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Buying Bulk Dog Food – Prices, Deals, Wholesale, Pros & Cons

Breeding Business is passionate about all sorts of domesticated pets. They have written dozens of articles across the web.
Published on
Friday 25 January 2019
Last updated on
Tuesday 9 May 2023
Buying Bulk Dog Food
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Buying dog food in bulk allows large-scale dog breeders and pet parents to make some substantial savings. It is not as tricky as it sounds and gets you incredible savings over your favorite pet food brands. All it requires is a simple calculation and a clear idea of your dog’s appetite.

Is bulk dog food really cost effective?

Buying your dog’s food in bulk from a trusted retailer will not just be convenient but also very cost effective. Over and above the actual applicable bulk rates, you may also request your seller for an additional discount – because that actually works

However, the one problem in buying food in bulk is that it is a perishable item. If it spoils, you will more likely have made a bigger loss than saving. Which is why you must always calculate your dog’s average food intake and then make a smart purchase. An opened bag of dry dog food lasts for about five to six weeks – so all you have to do is observe how much your dog eats, per meal. Multiply that by the number of meals you give them each day and then calculate the consumption on a six-week basis. Buying any more will go to waste.

Some things to keep in mind before buying bulk dog food – make sure to keep it stored in an airtight container and make sure you have enough space to place such a large container.

What’s the difference between wholesale and bulk dog food?

When bulk is when an end consumer buys a large quantity for their use to get a discount, and wholesale is when a vet, breeder, or a reseller buys in ginormous quantities to be able to sell it further to retailers for profits. This is more of a B2B arrangement. Buying wholesale refers to a much larger quantity than buying in bulk.

It is easy to get confused and use the words “bulk” and “wholesale” interchangeably. But there is a basic difference between both.

How much dog food qualifies as wholesale?

To understand how much qualifies as bulk and how much qualifies as wholesale, we must first understand the supply chain.

Usually, dog food manufacturers sell their goods in tons or pallets to wholesalers and distributors. The product is packed into bags and these bags are packaged into large cartons that go to the warehouses of the distributor/wholesaler.

These guys take it from there and sell the products to individual retailers (pet shops, small online stores, vet practices, groomers, etc). The retailer then stocks them in his shop and sells it to the end consumer – you, me, all of us!

As a consumer, you can request the retailer to sell you the dog food in bulk, for a discount, say 10% off on an order of six bags bought together.

wholesale vs bulk buying for dog food
Wholesale dog food is for B2B pipelines while bulk buying is for consumers ordering large quantities at a discounted price.

What are the disadvantages of buying bulk dog food?

While cost-effective, bulk buying your dog’s food has its downside too. For one, like any other food item, dry dog food is also a perishable product. It molds and rots just as rapidly. You can tell that the food isn’t good to eat just by how much it stinks. The foul smell is because the fat in the food has gone rancid. It is important that you check for signs of stench because dogs are immune to the smell and will eat the food regardless, leading to various health risks like diarrhea, vomiting, and indigestion. Prolonged consumption could even lead to weakness, health deterioration and foodborne illnesses.

Another drawback of bulk buying is that closer to expiration, dog food loses its nutritive value, making it empty calories, posing as yet another health hazard.

An important thing to factor in is the fact that bulk-buying bags of dog food will also require that much space for storage. So unless you have a space that is cool, dark and away from direct sunlight – you are in trouble. You will also need an airtight container big enough to store the opened bag alongside the unopened ones. The opened bag cannot be exposed to moisture at all.

Can I buy bulk dog food directly from brands?

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Unless you own a large farm with many dogs, a kennel or a store or you know someone really important at the dog food manufacturing unit – this is highly unlikely to happen. Brands will not get into a small-scale retail deal with end consumers and even if they do, it is likely to cause much administrative inconvenience to you.

For a retail order, brands may ask you to commit to a regular quantity and a long-term association.  This will also entail signing an agreement on terms of payments, deliveries et al. Your life will be much simpler if you simply buy in bulk from your friendly retailer at a discount. Buying in wholesale for your domestic purpose will be more of a liability than an income saving opportunity.

Where to buy wholesale dog food in bulk?

A great way to start is to ask your regular retailer if they are willing to sell your kibble or canned food at bulk prices. If not, you could find out about memberships to stores like Costco or wholesale clubs like BJ’s that offer great discounts. They usually sell pet food in quantities of 25-30 kilograms at bulk, which works well for medium to large sized dogs.

Another way to gain access to bulk buying is to directly get in touch with the pet food brands and inquire about their wholesalers and distributors. Get the numbers of your preferred dog food brand off the net – Purina, Pedigree, Royal Canine, Orijen all have contact details on their websites. Request them to send you contacts of their distributors and find the one you’re located closest to.

You can even order dog food in bulk online from the following portals:

So get going and earn yourself some savings by bulk buying your pet’s favorite meals!

15 comments on “Buying Bulk Dog Food – Prices, Deals, Wholesale, Pros & Cons”

  1. tajhizyar

    Interesting! Thanks for the information, I’ll make some savings by bulk buying!

  2. jayino

    Thanks for your good website and information !

  3. Marion Mallett

    I’m trying to buy wholesale dog food and need price

  4. Bonnie Russell

    I’m in desperate need of Royal Canine Great Dane dig food how do I buy from you ? I have 7 Great Danes and Washington State does not have any. Bonnie Russell 360- 876-7539

  5. Rudy Mares

    Hello my name is Rudy Mares and today i am contacting you because we are trying to find a wholesale supplier of dry kibble for dogs. However the bulk food is required to be shipped to Mexico. Please let me know if this is possible.

    1. Luis

      I, too, am trying to find a distributor that will ship to Mexico.

  6. Beverly Martin Johnson

    Thanks for all the helpful information!!!

  7. Margie Tenchipe

    I really need to know where I could get cheap dog food for I have tryed to take care of dogs that were putout with no hometo go back to now with puppy’s and on disability I can’t now afford to feed them any longer and don’t want to have all 42 dogsput down want to try and put them up for adoption so could you please give me a price on the cheapest pallet or bulk food thankyou

  8. Brian Nicholls

    I would like to purchase 65 bags of greyhound feed. I am based in lingfield, Surrey and the order would be every 6 weeks depending on price. Kind regards
    Brian Nicholls

  9. Clinton hazelton

    Me and my dad have 55 to 60 hounds at all times and we looking for dogs food on discount let me know if u can help

  10. yves conze

    I have 7 rottweillers. they eat a bag a week. i would like to buy a pallet of purina dog chow chicken flavor in the Miami area. can you be of help?

  11. Cindy LaDue

    Price list

  12. noemi sanchez

    i have a ranch with all rescue dogs about 19 i need to find food for better price

  13. Michele

    Legally how are you able to keep 30 dogs in colorado

  14. Kamal

    Hi we are a dyp internacional ltd frome mocambiqe we are locking for buy in bulck quantity

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