Essential Foods THE BEGINNING
Dry Extruded complete High meat Clear label
Is Essential Foods THE BEGINNING a good dog food?
We score it 70/100 (Good). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Why this score?
This recipe achieves an overall score of 70 out of 100. Several factors influence this rating, starting with the meat content, which contributes +8.7. Conversely, the processing format has a negative impact, adding -7 to the calculation. On the positive side, the overall quality of the ingredient list adds +6, while printing percentages on the label contributes +3.2.
- Recipe70
- Nutritionalmedium99
- Transparency60
- Safety100
- Evidencelimited33
The Recipe score measures how attractive and transparent the declared ingredient list is. It is not, by itself, proof that the food is nutritionally appropriate for long-term feeding. The Nutritional and Evidence scores measure what we can verify towards that stronger claim.
Complete extruded dry food for puppies, with chicken, sweet potatoes and chicken oil and fat as the main ingredients.
Why you might choose it
- Scores 70, in the top quarter of dry foods we track.
- Meat makes up an estimated 75% of the dry matter (81% as fed).
- Prints ingredient percentages on the label.
Why you might not
- High in fat: 23% fat on a dry-matter basis.
Estimated composition
Typical analysis (as fed)
- Protein
- 35%
- Fat
- 21%
- Fibre
- 3.50%
- Ash
- 8%
- Moisture
- 8.50%
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- 1.70%
- Omega-6 fatty acids
- 3.60%
- Calcium
- 1.60%
- Phosphorus
- 1.30%
Additives & feeding info
Nutritional additives
Vitamin A 15000 IU; Vitamin D3 2000 IU; Vitamin E 240 IU; Taurine 1500 mg; Zinc (Zinc Chelate of Amino Acids Hydrate) 50 mg; Iron (Iron (II) Chelate of Amino Acids Hydrate) 50 mg; Manganese (Manganese Chelate of Amino Acids Hydrate) 35 mg; Copper (Copper (II) Chelate of Amino Acids Hydrate) 15 mg; Iodine (Calcium Iodate Anhydrous) 0.96 mg; Selenium (Sodium Selenite) 0.3 mg
Technological additives
rosemary extract
Storage
The food should be stored in the bag, in a cool, dry place (5-18 °C). Away from direct sunlight, and with the zip carefully closed.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for puppies
- Grain-free: no grain ingredients listed
- Doesn't list beef, turkey, lamb, venison, pork as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids chicken: the label lists chicken
- Your dog avoids fish: the label lists salmon
- Your dog avoids duck: it is listed as an ingredient
- You want a single-protein recipe: this one lists more than one animal protein
- You are limiting fat: 23.0% on a dry-matter basis is in the high band
These points are derived from declared ingredients and analysis, not a substitute for veterinary advice. If your dog has a diagnosed condition, food choice is a medical nutrition decision: speak to your vet. Use the homepage filter to find foods that fit your dog.
Ingredients (34)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fresh free-range British chicken and free-run welfare assured British country duck (34%) | Chicken | meat | medium | 34 | 34.0 |
| 2 | Dried Chicken and Duck (30%) | Chicken | meat | medium | 30 | 30.0 |
| 3 | Sweet Potato | Sweet Potatoes | carb | good | - | 0.5 |
| 4 | Chicken Fat (9%) | Chicken Oil and Fat | oil | good | 9 | 9.0 |
| 5 | Peas | Peas | veg | good | - | 0.5 |
| 6 | Fresh Scottish salmon and Trout (7%) | Salmon | meat | good | 7 | 7.0 |
| 7 | Whole Egg (7%) | Egg | meat | good | 7 | 7.0 |
| 8 | Linseed | Linseed | veg | good | - | 0.5 |
| 9 | Potato | Potatoes | carb | medium | - | 0.4 |
| 10 | Chicken Gravy (3%) | Chicken | meat | medium | 3 | 3.0 |
| 11 | Lucerne Sprout | Alfalfa | veg | good | - | 0.4 |
| 12 | Vitamins | Vitamins and minerals | supplement | medium | - | 0.4 |
| 13 | Minerals | Vitamins and minerals | supplement | medium | - | 0.4 |
| 14 | MOS (Mannan Oligosaccharides) | Mannanoligosaccharides | supplement | good | - | 0.4 |
| 15 | FOS (Fructo-Oligosaccharides) | Fructo-oligosaccharides | supplement | good | - | 0.4 |
| 16 | Glucosamine | Glucosamine | supplement | good | - | 0.4 |
| 17 | MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) | MSM | supplement | good | - | 0.4 |
| 18 | Chondroitin | Chondroitin | supplement | good | - | 0.4 |
| 19 | Cranberry | Cranberries | veg | good | - | 0.4 |
| 20 | Acai | Acai | veg | good | - | 0.4 |
| 21 | Bilberry | Bilberries | veg | good | - | 0.4 |
| 22 | Mulberry | Mulberry | veg | good | - | 0.3 |
| 23 | Apple | Apples | veg | good | - | 0.3 |
| 24 | Tomato | Tomato | veg | good | - | 0.3 |
| 25 | Orange | Orange | veg | medium | - | 0.3 |
| 26 | Pear | Pears | veg | good | - | 0.3 |
| 27 | Carrot | Carrots | veg | good | - | 0.3 |
| 28 | Spinach | Spinach | veg | good | - | 0.3 |
| 29 | Cauliflower | Cauliflower | veg | good | - | 0.3 |
| 30 | Seaweed | Seaweed | veg | good | - | 0.3 |
| 31 | Marigold | Calendula | veg | good | - | 0.3 |
| 32 | Ginseng | Ginseng | supplement | medium | - | 0.3 |
| 33 | Decaffeinated green tea | Green Tea | veg | good | - | 0.3 |
| 34 | Ginger. | Ginger | veg | good | - | 0.2 |
Brand
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-08-22
- Scored with
- Model v2 (methodology)
- Product page
- essentialfoods.com
Recall history is presentation-only and never affects the score. Dates are when we recorded the data, not when the manufacturer last changed the recipe.
Spotted a mistake in this listing? Report it here and we'll take a look.
Recipe: how the 1-100 score is calculated
Scored with model v2 on 2026-09-22. Each component is the feature value for this product multiplied by the model's published coefficient.
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.6 | 9.915 | +5.95 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 75.2% | 0.116 | +8.72 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 0.4% | -0.113 | -0.05 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 16.2% | -0.088 | -1.43 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 3.0% | -0.002 | -0.01 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 5.2% | -0.009 | -0.05 |
| Undeclared quantities | 10.0% | -0.131 | -1.31 |
| Prints ingredient percentages | yes | 3.194 | +3.19 |
| Complete diet | yes | 1.703 | +1.70 |
| High meat (30%+ of dry matter) | yes | -0.506 | -0.51 |
| Meat share × printed percentages | 75.2 | -0.073 | -5.52 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.00 | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | yes | -6.996 | -7.00 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.6 | 9.915 | +5.95 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 75.2% | 0.116 | +8.72 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 0.4% | -0.113 | -0.05 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 16.2% | -0.088 | -1.43 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 3.0% | -0.002 | -0.01 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.177 | +0.00 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 5.2% | -0.009 | -0.05 |
| Other share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.371 | +0.00 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.022 | +0.00 |
| Recipe graded poor | 0.0% | -0.045 | +0.00 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.182 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 0 | -0.868 | +0.00 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 0.0% | 0.056 | +0.00 |
| Undeclared quantities | 10.0% | -0.131 | -1.31 |
| Prints ingredient percentages | yes | 3.194 | +3.19 |
| Complete diet | yes | 1.703 | +1.70 |
| Frozen or chilled fresh | no | 11.440 | +0.00 |
| High meat (30%+ of dry matter) | yes | -0.506 | -0.51 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | no | -1.988 | +0.00 |
| High carb and low meat | no | -1.250 | +0.00 |
| Meat share × printed percentages | 75.2 | -0.073 | -5.52 |
| Meat share × fresh | 0.0 | -0.339 | +0.00 |
| Fresh × high meat | 0.0 | 16.475 | +0.00 |
| Additive penalty | 0.00 | 0.236 | +0.00 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.00 | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Processing: Raw | no | 13.322 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Chilled | no | 7.712 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Frozen | no | 6.583 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Refrigerated | no | 4.857 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Shelf | no | 0.072 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Freeze Dried | no | 11.127 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Air Dried | no | 9.320 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Cold Pressed | no | 4.569 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Baked | no | -2.321 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | yes | -6.996 | -7.00 |
| Processing: Dry Semi Moist | no | -6.833 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Muesli | no | -10.711 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Pate | no | 2.935 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Chunks | no | 2.292 | +0.00 |
- Processing-type offset
- -0.01
- Additives declared on label
- +2 transparency bonus
- Subtotal
- 70.4
- Final score
- 70/100
Contributions are rounded to two decimals, so they may not sum exactly to the subtotal. The full coefficient table is published on the methodology page.
Score history across model versions
The score shown above is always computed with the latest published model. Earlier scores are kept for the record and are never edited or deleted; a scoring change ships as a new model version with a public write-up on the methodology page.
| Model | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| v2 | 70/100 | current |
| v1 | 78/100 | |
| v1.9 | 80/100 |
Nutritional: declared analysis vs reference ranges
How the declared analysis compares with FEDIAF reference ranges for puppies and growth. The label prints as-fed values; we convert to a dry-matter basis before scoring, and the bands are dry-matter ranges. Scores rise to 100 at the band midpoint: the reference is adequacy, not maximisation. Nutrients with a published upper limit taper again above it; fat is policed through calorie density rather than a direct penalty.
Scored against FEDIAF growth minima; puppy scoring is under review.
| Nutrient | As fed (label) | Dry matter (scored) | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 35 | 38.3 | 100 |
| Fat | 21 | 23 | 100 |
| Calcium | 1.6 | 1.7 | 90.7 |
| Phosphorus | 1.3 | 1.4 | 100 |
| Calcium:phosphorus ratio | 1.2 | 1.2 | 100 |
| Omega fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3) | - | - | 100 |
Omega fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3): scored as the mean of its declared components (omega-6 100, omega-3 100). The FEDIAF minimum for omega-6 is linoleic acid specifically.
Scored over 6 declared nutrients (combined weight 80); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score.
Medium confidence: the full five-part analysis is on file; where moisture was not declared it was estimated from the food type.
This measures agreement with published reference ranges, not suitability for an individual dog. For medical conditions, follow veterinary guidance.
Transparency: what the label discloses
How much the manufacturer discloses, measured against the FEDIAF Code of Good Labelling Practice and Regulation 767/2009. Mandatory items dominate the weighting.
| Item | Points |
|---|---|
| Ingredient list on the label (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Printed percentages on the label (90% of the recipe mass) (voluntary) | 18/20 |
| Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) | 15/15 |
| Additives declared (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Energy value declared (voluntary) - not on file | 0/5 |
| Complete/complementary designation (mandatory) | 5/5 |
| Feeding guidance given (mandatory) - not on file | 0/10 |
| Manufacturer identity and address (mandatory) | 5/10 |
| Country of manufacture stated (voluntary) | 10/10 |
| Batch and date labelling (mandatory) | 5/5 |
Capped at 60: mandatory items missing (Feeding guidance given).
Safety: recall history
Recall and safety-notice history, time-decayed. This dimension is shown alongside the score and never feeds the headline number.
No recalls recorded in our database.
See all current recalls we track.
Evidence: what the brand claims, and what supports it
The marketing claims made on the pack and product page, and how much evidence sits behind them. We record the claims as stated; we do not assess whether they are true.
| Claim | Type | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|
| A grain-free diet helps sensitive digestion (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Serving ESSENTIALS positively will affect the mental balance of your dog. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Calcium and phosphorus work together and play an important role in skeletal, dental, and muscle health, and normal bodily functions. (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| no grain, no fillers (on page) | Free-from | Manufacturer assertion |
| GRAIN-FREE (on page) | Free-from | Manufacturer assertion |
| deluxe grain-free meal tailored to puppies expected to reach an adult weight of up to 15 kg (on page) | Content | Manufacturer assertion |
| Our high fresh meat content and the low preparation temperature means your dog gets exceptional nutritional values vs. mass-branded pet foods. (on page) | High/low level | Manufacturer assertion |
Limited: at least one claim rests on manufacturer assertion alone.
The full scoring method is published. See the methodology for exactly how the headline score and each dimension are calculated.
Other products from Essential Foods
Alternatives to THE BEGINNING
Foods in our database that are similar on ingredients, protein, format or price. Scores and figures are from the same deterministic model used everywhere on the site.
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