to NOBL packaging and recycled accordingly.   The NOBL brand was first unveiled at Global Pet Expo in February 2020. The brand began shipping its products to distributors and retailers this month, according to Yamka.   Yamka said the company is currently developing additional products, including more meal bars for dogs, cat food products and liquid bone broth supplements. He reported the bone broth supplements will be released in September 2020 under the Dog Almighty Elixirs brand.   NOBL currently distributes in the United States and Canada, and is developing additional distribution partnerships, Yamka said.   Guardian Pet Food Company was founded in 2017.   Read more about new pet food and treat products.