Comparisons
AlphaPak vs. Primal: Freeze-Dried Raw Beef, Side by Side
AlphaPak · Reviewed by our veterinary and formulation team · Updated September 14, 2026
AlphaPak Beef and Primal Freeze-Dried Beef Nuggets have a lot in common. Both are raw and made in the USA. Neither adds a synthetic vitamin and mineral pack. The gaps are in the details: what else gets added, how much protein and fat, what is printed on the page, and how each brand keeps its food safe.
Primal is the brand we get asked about most, because on the big idea, we agree: whole food should do the work, not a vitamin pack. If you are choosing between Primal and AlphaPak, here are the facts from both labels, side by side. We read them from each company's own website on September 14, 2026, and we link to every page at the bottom.
The facts, side by side
| AlphaPak Beef | Primal Freeze-Dried Beef Nuggets | |
|---|---|---|
| Main protein | Beef | Beef |
| First five ingredients | Beef meat, flaxseed, beef kidney, beef liver, beef heart | Beef (with ground bone), beef livers, organic carrots, organic squash, organic kale |
| Crude protein (min) | 51% | 42% |
| Crude fat (min) | 27.5% | 32% |
| Calories | 246 kcal per cup (4,458 kcal/kg) | 46 kcal per nugget; kcal/kg and per cup not published on their product page |
| Added vitamin & mineral premix | None. The list ends with mixed tocopherols, a natural preservative | None. Page states 'No Synthetic Vitamins or Minerals.' Other additions: vitamin E supplement, taurine, dried yeast, montmorillonite clay, cod liver oil, fish oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, apple cider vinegar |
| AAFCO statement | AlphaPak Freeze-Dried Dog Food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO nutritional profiles for all dog life stages, including growth and development of large size dogs (70 lbs or more as adult dogs). | Formal AAFCO wording not published on their product page; the site lists it under 'Complete and Balanced Dog Recipes' |
| Made in | USA | USA ('Crafted in USA'; their FAQ names Fairfield, CA and Abilene, TX) |
| Safety process, as each brand describes it | We run a kill-step process and test the finished food, and the equipment it is made on, for Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli. | Probiotics in the recipe plus 'test and hold' with a third-party lab; their FAQ describes HPP for frozen recipes, not freeze-dried |
| Format | Cubes; add warm water before serving | Nuggets (5.5, 14, and 30 oz bags) |
Both foods are beef and organ first. Both are made in the USA. Neither one adds a synthetic vitamin and mineral premix. That last point puts Primal in rare company, and we want to say so clearly.
What Primal does well
Primal has been a leader in raw for two decades, and their beef nuggets show it. The produce is organic. The list includes cod liver oil and fish oil, which bring marine omega-3. They publish a full nutrient breakdown on the product page, and their FAQ names the plants where the food is made. Their nuggets are easy to portion, and the brand is easy to find in stores.
Where AlphaPak pulls ahead
On the big idea, Primal and AlphaPak agree: let the meat, organ, bone, and produce do the work. The difference is what else is on the list. Primal adds vitamin E supplement, taurine, dried yeast, clay, vinegar, and four oils. AlphaPak's list ends at mixed tocopherols. Both labels are short by industry standards. Ours is shorter, and every line on it is a food you would recognize.
AlphaPak is also higher in protein and lower in fat: 51% protein and 27.5% fat, next to Primal's 42% and 32%. And we put the numbers where you can check them. Our product page prints calories per cup and per kilogram and the full AAFCO statement. Primal's page lists calories per nugget and leaves the AAFCO wording off.
On omega-3, the two take different routes. Primal uses marine oils. AlphaPak's omega-3 comes from flaxseed, a whole plant source that fits the rest of the label.
What the research says about digestibility
In a University of Illinois study, adult dogs fed raw and mildly cooked diets digested more of their food than dogs fed kibble (Algya et al., 2018). A later study saw the same pattern with freeze-dried raw (Geary et al., 2024). These are findings about diet types, not tests of any one brand. Primal and AlphaPak are both raw and never cooked, so both sit on the right side of that line. We keep the whole-food approach all the way to the last line of the label.
How each is made safe
This is where the two brands differ most. Primal's FAQ describes HPP for its frozen recipes. For freeze-dried, it describes probiotics in the recipe and a 'test and hold' step: samples from each batch go to a third-party lab, and the lot is held until it tests negative. We run a kill-step process and test the finished food, and the equipment it is made on, for Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli. Freeze-drying does not cook the food, so treat either one like raw at home: wash hands and bowls, seal the bag, and toss rehydrated leftovers after two hours. More in is freeze-dried raw safe?.
Which one is right for your dog?
If marine omega-3 in the food and organic produce are your priorities, Primal is a strong choice. If you want the shortest label, more protein, less fat, a kill-step process, and the AAFCO statement printed where you can read it, AlphaPak is built for you. Switch slowly over about a week, and talk with your vet if your dog has special needs.
Where these numbers come from
- Primal Freeze-Dried Raw Nuggets Dog Food, Beef Recipe, product page, read September 14, 2026
- Primal, FAQ and Primal's Commitment to Food Safety, read September 14, 2026
- AlphaPak Freeze-Dried Raw Beef, product page
AlphaPak is a food, not a medicine, and nothing here replaces your vet's advice. Not sure which recipe fits your dog? Find your recipe takes about a minute, and we are happy to help.
Common questions
- Does Primal freeze-dried use synthetic vitamins and minerals?
- Primal's product page says 'No Synthetic Vitamins or Minerals,' and the beef nugget label backs that up. It does list vitamin E supplement, taurine, dried yeast, clay, and several oils. AlphaPak also adds no vitamin and mineral premix, and our list ends at mixed tocopherols with nothing else added.
- Does Primal use HPP on its freeze-dried nuggets?
- Not according to their FAQ. Primal describes HPP for its frozen recipes. For freeze-dried, it describes probiotics in the recipe plus a 'test and hold' step with a third-party lab. AlphaPak runs a kill-step process and tests the finished food, and the equipment it is made on, for Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli.
- Which has more protein, AlphaPak or Primal?
- AlphaPak Beef is 51% protein and 27.5% fat (minimums, as sold). Primal Freeze-Dried Beef Nuggets are 42% protein and 32% fat. AlphaPak is the leaner, higher-protein food of the two.
- Is Primal freeze-dried complete and balanced?
- Primal's website lists the beef nuggets under 'Complete and Balanced Dog Recipes,' but the formal AAFCO wording is not published on the product page. AlphaPak prints its AAFCO statement for all life stages on the product page.
More in Comparisons
Sources
- Algya, K. M., Cross, T.-W. L., Leuck, K. N., Kastner, M. E., Baba, T., Lye, L., de Godoy, M. R. C., & Swanson, K. S. (2018). Apparent total-tract macronutrient digestibility, serum chemistry, urinalysis, and fecal characteristics, metabolites and microbiota of adult dogs fed extruded, mildly cooked, and raw diets. Journal of Animal Science. DOI: 10.1093/jas/sky235
- Geary, E. L., Oba, P. M., Templeman, J. R., & Swanson, K. S. (2024). Apparent total tract nutrient digestibility of frozen raw, freeze-dried raw, fresh, and extruded dog foods and their effects on serum metabolites and fecal characteristics, metabolites, and microbiota of healthy adult dogs. Translational Animal Science. DOI: 10.1093/tas/txae163
AlphaPak is a food, not a medicine. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Statements about nutrition describe the role of whole-food ingredients in supporting normal health and are not a substitute for veterinary care. Individual results vary.