There is nothing more natural than food made fresh from the source. This is why the popularity of locally-sourced ingredients keeps attracting new followers through the years. Such ingredients benefit humans, pets, and the environment in specific ways. 

Experts and laymen alike cite health benefits as the main reason why locally made ingredients are better than ones imported elsewhere. Besides this, you might not be familiar with the other benefits of ingredients sourced locally. Here are four major benefits of locally-sourced ingredients to humans, nature, and pets.

Reduction of carbon footprint or pollution

For the environment, locally-sourced ingredients minimise pollution because they don’t typically call for far transportation. Usually, importation of ingredients involves air, land or sea transport that consumes fuel and expel smoke during long drives. Locally-sourced ingredients have less need of this, which helps reduce carbon footprint and pollution. While it may be impossible to completely omit carbon footprint in business, let’s support brands that reduce as best as they can.

Safety checked by local authorities

Local authorities can also guarantee the safety and quality of ingredients made locally. They are able to get more hands-on and see the production themselves. Local authorities may already know the farmers and producers who handle the ingredients, so there’s a level of trust and familiarity in the process. An example would be the ingredients of pet food brand earthmade. They are checked for safety and quality by the Ministry of Primary Industries in New Zealand where earthmade ingredients are made.

Freshness and nutrients with less travel time

The certification issued by authorities guarantee the quality of locally-made ingredients, but another factor is also the travel time. Produce gets picked once ripe, but the time it takes to pack and ship them to stores elsewhere can make them less fresh for consumption. Locally-made ingredients are not coated with chemicals that help them withstand the long commute since such trips aren’t really needed. Because locally-sourced ingredients don’t have such chemicals, these benefit people who want to eat food they choose and enjoy much of its nutrients.

Palatable for pets with picky tastes

Because locally-sourced ingredients tend to be safe, fresh, and packed with nutrients, they can be more palatable as food for pets with picky tastes. Animals have keen senses when it comes to what they eat, so it’s no surprise that they would prefer tasty and nutritious food compared to one that smells and tastes less fresh or healthy. Common household pets like dogs and cats have finite lifespans, so pet owners have to choose food that has the finest ingredients for pets to stay healthy.

Going for Local

Now that you know the benefits of ingredients sourced locally, you can rethink your current choices when it comes to food for you or your pet animal. We’ve learned that such ingredients not only benefit humans and animals but the environment as well. This is the reason more and more are going for local sourcing when it comes to food.

With earthmade, we humans, pets, and Nature are all stakeholders. The brand is conscientious with how the business might affect all three, so we do our best in following these four aspects: reducing our carbon footprint, seeking local authorities to check our production, keeping our products fresh, and ensuring our pet food is palatable for picky pets. This is why we champion locally-sourced ingredients.